An overview of our progress against this outcome during 2021 to 2022.
Why it’s important
We protect the public by making sure the regulated workforce is registered and fit to practise.
Being on the Register of Social Care Workers provides practitioners with professional recognition and access to training and development resources.
Those people who rely on care and support can be sure that a registered worker is suitably qualified and has agreed to meet the professional standards we’ve set for the sector.
People can also be sure that we’ll address any concerns about a person’s fitness to practise in a fair and transparent way.
If necessary, we can make them undertake further training or prevent them from working in the social care sector in Wales.
Our impact
Public perceptions have improved, and more professionals are now registered with us.
The most recent Wales Omnibus Survey revealed that more members of the public have a positive perception of the skills and professionalism of the workforce.
Impact
The survey asked questions to get the public’s view about:
Care and early years workers are always skilled and professional in the work they do:
- Residential and care home workers: 67 per cent agree and strongly agree. This is up from 59 per cent in March 2020
- Childcare workers: 69 per cent agree and strongly agree. This was also 69 per cent in 2020.
The public have confidence in the workforce:
- Residential and care home workers: 74 per cent agree and strongly agree. This wasn't measured in 2020.
We want people to have confidence in the social care sector.
Registration is part of our ongoing commitment to continuously develop the social care workforce and raise the status of workers.
With the increased size of the Register, we’ll continue to identify ways in which we can better interact with registered people. We will help them understand the expectations and standards set by the Code of Professional Practice by supporting their learning and development.
There were 35,261 people on our Register as of March 2022. This is consistent with the number in March 2021. This will increase significantly in 2022 as adult home care workers must now register.
A central part of our regulatory function is making sure those providing social care are competent and safe to practise. This requires an effective and efficient fitness to practise process.
Throughout 2021 to 2022 we made sure that our current fitness to practise processes are efficient and timely.
We implemented recommendations following our review in the previous year. The review also looked for new and different ways of carrying out our functions to make the most of our resources.
We removed 45 people from the Register, making sure they could no longer work in registered social care roles in Wales.
Impact
- 312 (0.9 per cent of Register) is the number of registered persons about whom we received allegations that called into question their fitness to practise and suitability to remain on the Register.
- 171 of referrals related to registered persons who were subject to disciplinary processes.
- 49 final hearings were held.
- 45 people were removed from the Register.
Next page
A social care and early years workforce that is suitably qualified, knowledgeable and skilled, with the right values, behaviours and practice