Consultation outcome

Children’s social work post-qualifying standards and induction

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Detail of outcome

The government’s response to the consultation provides a high-level summary of the responses received. It sets out proposals to enhance early career support to help the transition from initial education and support social workers to stay in practice.

The child and family social worker early career standards for use from 1 April 2027 is also available.


Original consultation

Summary

This consultation is for all those who receive and provide children’s social care services in England, and those who have an interest in it.

This consultation was held on another website.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We are consulting on the post-qualifying standards and induction for child and family social workers.

We are seeking views on replacing the current post-qualifying standards at practitioner level with new ones that are clearer about the professional outcomes expected of new social workers, to include descriptors of what they should understand and be able to do by the end of their second year in the role.

We are also seeking views on how we can support employers of social workers to provide a new 2-year induction for their new social workers based on these post-qualifying standards.

Updates to this page

Published 20 March 2025
Last updated 18 February 2026 show all updates
  1. Added the government’s response to the consultation.

  2. First published.

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