Calling all Social Workers

Haha!  As long as the Brits have to suffer alongside all of us non-Brits, then all is well.   

As far as my placements go, I have done a wide range of things - attending workshops and seminars, participating in meetings, planning and conducting my own social skills/life skills groups every week, intakes with individual clients, so on and so forth.  However, I have no hard evidence of having done any of those things.  The most I'd be able to get are letters from my field supervisors in which they confirm that I did all of those things while placed at their agencies.  But I don't know if that would count as real evidence.   

Ask them to outline in as much detail as possible and confirm what you did and towards which 'professional goals' (if you can, get them to look at the practice competencies and see if they can't help you identify which practice competencies you have worked towards and write something to that effect in their formal letters) or practice outcomes on official letter headed paper.

I *think* that would be good enough - that's what I used, without the benefit of getting supervisors to write something while applying. I used old reference letters - pre-GSCC - so you would be getting a head start!

As for a verifier/endorser, I'm wondering if the Field Practicum Director in the social work department at my school would be acceptable.  She's usually the only "higher-up" that is easily accessible, and she's an LISW - if that makes any difference. 

I am not sure that this title will be considered a 'higher-up' enough. It is unlikely that the GSCC will consider the LISW either as it is a whole different system here.

Mine got bounced back for that reason.

Perhaps they are testing the social worker's ability to deal with bureaucracy?   

Ugh, but even after you are registered 3 years later you have to prove yourself all over again! My is due in July. Good thing I've been keeping records! I have plenty of evidence.

As I say, at least you know Brits aren't exempt - they just do it as part of their degree. The monster is for everyone.

and their practice assessors! I just finished my student's report two weeks ago.

Olive, yeah, I wasn't sure if a Field Director would qualify as an endorser/verifier.  The dean of our Social Work department is never around.  The Associate Dean is around on occasion...  I don't know... 

Thanks for the tips, Maple!     I'm sure if I ask them to, in their reference letters, outline what I have done during my placement, they will.

I am not sure that this title will be considered a 'higher-up' enough. It is unlikely that the GSCC will consider the LISW either as it is a whole different system here.

Mine got bounced back for that reason.

Ugh, but even after you are registered 3 years later you have to prove yourself all over again! My is due in July. Good thing I've been keeping records! I have plenty of evidence.

I'm concerned about renewal, too, I've been faithfully doing my PRTL, but I'm in the voluntary / non profit sector doing social work related work. Hopefully, my manager will suffice for verification.

So you have to do that huge packet every three years?  Ugh...

Although it seems like once you get your GSCC certification and have been working in the UK as a social worker for some time, the renewal process would be a whole lot easier than the initial application.  Unless renewal has a different set of rules/guidelines.

So you have to do that huge packet every three years?  Ugh...

Although it seems like once you get your GSCC certification and have been working in the UK as a social worker for some time, the renewal process would be a whole lot easier than the initial application.  Unless renewal has a different set of rules/guidelines.

No, you don't have to do that huge packet every three years - as you say, renewal is a lot easier - the issue for me is the possibility of the second endorser and verification issues, as I am in work 'akin' to social work, not LA social work. Does that make sense? AFAIK, you only have to do equivalency once if foreign qualified. 

Has anyone gone on "paid inactive" status in the States? 

If so...How are you keeping up with continuing education requirements while here?  I need 20 hours to get myself back to my licensed status when I go home next April.  I can only do six hours or so online, which means I need 14 face to face hours...Anyone figure out how to do this?  Help!!!

 

I'm just counting conferences I go to here in the UK--which are sometimes tricky to get certificates for, but I don't have much choice as I can't exactly fly back to the states just for a CEU!

I'm just counting conferences I go to here in the UK--which are sometimes tricky to get certificates for, but I don't have much choice as I can't exactly fly back to the states just for a CEU!

What about registration confirmation as evidence?

that's a thought, but I don't always get that either.  What do you folk do?  And have you had to turn it in?  I haven't had to turn in proof of anything yet, so I don't know how my licensing authority will take it.

that's a thought, but I don't always get that either.  What do you folk do?  And have you had to turn it in?  I haven't had to turn in proof of anything yet, so I don't know how my licensing authority will take it.

Is there some kind of dormant status with the licensing authority you could go to while in the UK if your evidence is deemed 'inadequate', and re-activate it when you return to the US?

I went on "paid inactive" status in DC.  In order to turn on my license,I have to show proof that I have done the District's requirements in CEU's (continuing education).  The licensing officer in DC sent me a form that I could turn in if I was going to a conference/program in the UK--they would sit down as a committee and determine how many CEU's it would be worth.  A bit of a hassle.  I haven't done it yet and wondered if anyone has.  It looks like I'm going to be in a situation when I go back where I'll need to rush and take a bunch of ceu's before I can be reactivated.  Unless I figure something out over here.  Anyone going to any good conferences?

Here I come with another GSCC question...

I know you have to get your evidence certified by your verifier/endorser by having them sign their name, write "I have seen the original and this is a true copy", write their full name, and write the date.  But do they have to do that on every single page of an evidence document, or just the first page?  For example, if I have one piece of evidence that is four pages long, does the verifier/endorser have to write all of that stuff on all four pages?  If so, that seems like it could wind up being very repetitive for the verifier/endorser.   

I went on "paid inactive" status in DC.  In order to turn on my license,I have to show proof that I have done the District's requirements in CEU's (continuing education).  The licensing officer in DC sent me a form that I could turn in if I was going to a conference/program in the UK--they would sit down as a committee and determine how many CEU's it would be worth.  A bit of a hassle.  I haven't done it yet and wondered if anyone has.  It looks like I'm going to be in a situation when I go back where I'll need to rush and take a bunch of ceu's before I can be reactivated.  Unless I figure something out over here.  Anyone going to any good conferences?

Does that mean that if you have been away for 4 years, you would have to show the equivalent of four years of training?  Yikes!

Anyone going to any good conferences?

Try http://www.basw.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=60
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/StaticPages/live.htm
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Events/List.aspx
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/StaticPages/Conferences.htm

Good luck!

Here I come with another GSCC question...

I know you have to get your evidence certified by your verifier/endorser by having them sign their name, write "I have seen the original and this is a true copy", write their full name, and write the date.  But do they have to do that on every single page of an evidence document, or just the first page?  For example, if I have one piece of evidence that is four pages long, does the verifier/endorser have to write all of that stuff on all four pages?  If so, that seems like it could wind up being very repetitive for the verifier/endorser.  

Looking at my original application, my verifier/endorser did every evidence document. I think, at the time, we decided this was best to ensure it wouldn't come back 'incomplete' - don't know what others did. Sorry, it does suck!