Calling all Social Workers

I wish I knew more about the UK social work diploma. I've been told by the GSCC that the US BSW degree is too general and therefore they need you to have some actual experience on top of that to become registered or you have to go on and get your MSW, and then you can apply right after receiving the MSW...which is what I did. Or am currently trying to do.

But anyway, I want to look into the coursework/practicum involved in a UK social work diploma, just for curiosity's sake. Because in the past, I thought UK social work diploma holders were an automatic acceptance to the GSCC register, but if the diploma holds less weight than the degree...  I can't see where the strictness with the BSW is coming from, unless the newly mandated UK social work degree is more involved than a US BSW degree...

My head aches trying to understand the red tape. 

I wish I knew more about the UK social work diploma. I've been told by the GSCC that the US BSW degree is too general and therefore they need you to have some actual experience on top of that to become registered or you have to go on and get your MSW, and then you can apply right after receiving the MSW...which is what I did. Or am currently trying to do.

But anyway, I want to look into the coursework/practicum involved in a UK social work diploma, just for curiosity's sake. Because in the past, I thought UK social work diploma holders were an automatic acceptance to the GSCC register, but if the diploma holds less weight than the degree...  I can't see where the strictness with the BSW is coming from, unless the newly mandated UK social work degree is more involved than a US BSW degree...

My head aches trying to understand the red tape.  

From my point of view, to understand UK education in relation to social work, there is the Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, which ended in the early to mid 90s and was replaced by the Diploma in Social Work. Both qualifications are less than a degree. The DipSW was replaced in the 2000s by a BA / BSc (Hons) Social Work and a MA / MSc in Social Work. An honours degree is a single subject degree, usually for three years. You study only that subject. Of course, the purpose of the GSCC is to verify the qualifications which determine ability to practice social work. Hence, all English qualifications, and likely British / Irish ones are likely to be recognised by default because they are the culturally inculacated appropriate social work course of study. And social work is a culturally laden profession.

Undergrad social work degrees in Canada and the US tend to have 2 years general study (psychology, women's studies, social sciences, etc.) before specialising in social work in the final two years. So that would be two years specialisation where a British degree is 3 years specialisation - the onus is to prove that the first 2 years of study relates to social work and how it does so.

Plus, practice placement requirements are not the same, in terms of number of hours or days: UK Bachelors and Masters require 200 days of placement, usually 100 days for 2 placements, one being governmental. This is often much more than US / Canadian placement requirements. If you have done a BSW and a MSW, likely, if you add up number of placement days, it should be equivalent to or more than 200 days. I think under the DipSW, the total number of placement days was less, like maybe 180 in total, but I am going from memory....  

Hopefully that explains the situation a little better?  

A whole lot better, thanks.    Now it makes since - it's basically the practicum piece where North American BSWs fresh out of school fall short; not so much the classroom piece. And thinking about it, when I was about to graduate with my BSW, I remember wishing the school would have had us do more field work than we did, as I didn't feel at all prepared to take on heavy duty social work. However, when I was about to graduate with my MSW, I felt more than ready to jump in and start doing social work. So that definitely sheds some light on things...

Oh, and I got the bank draft situation sorted. Hoorah! 

Oh, and I got the bank draft situation sorted. Hoorah!  

What was your solution?   For those that have to do it after you....

Edited to add: glad my explanation clarified some things. If you have a BSW and work experience that totals 200 days, in principle, it should be fine....

I had to set up an account with a larger, national bank who does foreign drafts. The options here were Bank of America and Wells Fargo. I didn't really want to go that route, but...I'll just delete the account once my name is on the register.

What a pain!  It may be good to keep the account open until after you have something set up in the UK in case you have to do this again for some reason (which I have). 

What a pain!  It may be good to keep the account open until after you have something set up in the UK in case you have to do this again for some reason (which I have). 

Yeah, I was thinking about that right after I posted. Who knows if I'll have to send another foreign draft for whatever reason.

The annoying thing is, I had a Natwest account from my stint with BUNAC a few years ago. When it was time for me to come back to the US, I was paranoid about having a UK bank account sitting idle so I closed it. 

I have a question about the GSCC. I am currently in graduate school for social work with an undergrad degree in Child Development and Family Relationships. Since undergrad, I have worked in child welfare systems but will I need to wait until I get my Master degree in order to register for the GSCC?

Thanks

I have a question about the GSCC. I am currently in graduate school for social work with an undergrad degree in Child Development and Family Relationships. Since undergrad, I have worked in child welfare systems but will I need to wait until I get my Master degree in order to register for the GSCC?

Thanks

Since your first degree is not in social work, you will definitely have to wait until you finish your (American?) MSW.You have to make sure you meet the requirements outlined here:
http://www.gscc.org.uk/gscc/Templates/Anchor.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fThe%2bSocial%2bCare%2bRegister%2fApply%2bfor%2bregistration%2fSocial%2bworkers%2btrained%2band%2bqualified%2boutside%2bthe%2bUK%2fCountry%2bassessment%2bguidance%2f&NRNODEGUID={A9096040-1A3C-408F-811F-A78DF05C9EDF}&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest#38

The key is to make sure you have enough supervised and assessed social work practice, as this is where people can fall short, as placement hours / days tend to be less in N. America. You can get around this by actually working in the US for a period to fulfil that requirement, as outlined in the link above. You also need to make sure that the MSW you are doing is recognised by the CSWE. Hope that helps! 

Since your first degree is not in social work, you will definitely have to wait until you finish your (American?) MSW.You have to make sure you meet the requirements outlined here:
http://www.gscc.org.uk/gscc/Templates/Anchor.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fThe%2bSocial%2bCare%2bRegister%2fApply%2bfor%2bregistration%2fSocial%2bworkers%2btrained%2band%2bqualified%2boutside%2bthe%2bUK%2fCountry%2bassessment%2bguidance%2f&NRNODEGUID={A9096040-1A3C-408F-811F-A78DF05C9EDF}&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest#38

The key is to make sure you have enough supervised and assessed social work practice, as this is where people can fall short, as placement hours / days tend to be less in N. America. You can get around this by actually working in the US for a period to fulfil that requirement, as outlined in the link above. You also need to make sure that the MSW you are doing is recognised by the CSWE. Hope that helps! 

Thanks. I was just reading in previous posts that people have applied for their GSCC before they graduated and these same people do not have a bachelors in social work. So now I am confused. lol I am also confused because recruitment agencies have already invited me to interviews in March.
What I read from someone in the post is that they are able to get registered and must present proof of their degree when they receive it.
Sigh...I'm confused.

Since your first degree is not in social work, you will definitely have to wait until you finish your (American?) MSW.You have to make sure you meet the requirements outlined here:
http://www.gscc.org.uk/gscc/Templates/Anchor.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fThe%2bSocial%2bCare%2bRegister%2fApply%2bfor%2bregistration%2fSocial%2bworkers%2btrained%2band%2bqualified%2boutside%2bthe%2bUK%2fCountry%2bassessment%2bguidance%2f&NRNODEGUID={A9096040-1A3C-408F-811F-A78DF05C9EDF}&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest#38

The key is to make sure you have enough supervised and assessed social work practice, as this is where people can fall short, as placement hours / days tend to be less in N. America. You can get around this by actually working in the US for a period to fulfil that requirement, as outlined in the link above. You also need to make sure that the MSW you are doing is recognised by the CSWE. Hope that helps! 

As far as the CSWE and placement hours, that is the least of my worries. The school I attend is definitely an excellent top ranked and accredited program and they love killing us by having us do way more than 130 placement hours...my only concern is when am I supposed to register. The agencies have made no fuss over this--none of them have. And I have talked to quite a few. But the site confuses me with their information.

I am up stressing and obsessing as you can see. And I can't contact them because it is the weekend.

As far as the CSWE and placement hours, that is the least of my worries. The school I attend is definitely an excellent top ranked and accredited program and they love killing us by having us do way more than 130 placement hours...my only concern is when am I supposed to register. The agencies have made no fuss over this--none of them have. And I have talked to quite a few. But the site confuses me with their information.

I am up stressing and obsessing as you can see. And I can't contact them because it is the weekend.

It is 130 days, not hours: check the link above. It is also explicit that you must hold a MSW recognised by CSWE. To me, that is a clear indication that you must have your MSW certificate and record of transcripts proving you have the MSW degree. You have to have graduated. Hope that clarifies. 

ETA: There is a special student status for student social workers training in England: http://www.gscc.org.uk/The+Social+Care+Register/Apply+for+registration/Students/. You only become fully registered as a social worker up completing your degree

It is 130 days, not hours: check the link above. It is also explicit that you must hold a MSW recognised by CSWE. To me, that is a clear indication that you must have your MSW certificate and record of transcripts proving you have the MSW degree. You have to have graduated. Hope that clarifies. 

ETA: There is a special student status for student social workers training in England: http://www.gscc.org.uk/The+Social+Care+Register/Apply+for+registration/Students/. You only become fully registered as a social worker up completing your degree

My mistake, I meant days not hours. Anyways, I understand what the site says...but it is still confusing if others have not waited until graduation and the recruitment agencies have not mentioned it being necessary for it to be done this way. I'm just going to remain calm and wait until Monday to see what they say. Thanks for your help.

I'm not sure who you mean when you say

others have not waited until graduation and the recruitment agencies have not mentioned it being necessary for it to be done this way.

As far as I am aware, student registration only applies to student social workers training in England, as per the link given. From a recruitment agency point of view, it is the social worker's responsibility to register. To work as a social worker in the UK, you must be regsitered with the appropriate social care / car council - the GSCC, if you want to work in England and have an appropriate visa. You won't be qualified to practice as a social worker in England until: 1. you have graduated with your MSW as you will not have a MSW recognised by CSWE until graduation  2. you have GSCC registration, in that order and you also need an appropriate visa allowing you to work in the UK. I'm not sure what is confusing you?  Hope that clarifies things! 

I agree that this

I'm just going to remain calm and wait until Monday to see what they say.

is a good idea if you need further clarification.
 
Best of luck with it. 

I'm not sure who you mean when you say
As far as I am aware, student registration only applies to student social workers training in England, as per the link given. From a recruitment agency point of view, it is the social worker's responsibility to register. To work as a social worker in the UK, you must be regsitered with the appropriate social care / car council - the GSCC, if you want to work in England and have an appropriate visa. You won't be qualified to practice as a social worker in England until: 1. you have graduated with your MSW as you will not have a MSW recognised by CSWE until graduation  2. you have GSCC registration, in that order and you also need an appropriate visa allowing you to work in the UK. I'm not sure what is confusing you?  Hope that clarifies things! 

I agree that this  is a good idea if you need further clarification.
 
Best of luck with it. 

It is confusing because the site makes it seem as if you need your degree before you register. But other people have registered before graduating and also the recruiting agencies ask for me to register now.

I understand what the site is saying but other people are saying differently and recruitment agencies are requesting differently.