Post Qualifying (PQ) award 

Currently there are two routes for post-qualifying training for social workers. One is provided in-house by most of the agencies in the region. This is the programme for Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs), introduced by Skills for Care in the autumn of 2009, for social workers during their first year in employment. Each agency has its own system and procedures for providing NQSW training and enquiries should be made through your agency's staff/workforce development section.

The other route is the use of the General Social Care Council's (GSCC) Post Qualifying Framework which is administered through the universities. A key feature of the framework is the partnership between employers, universities, people who use services and carers in the development of PQ programmes.

The framework offers courses at the Specialist, Higher Specialist and Advanced level, the latter two awards being located within a Master's degree framework.

Within the North West, Skills for Care has supported the collaboration of a number of universities in the development of a common structure for the Higher Specialist Award. This enables participants to undertake modules at different universities to give greater choice.

Further information about post qualifying awards can be obtained through your local university.

• Learning from the PQ innovation projects.  The PQ innovations project ran from 2006-9.  Read about the learning from the 24 innovations projects.

For more information this project area contact:

Hilary Kenny
Mobile: 07974 255 803(preferred)
Tel: 01772864171
hilary.kenny@skillsforcare.org.uk