Codes of practice
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The first statutory codes of practice for social care workers and their employers were introduced in September 2002, following extensive public consultation. The codes provide a clear guide for all those who work in social care, setting out the standards of conduct workers and their employers should meet.
Many in the sector already comply with similar standards but now everyone in the UK will be working within the same framework. This means service users, carers and the wider public will know what level of conduct and practice they can expect. For a summary of the codes, click here.
Enforcing the codes of practice
The codes are linked with the first ever regulation of the sector, with a register putting social care workers on a similar footing to doctors and nurses. Registered social care workers who breach the codes could be removed from the Social Care Register. Employers and service providers will be inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection from April 2004 and the codes are covered in most of the national minimum standards that they inspect.
- Conduct of social workers will be judged against the Codes. If a social worker is found to have acted in breach of the Codes by the conduct committee they may be admonished, suspended or removed from the register.
- The Code of Practice for Social Care Workers will be enforced by employers. Over time, it is expected that employers will introduce code compliance as a contractual requirement for all their staff. If an employer feels an issue brings a worker’s registration into question, a registered social care worker can be referred onto the GSCC, which will investigate and consider whether their case should be heard at a conduct hearing.
- The Code of Practice for Employers of Social Care Workers will be enforced by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
To date, the GSCC has distributed over three million sets of the codes. They are available in 29 different languages as well as in large print, Braille, pictorial, Easy Read and other formats and on sign language DVD. Click here if you would like to order a free copy.
Codes of practice: Summary
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Code for Social Care Workers
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Code for Employers of Social Care Workers |
| 1. Protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers. |
To meet their responsibilities in relation to regulating the social care workforce, social care employers must: |
| 2. Strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers. |
1. Make sure people are suitable to enter the workforce and understand their roles and responsibilities. |
| 3. Promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm. |
2. Have written policies and procedures in place to enable social care workers to meet the GSCC’s Code of Practice for social care workers. |
| 4. Respect the rights of service users while seeking to ensure their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people. |
3. Provide training and development opportunities to enable social care workers to strengthen and develop their skills and knowledge. |
| 5. Uphold public trust and confidence in social care services. |
4. Put into place and implement written policies and procedures to deal with dangerous, discriminatory or exploitative behaviour and practice. |
| 6. Be accountable for their practice and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills. |
5. Promote the GSCC’s codes of practice to social care workers, service users and carers and co-operate with the GSCC’s proceedings. |
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