NQSW – the supported year in Scotland
Welcome to this information for NQSWs. We are refreshing the website to make sure you have all the relevant information about your requirements as a registered social worker in Scotland. If you have any queries please contact nqswproject@sssc.uk.com
NQSWs work in many different settings and roles in their practice. Throughout the NQSW supported year and your future career, it is crucial to develop your knowledge, skills and values across key areas of continuing Professional Learning (CPL).
Where do I start?
We recommend you start with the Information for NQSWs section below. You can work through this in any order. We’ve included information below on your registration requirements, transitions and engaging in professional supervision.
Once you are clear on your requirements, we recommend that you explore the different core learning elements we have included below. You can then go back to any of these that you want to focus on at any time.
You can also explore the resources directly from our home page once you are familiar with the website and know what you want to look for.
Information for NQSWs
NQSW (CPL) registration requirements
Information about what NQSWs have to do as registered workers in Scotland for continuing professional learning (CPL).
Professional supervision for NQSWs in Scotland
Information and resources for NQSWs about effective professional supervision.
Transitions from student to NQSW
Information supporting effective transitions from student to NQSW in Scotland.
NQSW continuing professional learning
Social workers work increasingly in diverse and multidisciplinary services and settings across the public, third and independent sector. While roles may vary according to specific services, they are underpinned by a core set of knowledge and skills.
The following core learning elements for social workers: NQSW descriptors are based on characteristics of social work practice developed and agreed in partnership with academics, employers, SASW, Social Work Scotland and the SSSC.
Your CPL will cover these areas in different ways depending on your role. All NQSWs who register with the SSSC as social workers from June 2024 (subject to legislation change) will be required to complete mandatory learning activity relevant to the core learning elements. We hope that you find this a more meaningful way to consolidate and develop and that there is a greater link to learning in the workplace. You can also use the links below for information and reflective learning activities in these different aspects of professional practice.
NQSW Ethics, values and rights-based practice
Continuing your learning and professional development – ethics, values and rights-based practice
NQSW Communication, engagement and relationship-based professional practice
Communicate effectively and confidently to a wide range of people, for different purposes and at different levels.
NQSW Critical thinking, professional judgement and decision making
Develop competence and confidence in using critical thinking and analysis to inform professional judgement and decision making within the process of assessment.
NQSW Promoting wellbeing, support and protection
Informed by the principles of social justice and human rights, actively promote the wellbeing, support and protection of children and adults at risk of harm.
NQSW Working with complexity in unpredictable and ambiguous contexts
Develop competence and confidence in managing complexity, risk, and uncertainty in professional decision making.
NQSW Use of knowledge, research and evidence in practice
Demonstrate commitment to continuous professional learning and inquiry which supports evidence-informed practice and a wider culture of learning.
NQSW Self-awareness and reflexivity
Recognise the value of work-life balance and personal well-being including their contribution to effective and sustainable practice.
NQSW Professional leadership
Develop personal and professional authority as a social worker including when working collaboratively across agency and professional boundaries.
Social work across diverse practice settings
Find out more about different practice areas, key legislation and policy.
Your journey through the NQSW supported year
NQSWs work in many different settings and roles in Scotland. We are developing guides to different routes through the NQSW supported year.
We are keen to include NQSWs experiences of their learning in different settings. If you’d like to share your experience, please get in touch with us.
Thinking about your NQSW journey
- What will your learning journey look like?
- Where do you want to go with your journey of continuing professional learning?
- Do you have a clear individual development plan?
- What are your learning priorities?
- How will you achieve your learning goals?
We have included reflective questions and activities in many of the sections of this website. You can use our NQSW Reflective Journal where we have grouped the questions in a format you can download if you want to note your responses as part of your learning and development. You might use the questions just to trigger your thinking as you develop as an NQSW.
NQSW Reflective Journal PDF format
NQSW Reflective Journal Word Format
Access our additional guide to supporting NQSW professional learning and development
You can also find these on our tools and templates page.
You can contact us on nqswproject@sssc.uk.com with any comments and suggestions for our website