The Professional Capabilities and Development Group consists of experienced practitioners involved in social work education.
The group members form eclectic representation for practice educators, people with lived experience, universities, teaching partnerships, local authorities and members of partnering social work organisations.
The central aim of the group is to ensure that those entering the social work profession have cohesive, quality assured standards to guide their practice, which reflect social work values and the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.
The Professional Capabilities and Development Group continues to work in partnership with others to develop and review social work practice education. Earlier work carried out by the group includes the refresh of the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), which continues to provide a central compass for the assessment of social work practice education, integrated within a developmental career framework.
The group has carried out an in-depth review of the Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS), refreshed the Quality Assurance for Practice Learning (QAPL) guidance, developed Look After Your Practice Educator (LAYPE) guidance and created Best Practice Guidance for Practice Educator Assessors. See downloadable resource below.
The group supports and advocates for the practice educator role to be fully appreciated and supported within their teams and across the wider social work profession. Recent work includes collaboration with the National Organisation for Practice Teachers (NOPT) to compile guidance aiming to improve access to support, resources and recognition for all practice educators, including those that have independent status.
The Professional Capabilities and Development Group continues to collaborate with others across the profession to strengthen the quality frameworks needed to ensure that newly qualified practitioners entering the profession, and those with established social work tenure, have cohesive, up to date standards and guidance to support them.
The group fully endorses the importance of ensuring that new developments in social work education are created by the profession and in the best interests of the profession.
Jenni Burton, Co-Chair Professional Capabilities and Development Group.
Polly Sykes, Co-Chair Professional Capabilities and Development Group.
Carol Dicken – Deputy Chair Professional Capabilities and Development Group.
Email wayne.reid@basw.co.uk for more information about how to get involved.
Position Statement- October 2023
The Synergy Sessions: BASW England mini-series
The SS showcases the rich and diverse social work expertise within both groups and is Chaired by Wayne Reid (BASW England Professional Officer and Social Worker).
Jenni Burton (Co-Chair of the Professional Capabilities and Development group) delivered a presentation at a Practice Educators Conference in Somerset on 11/03/25. You can view her presentation here.
