Social Care News

Compulsory registration for domiciliary care workers to be introduced in Wales from 2020

All domiciliary care workers in Wales will need to be registered from 2020 before they can work in the social care sector, with adult residential care workers to follow in 2022, Health and Social Services Minister, Mark Drakeford (pictured below) has announced.

The move is aimed at recognising and professionalising the social care workforce as well as strengthening public confidence in social care workers. Professor Drakeford said: "“This is an ambitious programme that will significantly strengthen public assurance and professional development in the sector."

Currently only social workers, social work students, residential child care managers and workers, adult care home managers and domiciliary care managers are required to register in order to work in the sector. 

The new arrangements for the registration of domiciliary care workers will be made possible by the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill, which is currently before the National Assembly. They will come into force in April 2017, if the Bill becomes law.

Regulation & Inspection Bill to recognise and regulation domiciliary care workforce in Wales

The Regulation & Insection Bill sets out a comprehensive system for the development and regulation of the workforce, requiring the commitment of individual workers, employers and regulators.

From 2020, the requirement to resister will be extended to all domiciliary care workers before they can work in the social care sector, with adult residential care workers to follow in 2022.

Health Minister, Professor Drakeford, said: "Effective provision of social care is dependent on the quality of the social care workforce. A key aspect of this is the registration of workers. 

"I believe it is appropriate to extend the requirement to register to domiciliary and adult residential care workers. These people are at the forefront of some of the most demanding and challenging frontline services. The public deserve assurance that such workers are well trained and fit to practise. People working in domiciliary care will need to satisfy these tests to enter the register. 

"The domiciliary care workforce deserves the recognition, investment in training and support from their employers that registration brings so they have the skills and qualities necessary to provide good-quality social care in these roles."

Timetable for registration of domiciliary care workers set out by Health Minister

In recognition that registration places new requirements on the social care sector, the Minister has set out a provisional timetable for extending registration that will allow the sector sufficient time to prepare.   

• A three-year development programme for domiciliary care workers will start in April 2016 with the register opening in April 2018, requiring these workers to be registered by April 2020. The Welsh Government will set this ambition as one of the main priorities for the funds it provides to support training and development for the social care workforce.
• For adult residential workers, the Welsh Government will establish a similar three-year development programme to start in April 2018 with the register opening in April 2020, requiring these workers to be registered by April 2022. The extra workforce information flowing from service regulation will be available early on in this process from April 2017.

Read the full story on the Welsh Government website: New requirement for domiciliary care workers in Wales to be registered from 2020