The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a new set of proposed post-qualifying standards (PQS) for children’s social workers. These revised standards aim to strengthen early career development, promote consistency across local authorities, and embed values such as anti-discriminatory practice and relational working into everyday social work.
Why This Matters
These new standards are designed to offer greater clarity on what’s expected from social workers after two years in practice. They will replace the existing PQS, which has been unchanged since 2015, and align with the DfE’s broader reform agenda for children’s social care. Importantly, they are intended to work alongside the new Social Work Induction Programme (SWIP), which will offer newly qualified social workers structured learning and support over two years, pending government funding.
What’s New?
The proposed standards do not focus on checklists or rigid frameworks but on real-world competence. The new PQS is built around six core domains: anti-discriminatory practice, relationships and communication, assessment and planning, intervention, reflection and learning, and leadership and management. Each domain is broken down into outcome statements alongside practical guidance on the knowledge and behaviours expected of social workers.
Anti-discriminatory practice
Social workers must understand identity through an intersectional lens, reflect on their oias, and challenge discrimination within multi-agency settings.
Relationships and communication
The ability to build and sustain meaningful connections with children, families, carers, and professional networks is central.
Assessment and planning
Social workers must use professional judgment to gather nuanced, triangulated information and formulate purposeful plans in complex situations.
Intervention
A focus on evidence-based, collaborative interventions to create and sustain positive change.
Reflection and learning
Workers are expected to take responsibility for their development, seek feedback, and stay current with best practices.
Leadership and management
Even early-career social workers are encouraged to influence improvement, manage resources effectively, and represent the profession within wider systems.
A Stronger Focus on Identity and Inclusion
One of the most significant additions is the centrality of anti-discriminatory practice. Social workers are expected to recognise how issues like race, disability, gender, and class impact children’s experiences—and to adapt their approach accordingly. This strengthens practice and reflects a commitment to equity, justice, and human rights.
What This Means for Local Authorities and Practitioners
These new standards are more than a performance framework—they offer a roadmap to embed systemic, strengths-based and relationship-centred practice across children’s services. By supporting social workers to think critically, work collaboratively, and intervene compassionately, the new PQS aim to improve outcomes for children and families, particularly those facing complex challenges.
At ACCA, we welcome these proposed changes. They reflect much of the ethos we uphold in our assessments and multi-agency partnerships: seeing the whole child, hearing every voice, and striving for professional excellence that puts children and their families first.
