§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will meet the director of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work to discuss the rejection of its plans for a three-year social work qualification.
§ Mrs. Currie[holding answer 26 July 1988]: My right hon. Friend the then Minister for Health had already met the chairman and director of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work and discussed the 368W Government's decision not to fund three-year qualifying training. The Government's objectives of better-trained social workers are reflected in the recent announcement about the extra provision to CCETSW of up to £1 million this year to improve planning and co-operation between the colleges and employers and to review teaching standards.
We feel that more in-service training directed at a substantial number of key staff in the field will more rapidly achieve its purpose than a further year of initial training. Hence the introduction this year of a £10 million training support grant (including £7 million funding from the Department of Health) for local authority staff working with elderly people and the proposed introduction next year of a £10 million training support grant for staff working in the child care field.