§ Mr. McAvoyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of social work training.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Government have accepted the need to improve training for social workers and other social care staff and we are implementing a balanced programme of improvements. This includes the provision of additional funding for phasing out one-year post-graduate social work courses in favour of a minimum of two years training, improvement to the quality and quantity of practice placements and improvements to course curricula. Additional funds are also being made available to the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work to introduce a new qualifying course, the diploma in social work which will replace the existing qualifying courses in due course. We are also giving consideration to improving opportunities for social work post-qualifying training.