Since December 2019, Social Work England’s professional standards have applied to all registered social workers in England, across all roles and settings. These standards are designed specifically for the social work profession and represent the minimum threshold for safe and effective practice.
Supervision is explicitly referenced in Professional Standards 3 and 4, highlighting its importance in both practice quality and professional development:
- Standard 3: Be accountable for the quality of my practice and the decisions I make
- 3.2: “Use information from a range of appropriate sources, including supervision, to inform assessments, to analyse risk, and to make a professional decision.”
- Standard 4: Maintain my continuing professional development
- 4.2: “Use supervision and feedback to critically reflect on, and identify my learning needs, including how I use research and evidence to inform my practice.”
Social Work England further clarifies that supervision is a key component of reflective practice and CPD (Continuing Professional Development). It can take various forms—such as peer supervision or supervision by professionals from other disciplines—and should support reflection, learning, wellbeing, and ethical decision-making
To maintain registration, social workers must record CPD activities, and supervision is one way to evidence meeting Standard 4.2. You can find detailed guidance on how to reflect on and record supervision here: Social Work England – Supervision and CPD
