4.3 Promote continuous improvement in design and delivery of social worker education and learning

The National Social Work Agency will foster a culture of continuous learning, reflection and professional growth across the social work profession.

Working in partnership with the Scottish Social Services Council and other regulatory bodies, we will enable effective qualifying education and ongoing professional learning for all social workers. We will promote continuous improvement to qualifying programmes with a focus on consistent, high-quality practice learning; widening access to the profession; and strengthening career pathways. We will review and develop specialist awards to support advanced and specialist practice, and design fit-for-purpose systems that enable high-quality education and learning.

Strategic objective: strengthen the quality, consistency and accessibility of social work education and continuous professional learning through strategic leadership and oversight

Outcome: a skilled, confident and consistently trained workforce leading to better outcomes for people across Scotland

During 2026/27 our work in this area will focus on:

• strengthening the systems which support delivery of learning, focussing on local learning partnerships and associated digital solutions
• reviewing the funding arrangements for practice learning
• scoping professional skills gaps to inform a national training plan for social workers
• considering the development of additional specialist skills awards
• leading the education and learning priority within the Scottish Social Work Partnership, including the coordination of projects