The College of Social Work celebrates its launch today, with a strong defence of the profession in the face of unprecedented change.

Social work is going through unprecedented change.

The profession urgently needs a College through which to take control of its standards, speak with a strong voice to policy makers and promote excellence in practice for the profession and the people that it serves.

The College of Social Work (TCSW) has launched promising to fulfil this role. Among other things it will defend social work against the challenges ahead, explain why social work is indispensable in adult services and make clear how the Munro reforms are crucial to the proper development of the profession.

Today’s launch event focuses the debate on the part TCSW will play in driving standards of excellence for social work and its vision for overcoming current challenges faced by practitioners.

Tim Loughton MP and Paul Burstow MP both spoke of the crucial role of The College and the positive impact it will have on the future of social work.

Children’s Minister Tim Loughton said: “Reforming social work is one of this Government’s top priorities and we are absolutely determined to achieve better outcomes for vulnerable children, adults and families.

“That’s why we launched the Munro Review of Child Protection and why we are working closely with the profession, across central Government, and with national and local agencies and local authorities, to implement a programme of social work reforms that achieve real results. The College is absolutely key in making these reforms work.

“We support the College in putting social workers at the heart of decisions about the future of their profession and giving social work the professional leadership and public voice it deserves.”

Social care minister Paul Burstow added: “Social workers play a vital role in adult social care. This new College will help to ensure that the profession continues to have the highest standards of care and above all, excellent and safe practices.

“Social Care is changing and social work needs to change with it. The Government will continue to support the social work reform programme to drive up standards in care.”

TCSW’s interim co-chair Maurice Bates said: “The Dilnot Commission, the Munro Report, changes to care provision with the advent of personalisation together with budget cuts across the public sector mean there has never been a more urgent time for social workers to be properly represented.

"These are challenging times for both social workers and people that they work with. TCSW’s aim is to protect and uphold standards throughout these difficult times and ensure the voice of the social work profession is heard.”

TCSW is growing in strength by the day, he added. “I would encourage all social workers to join us. Not only does TCSW offer its members competitively priced, high quality services, it also presents an enormous opportunity for social work to finally elevate its professional status in line with other professions such as doctors, nurses and teachers.”

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