Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 July 2026
Letter from Minister for Children and Families on Publication of Independent Review of Social Work Regulation in England, dated 08.07.26
From: Education Committee
Summary
Minister Josh MacAlister notifies Parliament of the imminent publication of Dame Annie Hudson's Independent Review of Social Work Regulation in England. The review assesses Social Work England's effectiveness in discharging statutory functions. The Government accepts the review's case for reform and commits to four priority areas: strengthening fitness to practise, clarifying the regulator's role, building clearer professional standards, and improving transparency. Social Work England must deliver a fitness to practise improvement plan within six months or face escalated government intervention.
Key findings
- The review recognises progress by Social Work England in maintaining registers, developing regulatory approach and standards, and completing first inspections, but identifies sustained improvement needed in fitness to practise processes and communication delays
- Government response focuses on four priorities: strengthening fitness to practise and public protection; clarifying Social Work England's role, leadership and sponsorship; building clearer standards and professional development landscape; improving data, transparency and equalities
- Government will require Social Work England to deliver an externally supported, end-to-end fitness to practise strategic improvement plan within six months with clear milestones, KPIs on timeliness, and strengthened oversight
- If progress is insufficient, the Government will escalate intervention using governance changes, sponsorship adjustments, and statutory levers available to the Secretary of State
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Josh MacAlister OBE MP, Helen Hayes MP, Dame Annie Hudson, Social Work England, Department for Education, Secretary of State for Education
Notable line
“Effective professional regulation is essential to public protection, public confidence and maintaining high professional standards .”
Key Quotes
“Effective professional regulation is essential to public protection, public confidence and maintaining high professional standards .”
“The Government's response is therefore focused on securing practical and sustained improvement, particularly where delays or poor communication in fitness to practise processes affect people who raise concerns”
“… the Government will expect Social Work England to deliver, within six months, an externally supported, end-to-end fitness to practise strategic improvement plan, with clear milestones, revised forecasts and KPIs on timeliness …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗