Who asked for this? The curious case of Readiness for Professional Practice in England

Abstract

This article critically analyses plans for a new Readiness for Professional Practice framework in England. The new framework is being introduced by the regulator, Social Work England, with the stated aim to promote consistency across social work qualifying programmes. The framework and the regulatory context of social work qualifying in England are first introduced, as well as the contemporary challenges facing social work educators and students. The article then examines the evidence that underpins RPP, interrogating the limited research and flawed consultation process used to justify its introduction. Following this, some contextual factors are considered in relation to the new framework, including the already crowded landscape of frameworks for social workers in England and chronically poor working conditions. These discussions also raise the question of why this new framework is being introduced when an already existing framework, the Professional Capabilities Framework, is so widely employed and supported within the profession. The article then looks at how Readiness for Professional Practice fits within other national reforms in the sector, drawing on learning from similar experiences in initial teacher education to suggest that the new framework may be more about governmental control than student support.