Social Work CPD Requirements UK 2026: Complete Guide

What Are the CPD Requirements?

All social workers registered with Social Work England must complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD) each year to maintain their registration. CPD is how you demonstrate you're keeping your skills and knowledge up to date.

Key Dates for 2025-26

• Registration year: 1 December 2025 - 30 November 2026
• Renewal window: 1 September - 30 November 2026
• CPD deadline: 30 November 2026
• Registration fee: £120 (2025-26), rising to £122 (2026-27)

What Counts as CPD?

CPD is any learning activity that helps you develop as a practitioner. This includes:

• Formal training courses and conferences
• Workshops and seminars
• Reading research and articles
• Reflective supervision discussions
• Peer discussions and action learning sets
• Online learning and webinars
• Shadowing colleagues
• Mentoring others
• Writing for publication
• Teaching or presenting

There's no minimum number of hours required. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity.

The Peer Reflection Requirement

At least one of your CPD pieces must include a peer reflection. This means discussing your learning with another registered social worker and reflecting together on how it applies to practice.

What Makes a Good Peer Reflection?

• A genuine discussion, not just a sign-off
• Exploration of how the learning applies to your practice
• Consideration of what you might do differently
• Recording of key insights from the discussion

Who Can Be Your Peer?

Your peer must be a registered social worker, but they don't have to work in the same team or even the same organisation. Options include:

• Your supervisor (if they're a registered social worker)
• A colleague in your team
• A social worker in another service or organisation
• A member of a professional network or peer support group

How to Record Your CPD

You record your CPD through your Social Work England online account. For each piece of CPD, you'll need to provide:

1. Title: What was the learning activity?
2. Description: What did you learn?
3. Reflection: How does this apply to your practice?
4. Peer reflection (if applicable): What did you discuss and learn from the peer conversation?

Tips for Recording

• Record CPD as you go throughout the year - don't leave it until November
• Focus on what you learned and how it impacts your practice
• Be specific about how learning applies to your role
• Keep it concise - quality over quantity
• Link your CPD to the Professional Standards where relevant

The Professional Standards

Your CPD should help you meet the Social Work England Professional Standards, particularly Standard 4 which covers continuing professional development. The standards require you to:

• Maintain and develop your knowledge and skills
• Engage in supervision and use feedback
• Reflect on your practice
• Use research and evidence to inform your work

What Happens If You Don't Complete CPD?

Failure to meet CPD requirements can affect your registration. Social Work England may:

• Request further information
• Set conditions on your registration
• Refer you for fitness to practise review

Each year, a random sample of social workers have their CPD audited to check it meets requirements.

CPD Ideas for 2026

Looking for CPD opportunities? Consider:

• Working Together 2023: Review the updated statutory guidance
• Technology in practice: Learn about digital tools and AI in social work
• Trauma-informed practice: Update your knowledge on working with trauma
• Anti-racist practice: Develop culturally competent approaches
• Legal updates: Stay current with case law and legislative changes
• Specialist areas: AMHP, BIA, or practice educator training

Free CPD Resources

• Community Care Inform: Articles and practice guidance (some councils have subscriptions)
• Research in Practice: Research summaries and resources
• SCIE: Free guides and e-learning
• BASW: Member resources and webinars
• Social Work England: Professional development resources

Upcoming Changes

Social Work England is considering changes to CPD requirements. A consultation is expected in 2026 on "reimagining CPD." The current requirements (minimum 2 pieces with peer reflection) remain unchanged for the 2025-26 registration year.

Key Takeaways

• Record at least 2 pieces of CPD by 30 November each year
• At least one must include peer reflection with a registered social worker
• Quality matters more than quantity
• Record as you go - don't leave it until the deadline
• Registration fee is £120 for 2025-26, £122 for 2026-27
• CPD can include formal training, reading, supervision discussions, and peer learning