How to become an Independent Social Worker?

Created: 12/7/2024

What is an Independent Social Worker?

Social Worker is a protected title. That means, in England and Wales it is unlawful to practice as a Social Worker unless the person using it has undergone the required training and registered with the appropriate registration body; in England it is Social Work England, and in Wales it is Social Care Wales. Often, Social Workers are employed by local authorities to undertake statutory roles such as safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, and undertaking social care assessments and reviews. Specialist Social Workers also work in acute hospitals as part of a multi-disciplinary discharge teams and in mental capacity teams ensuring that local authorities meet their statutory requirements as Supervisory Bodies for the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

The Social Worker title relates to professional qualifications and registration with the relevant registration body. Therefore, it is entirely possible to work as a Social Worker independent of any local authority, as an Independent Social Worker. Independent Social Workers are usually sole traders or the only employee of a limited company. They are also employed by private or independent Social Work companies.

The duties undertaken by Independent Social Workers vary, depending upon the expertise of the Social Worker. However, roles can usually be divided into either Social Work with adults or Social Work with children. Independent Social Workers who specialize in children’s Social Work include parenting assessments, independent visits to children’s homes to meet the requirements of regulation 44 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, and care needs assessments and reviews. For Independent Social Workers who specialize in adult’s social work may undertake best interests assessment for Deprivation of Liberty Assessment Safeguards reports, care needs assessments and reviews, mental capacity assessments, and expert reports for courts and tribunals.

How to become an Independent Social Worker?

There is no getting away from the fact that as an Independent Social Worker, you are also a business owner. You are likely to be the only member of staff, and the only Director (if you choose the Ltd company route), however you are still a business owner and have certain responsibilities to submit information and pay tax to HMRC relating to your company and personal tax obligations. You can search ‘set up a limited company’ and find out all the information you need relating to setting up a company.

In addition to setting up your company, as an Independent Social Worker you will require professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance. Professional indemnity insurance covers the cost of compensating clients for loss or damage resulting from negligent services or advice you may provide. If you work as a Social Worker for a Local Authority, your employer will have professional indemnity insurance should any advice or services you provide of behalf of the Local Authority require compensation. As an Independent Social Worker, the responsibility lies with you as an independent professional.

Finally, and this blog is by no means a comprehensive list of setting up a business, business or tax advice, is registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office. As an Independent Social Worker, it is inevitable that you will process sensitive information about people. There are rules about the data you can process, how you use it, how you store it, and how to respond to requests to provide data.

Being an Independent Social Worker is a rewarding career, and provides opportunities to support people beyond that statutory roles that Local Authority Social Workers usually undertake. However, it is important to remember that as well as being a Social Worker, you are also a business owner and have responsibilities and duties to ensure that your business is run well.