The Department of Education has announced that Lord Patel of Bradford will chair a new social work regulator, Social Work England, which will set professional, education and training standards for social workers.
Lord Patel's appointment was part of a series of measures announced by education secretary Damian Hinds, to mark World Social Work Day on Tuesday (20), and aimed at 'raising the status of the social work profession' whom Hinds described as 'often the unsung heroes of our society'.
Former children’s minister Edward Timpson will chair the independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel which has been created to investigate and learn from serious child safeguarding cases and improve safeguarding policy and best practice.
As a former social worker, Lord Patel will lead Social Work England to ensure all registered child, family and adult social workers have the correct qualifications and meet the standards required for the job and remain fit to practise.
Lord Patel said: "I am honoured and excited to have been appointed as the chair of Social Work England. As a former social worker I am passionate about our profession and truly believe that social workers do and can help to transform lives for the better. However, I know that our profession currently faces unique pressures and challenges."
The new regulator, jointly set up by the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care, will work with organisations and individuals working within the social work profession to raise standards.
Lord Patel added: "Supporting and sustaining good social workers requires a strong, confident and effective regulator, so I want Social Work England to not only lead the way in driving up standards, but also to work collaboratively with the profession to ensure that all standards are evidence-based, rooted in real experience and values, and are fit for the 21st Century."
Lord Patel has over 30 years of experience working in the social work sector and has been a leading voice on health, social care and community cohesion in the UK.
Over the years, he has been appointed to a number of national boards and committees, including, the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work, the Home Office’s Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs, the Healthcare Commission, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse and the Care Quality Commission.
Lord Patel, who received an OBE in 1999, was also chairman of the Mental Health Act Commission. He is currently chairman and/or patron of over 30 not-for-profit organisations across England.
He has worked on a number of Government policies including being the architect of the Government’s five year action plan for delivering race equality in mental health care. In 2007 he was appointed to act as a Ministerial Adviser to the Secretary of State (DCLG) in respect of the government’s PREVENT agenda (Preventing Violent Extremism); he was also chairman of a National Taskforce looking at the effectiveness of prison drug treatment culminating in the publication of The Patel Report.
Lord Patel was made a life peer in June 2006. He lists communities and families, illegal drug use, health services and medicine, and social services among his parliamentary priorities.
Isabelle Trowler, chief social worker for Children and Families, said: "Today, on World Social Work Day, we celebrate our vital public service contribution as we continue to build a stronger, more intelligent and responsive practice system across England. Announcements today that Lord Patel of Bradford and Edward Timpson will respectively lead Social Work England the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel is indicative of the continuous progress we are making. I am delighted they are joining us in this inspiring journey."
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event