Provide your feedback on amendments to our education and training standards and guidance

Our public consultation is open from Thursday 11 June 2026 to 5pm on Thursday 6 August 2026. We welcome everyone's feedback to this consultation during this time. 
To provide feedback please complete the survey by 5pm on Thursday 6 August 2026.
 
We are consulting on amendments to our education and training standards and guidance. These changes reflect learning from our first cycle of reapprovals alongside feedback and engagement with the sector.  

Following the outcome of the consultation, we will submit any proposed changes to the Secretary of State for Education. We propose to implement any changes from autumn 2027.  

Full details of these proposed changes can be viewed on our website.
 
Before starting the survey, please read our proposals in full.

We are also consulting on proposed changes to our education and training rules, and readiness for professional practice guidance. You can respond to these in separate online surveys by 5pm on Thursday 6 August 2026.
 
Questions 1 to 4 are mandatory so we can make sure each survey response is unique and we are not receiving multiple responses from the same respondent. However, responses are collated and anonymised when analysed.

If you would like a copy of the questions by email, please contact us at consultation.responses@socialworkengland.org.uk

The outcome of this consultation is expected to be published on our website in autumn 2026. 

How we will use the information you share? 
We want to be transparent about the nature of the consultation we are conducting, the way in which the data is collected and how we will use survey results.

The information you provide will be treated as confidential and will only be used for consultation purposes and internal decision making. Your comments will not be identified as belonging to you. Instead, they will be combined with those gathered from other survey participants and will be analysed as part of a group. Survey responses will not be published on our website. We may publish aggregated information about consultation responses and share this information with stakeholders. However, survey responses will be anonymised before disseminating. We may use your details to contact you in the event we have any questions about your response. 

We will handle any personal data received in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are required to adhere to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The act provides public access to information held by public authorities. We will comply with our obligations under the act and the relevant Information Commissioner's Office codes of practice when responding to requests. For more information, please visit our website or email our enquiries team at enquiries@socialworkengland.org.uk.

Our privacy notice sets out how we will use your data.

If you have any further questions, please email: consultation.responses@socialworkengland.org.uk.