Social workers in England must record a minimum of two pieces of CPD each registration year, with at least one including a peer reflection. This is set by Social Work England, the regulator, and it is not measured in hours. Unlike some professions with an hours target, the social work standard is about the quality and reflection of your learning, not its quantity. You must record your CPD on your online account before the renewal deadline of 30 November each year — miss it, and your registration is at risk.
At a glance: Nexis CPD offers £9 CPD-accredited online courses relevant to social work practice, with a verifiable e-certificate on passing — and any three courses cost £18.
What exactly does Social Work England require?
The requirement is deliberately light on numbers and heavy on reflection:
- At least two different pieces of CPD per registration year
- At least one of them must include a peer reflection — a record of what you learnt from discussing your CPD with a peer
- All of it recorded on your Social Work England online account
- Recorded by 11.59pm on 30 November, which is also the annual registration renewal deadline
There is no minimum number of hours. Social Work England is explicit that two rushed, low-quality entries added at the last minute may not meet the standard — it is the reflection and learning that count, not ticking a box. CPD also sits within Standard 4 of Social Work England’s professional standards, which covers keeping your practice up to date through feedback, supervision, research and reflection.
The renewal window runs from 1 September to 30 November, so if you are reading this in the autumn, the clock is already running. (If you joined the register during the renewal window itself, you do not have to record CPD for that first renewal.)
Why “hours” is the wrong question
Social workers moving from other professions, or comparing notes with colleagues in nursing or accountancy, often ask “how many hours do I need?” For social work in England, the honest answer is that hours are not how it is measured. Two well-chosen, well-reflected pieces of CPD that genuinely change your practice meet the standard; twenty hours of passive e-learning with no reflection may not.
That reframes what a course is for. An online course is a legitimate piece of CPD — but the value Social Work England is looking for is in what you did with it: how it changed an assessment, a decision, or your work with a family.
Does the rest of the UK work the same way?
No. Registration and CPD are devolved:
- England — Social Work England (the two-pieces-plus-peer-reflection model above)
- Scotland — the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), which sets its own post-registration learning requirement
- Wales — Social Care Wales
- Northern Ireland — the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)
If you are registered outside England, check your own regulator — the number and type of records required are different.
What counts, and how a course fits
Social Work England accepts a broad range of CPD: formal courses and e-learning, supervision, reading and research, shadowing, reflective writing, and learning from feedback. The two things that turn any of these into usable CPD are the same as everywhere: relevance to your practice, and a genuine reflection on what changed.
A dated, verifiable certificate is a clean way to evidence the “piece” itself — the learning activity happened, on this date, on this topic. The reflection is yours to write. Every Nexis CPD certificate carries a unique ID and QR code checkable at our verification page.
Which courses suit social work practice?
The topics that map most directly onto statutory social work with adults are the legal frameworks around protection, consent and liberty:
- Safeguarding Adults — the Care Act 2014 framework (see our guide to safeguarding adults)
- Mental Capacity Act — capacity assessment and best interests (see the five principles)
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) — the Cheshire West acid test (see what is DoLS)
These three interlock and cover the core legal knowledge behind adult social work decisions. Together they cost £18 rather than £27, because any three courses trigger the pay-for-2-get-3 offer — add them to the cart and the discount applies automatically. Social workers in children’s services may prefer the safeguarding children route.
Frequently asked questions
How much CPD do social workers in England need?
Social Work England requires a minimum of two different pieces of CPD per registration year, with at least one including a peer reflection. It is not measured in hours. CPD must be recorded on your Social Work England online account by the renewal deadline of 11.59pm on 30 November each year, which is also when annual registration renewal is due.
Do social workers need a set number of CPD hours?
No. Unlike some professions, Social Work England does not set an hours target. The standard is about the quality and reflection of your learning rather than its quantity. Two well-chosen, well-reflected pieces of CPD that genuinely change your practice meet the standard, whereas a large number of passive hours with no reflection may not.
What is a peer reflection in social work CPD?
A peer reflection is a record of what you learnt from discussing one of your pieces of CPD with a peer. Social Work England requires at least one of your two annual pieces of CPD to include a peer reflection. You do not have to add a peer reflection to every piece, only to at least one.
What happens if a social worker does not record CPD?
Recording CPD is a condition of renewing your registration each year. If you do not record the required CPD by the 30 November deadline, your registration is at risk, which can affect your ability to practise. Social Work England also carries out CPD reviews, so records must genuinely meet the standard rather than being added hastily to tick a box.
Is CPD the same for social workers across the UK?
No. Registration and CPD are devolved. England uses Social Work England's two-pieces-plus-peer-reflection model. Scotland uses the Scottish Social Services Council, which sets its own post-registration learning requirement. Wales uses Social Care Wales and Northern Ireland uses NISCC. Social workers registered outside England should check their own regulator's requirements.
CPD courses for social workers
£9 per course. CPD accredited, 100% online, verifiable e-certificate. Pay for 2, get 3 — any 3 courses for £18.
This article is general information, not legal advice or a statement of Social Work England policy. A CPD awareness course is not a regulated qualification or a social work qualification. It can form one of the pieces of CPD you record, but you are responsible for the reflection and for meeting your regulator’s standard. Always check the current requirements with Social Work England, or your own regulator if you are registered elsewhere in the UK.