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The Mental Health Act 2007 (HM Government, 2007) replaced the approved social worker (ASW) with the approved mental health professional (AMHP), opening up the role to some nonsocial work professions. AMHP training, however, remains linked to the General Social Care Council (GSCC) post‐qualifying social work framework, with AMHP training now incorporated into the higher specialist social work award, set at masters level (level M) rather than first degree (level H) (General Social Care Council, 2007).Analysis of data from the first year of AMHP training at Bournemouth University illustrates some of the challenges that have arisen particularly in relation to the masters level study. Evaluation of the first year highlights some important areas for future consideration in terms of student selection, pre‐course preparation and student support. The data also demonstrate that there have only been a very small number of non social workers enrolling on programmes at the present time. This article will explore some of the possible reasons behind this.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of the key features of a work‐based, competency‐led curriculum model of continuing professional development for social workers and to present a revised model, which addresses the issues that arise for learners pursuing continuing professional and academic development (CPD) within a work‐based curriculum.

Reflections on and evaluation of both undergraduate and post graduate, work‐based curricula with employers, tutors and learners led to significant revisions to further models of work‐based learning for CPD. These changes are presented in the form of a revised model, which addresses the tensions between work‐based, competency‐led curricula and the issues that arise for learners pursuing continuing professional and academic development in full‐time employment.

The paper makes explicit the struggle in developing and delivering work‐based, competency‐led curricula while also trying to address the pragmatic issues that arise for learners pursuing professional and academic development in full‐time employment. In order to resolve some of the tensions a revised model of CPD in the workplace is proposed.

The study is based on the evaluation of two CPD programmes in post‐qualifying social work at one university, over a ten‐year period. However in this sense the study is limited to the experience of the tutors in a particular context.

The importance of considering the workplace as a learning environment for CPD is emphasised, as are the tensions that arise for learners meeting the demands of academia in full‐time employment.

This paper presents valuable lessons learned from ten years of pedagogic experience developing and delivering work‐based CPD programmes.

Governance is an emerging aspect of social care organisations embodying professionally‐led risk management, quality assurance and service improvement. The purpose of this paper is to put forward a broad conceptualisation of the main dimensions of quality and risk in social care.

A survey was undertaken to seek the perspectives on social care governance (SCG) of social workers in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland where clinical and SCG is formalised in the integrated health and social care service.

The 123 respondents were from a wide range of grades, aspects of work (practice, management and training) and both children's and adult services. Approximately, 60 per cent of social workers thought themselves knowledgeable on SCG, but this self‐reported knowledge was considerably higher amongst managers and trainers than practitioners. The risk register was familiar to 61 per cent of respondents. Social workers thought that useful ways to learn about SCG were team meetings, local workshops and engagement in developmental projects rather than training events.

The 41 per cent response rate is typical of surveys of busy professionals.

Social workers were generally not very aware of the systems being developed to implement accountability and support through SCG, presenting challenges to the tasks of managing risk and improving the safety and quality of services.

The paper shows that Northern Ireland is pioneering the development of SCG in parallel with clinical governance in health care. Valuable lessons are being learned about the application of concepts of risk and quality in the complexity of social work.

In the context of current developments in children ' s services in the UK and increased emphasis on workforce development, the authors describe a survey of successful completers of a Post-qualifying (PQ) Child Care Award Programme, one of 18 such programmes in England that ran between 2001 and 2006/7. The survey ' s aims were twofold: first, to gather the respondents ' overall evaluations of their PQ training and information about their past and current work circumstances; and second, to explore their knowledge and opinions on the latest developments in children ' s services in relation to their own work practices. The findings from the survey are outlined under four themes, which are then discussed in relation to other relevant studies, reviews on the role and tasks of social workers and current developments associated with the Every Child Matters agenda and the integrated workforce. Concerns are raised about whether social work professionalism is being effectively utilised within the current children ' s services arrangements.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of user and carer involvement in a new one‐year postgraduate certificate course for Mental Health Officers (MHOs) in Scotland, covering the first year of its delivery (2009‐2010).

This was explored in two ways: first, by assessing the level of user and carer involvement against a modified framework; and second, by measuring students' confidence in working with people with mental health issues over the duration of the course, and through interviews with students and service users and documentary analysis.

The findings indicate user and carer “influence” and “partnership” over the design and delivery of the learning, teaching and assessment strategy, but no degree of “control” over any aspect of the course. Teaching provided by users and carers was associated with marked improvement in students' confidence in engaging with and upholding the rights of users and carers in the context of the MHO role. Students reported increased awareness of the lived reality of compulsory treatment. Users reported benefits from feeling they had helped facilitate future good practice.

The research design does not allow for causal links to be made between increases in student confidence and user and carer involvement.

The study identified substantial barriers to effective user and carer involvement but confirmed its potential as a positive change agent for post‐qualifying social work education.

This study contributes to the evidence base by demonstrating the value of service user and carer involvement in post qualifying social work education.

This article examines the history of social work research within the UK from a perspective of evidence‐based practice, as originally advocated in the 1990s. It reviews the progress made to date in relation to the use of experimental studies in the field of children and families, and the reasons why this remains limited. It sets this in the broader context of evidence‐based practice and the education and training of qualifying and post‐qualifying social workers, including postgraduate training.

Previous research into psychosocial interventions courses has identified a problem with the uptake of newly acquired skills into routine practice. This paper seeks to analyse interviews of students who have undertaken a module equipping them with recovery orientated skills to work with voice hearers at one higher education institution, to establish if the same problems exist, if any new problems have emerged and if any strategies can be employed to overcome these barriers.

Semi‐structured interviews were used to interview 45 previous course participants in four focus groups about their experiences of implementing skills acquired from the module into routine practice. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken by two people, independent of one another and aided by the use of NVivo 8 software.

Three main themes were identified: organisational issues; resistance and process issues. Management support can be a great enabling factor, as can effective clinical supervision. The readiness of the individual to change and their perceived confidence to implement new skills are important factors as is the readiness from service users and their families to accept new ways of working.

Mental health educators need to be aware that although participants on a course might “buy‐in” to a new approach whilst undertaking a period of training, it is easy to slip into old customs and practices. More robust and accessible supervision might help participants to “keep the faith” with their new skills and knowledge, and may also help people feel more confident in trying out new skills.

Given the calls for increased ethics education following recent corporate collapses, this paper aims to examine the significance of ethical issues that challenge the profession and, more specifically, professional accounting bodies.

The study assesses the perceptions via an online survey of 66 professional accounting bodies worldwide in respect of ethical issues, potential causes of ethical failure and the need for ethics education.

Respondents identified a number of important challenges including conflicts of interest, earnings management and whistle‐blowing. The findings also demonstrate strong support for participation in prescribing the nature of ethics education by members of professional accounting bodies.

The results of this study are based on feedback from 41 per cent of member bodies of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). Despite a number of follow‐up reminder notices, some regions are under‐represented in the responses to the survey distributed to the (then) 160 member bodies of IFAC. Geographic isolation and language limitations contributed to the failure to gain a higher response rate.

The findings demonstrate that professional bodies support ethics education at the pre‐ and post‐qualifying levels of education and a willingness to take an active role in promoting ethics education to their members.

By addressing member bodies' attitudes to ethics education, this paper fills a gap in prior literature that has been restricted to addressing the attitudes of academics, students and business organisations.

The purpose of this paper is to discuses the development and application of Maritime City, a developing virtual urban community created by the University of Greenwich to supplement the delivery of child protection training.

Maritime City is a “serious game” developed by the University of Greenwich to deliver child protection training to health and social care professionals working with children and their families. This discussion paper will consider the practice landscape for these professionals and their training needs for working with families where children are at risk of harm. This paper will also consider some of the innovative pedagogical approaches to providing this training through the use of a serious game. Finally, this paper will also share some of the thinking behind the work and several of the learning activities that have been used with students.

Maritime City offers a safe, new medium to explore and reflect upon child protection assessment in a family situation. It offers health and social care professionals, at all stages of their careers, a unique opportunity to evaluate child protection issues. Amongst its advantages, Maritime City gives professionals involved in child protection the opportunity to evaluate and re-evaluate a case without putting children or service users at risk. As the game is in the early stages of use further evaluations are required to discern its effects on practice.

Maritime offers a unique opportunity of completing a child protection home visit using a range of tools to help participants draw on their own experiences and those of others to prepare them for working with children and families.

This paper describes the development of a multi‐agency model for adult protection training in Kent and Medway and sets this in the context of the evolution of wider adult protection policy and competence. The rationale for the planning and development of the model is outlined and the content and coverage of the different levels of training are described. Key issues include the progression of staff and managers and the implementation and operation of the model. These are explored in relation to the different demands on the safeguarding activities in Kent and Medway and the different agency and professional interests at stake. Future developments are also briefly mapped and discussed.