Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network

The Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network (RWPN) is a professional body for Vision Rehabilitation Workers and Habilitation Specialists. Its purpose is to: set and maintain professional standards for the workforce to safeguard them and the people they work with; promote the value of vision rehabilitation for blind and partially sighted people; and support the workforce in the day-to-day execution of their role by providing information, advice, guidance and learning opportunities.

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RWPN Accreditation status

• Renewal of Accreditation Report
• Impact Assessment

RWPN Condition Status

In July 2025, we completed our full renewal assessment of the RWPN's register. You can download our report from the link above. We renewed the RWPN's accreditation subject to several Conditions with implementation deadlines:

1. The RWPN must review and correct its public register to ensure: 

• Only practitioners with fully verified qualifications appear on the public register
• All published entries include complete information on register type (rehabilitation/habilitation), verification status, and sanction status
• Any entries that cannot be fully completed with all required information are removed from public view until such information is available
• Consistent terminology is used throughout the register for verification status

2. The RWPN must:

• Review and revise its register management policies and procedures to prevent recurrence of these issues
• Implement quality assurance mechanisms to ensure ongoing compliance with the Standards for Accredited Registers and its own published policies
• Develop clear internal guidance on the handling of practitioners with pending verification
• Submit evidence of these improved processes

3. The RWPN must:

• Implement a clear and effective process for recognising proceedings and decisions made by regulatory bodies and other Accredited Registers.
• This process must include mechanisms to collect information from registrants about other registrations and relevant matters (including criminal convictions/cautions) at the point of application and renewal.

4. The RWPN must:

• Ensure that restrictions on practice are displayed prominently on the main register page or clearly "flagged" with a marker so that people know to check individual profiles for details of restrictions in place.

5. The RWPN must:

• Implement a mechanism to confirm that freelance registrants hold appropriate indemnity cover, such as a declaration at registration and renewal, in line with the expectations set out in the Code of Ethics.

6. The RWPN must:

•  implement clear requirements for registrants to have procedures for considering complaints and escalating to the register where necessary.
• This should especially address freelance practitioners who do not have access to employer policies.

7. The RWPN must:

• implement its quality assurance process for decision-making and be able to demonstrate how it supports consistency, learning, and improvements in practice.

8. The RWPN must:

• Implement its reporting policy and make clear the circumstances in which the police, social services, employers, or other parties may need to be contacted at any stage of the process—even in cases where no formal sanction has been applied.

9. The RWPN must:

• Finalise and implement its business continuity arrangements.

10. The RWPN must:

• Develop and implement its organisational risk management tool.

11. The RWPN must:

• Develop internal policies for whistleblowing, anti-bullying, and recruitment applicable to all those involved in its governance and operations, including directors, committee members, and volunteers.

RWPN Targeted Review Status

At the current time we have not identified the need for a Targeted Review.

RWPN Notification of Change status

The RWPN has not told us about any changes that might affect its accreditation.