Social worker registration changes
Hon Carmel Sepuloni
Minister for Social Development
19 December 2018
MEDIA STATEMENT
Social
worker registration changes to strengthen the
profession
Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, has proposed legislative changes to the Social Workers Registration Legislation Bill, to strengthen the regulation of social workers and better protect public safety.
The Bill will make the registration of social
workers mandatory.
“These new amendments will provide
greater protections for children and their whanau who often
require support of social workers at very vulnerable times
in their lives,” Carmel Sepuloni said.
The
proposed changes to the Bill will:
• require
employers to report allegations of serious misconduct by
social workers
• promote ongoing professional
development by social workers
• create
additional safeguards relating to the power to obtain
information about social workers and the offence of
impersonating as a social worker
• provide
greater flexibility for the Social Workers Registration
Board to respond to situations affecting individual social
workers
• provide for scopes of practice within
the registration process, which aligns with health
practitioners
“The changes are based on best
practice with similar occupations and, crucially, have the
support of the social worker sector,” Carmel Sepuloni
said.
The Social Work Alliance is delighted that the
Social Workers Registration Legislation Bill is being
amended to include a scope of practice approach for
mandatory registration of social workers.
“This creates a Bill that is ‘fit for purpose’ and is a piece of legislation that enables the development of the profession. The Bill provides people using social work services with the assurance that the professionals they are working with are qualified, competent and accountable for their practice,” says Alliance member Lucy Sandford-Reed.
“I value and appreciate the cooperation of the social worker sector, who have worked with the Ministry of Social Development to develop the new amendments. I look forward to progressing the Bill through its remaining stages in Parliament and making it a reality,” Carmel Sepuloni said.
ends