Public Complaints Avenue For Registered Social Workers

The agency responsible for professional registration of social workers in New Zealand says that naming of CYFS social workers on an anonymous website is a completely underhand form of misguided intimidation that ignores the steps put in place for increased accountability of social workers.

The purpose of Social Work Registration is to protect the safety of members of the public. The Social Workers Registration Act (2003) provides a mechanism to ensure that social workers be competent to practice, be held accountable for the way in which they practice and to enhance the professionalism of social workers.

Only one of the social workers named on the site is a registered social worker. The other named staff members on the web site are not registered. However four have applied to be registered but have yet to complete the process, says Shannon Pakura, Social Work Professional Advisor from the Social Workers Registration Board.

“The Social Workers Registration Board has a robust complaint process for any person who believes they have a valid complaint against a registered social worker. The Social Workers Registration Act has seen an independent Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal established and this provides an avenue for complaints.

Currently there are approximately 1350 social workers who are registered.

ENDS

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