This Bill protects the title of social worker and extends the scope of current regulation so that anyone practising as a social worker, or doing a job with that title, must be registered and have a current practising certificate. It restricts certain jobs to social workers.

However, it does not define or protect the practice of social work. People may be employed as social workers in all but name - eg as a Family or ‘Community worker and as long as they do not undertake the restricted tasks specified in the Act, they do not have to be registered. Employers usually decide the title.

NZNO, NCW and others have called for mandatory registration of social workers. We are seeking your feedback on whether the Bill should  be extended to include a definition of social work (there are international examples), and registration for every person undertaking this type of work regardless of job title? Do you know of anyone whose job might be considered social work, but whose job title does not include the words ‘social worker’? We are also interested in personal examples/ evidence. 

View the bill at: Social Workers Registration Bill and the Regulatory Impact Statement. Note that the committee is due to report back in February, 2018. 

Please send feedback to marilynh@nzno.org.nz by 6 November 2017.