Regulatory impact statement and Cabinet papers on mandatory social worker registration

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has released a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) about mandatory registration for social workers.

The statement, Legislative changes to increase the professionalism of the social work workforce, sits alongside a Cabinet Paper, Increasing The Professionalism Of The Social Work Workforce (Cabinet Social Policy Committee) and Cabinet Minute. All documents are on the MSD website.

The announcement of mandatory registration has been supported by the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) and Whitireia and WelTec.

Social Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) support the announcement but have raised concerns about the impacts to non-government organisations, including cost and the plan to phase out registration based on practical experience. 

Background for mandatory social worker registration

The Social Services Committee completed an inquiry into the operation of the Social Workers Registration Act 2003. The Committee published their report in December 2016 with 38 recommendations, including that social worker registration be mandatory.

For more information see the NZFVC story on the Family Violence Summit held in June 2017, when Minister Tolley announced mandatory registration would be introduced.

Media

Govt's chief social worker unregistered with board, Radio NZ, 13.06.2017

Social workers to prove they are fit for the job, Radio NZ, 08.06.2017