Social workers are a vital and important workforce, applying expertise and skills across a range of organisations and services, working with vulnerable individuals and communities to improve wellbeing.

Employing a suitably qualified and/or experienced person, who is registered with the SWRB SA, gives you confidence in their skills, professional practice and competency.

For a comprehensive guide to registration see here: guide to registration

Your employees must be registered if they:

• Are working within the definition of social work services
• Using the title social worker
• Delivering social work services to clients in South Australia (either face to face or remotely)

Under the Act all employees working within the definition of social work services will be required to register with the SWRB SA. There are three categories of registration:

Full Registration:

• Allows individuals to perform social work services, legally use the title "social worker," and work in any role that requires registration. These employees hold a prescribed qualification in social work or have completed the Professional Experience Pathway (see below).

Provisional Registration:

• Provides a pathway to full registration status to individuals who have experience working in social work services and who either:
  • Complete a pathway of recognition of current competencies with the SWRB SA (Practice Experience Pathway) or
  • Enrol in a prescribed qualification (Qualification and Education Pathway)
• Employers must ensure that individuals with provisional registration are working towards meeting the full registration requirements
• Employers must provide an endorsement to the SWRB SA in order for each employee to be provisionally registered
• Employers must enable professional supervision and support to these individuals to help them transition to full registration

Limited Registration

• Is designed for those currently working in social work services and where provisional registration is not suitable for an individual's circumstances.
• Employers must ensure that individuals with limited registration are working within the specific conditions set by the SWRB SA. This includes ensuring that they are only performing social work services in a specified role and organisation that has been approved.
• Employers must endorse the application for limited registration.
• Employers must report any changes in the employment status of individuals with limited registration to the SWRB SA

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. swrbregistration@sa.gov.au

The SWRB SA has reviewed position descriptions at the request of organisations seeking clarity if such work reflects social work services and therefore those working in such positions are required to register or not. Below is an example of such position descriptions. The SWRB has provided a summary below of dialogue to such organisations and hence by sharing this information, we hope that it provides a rationale to assist in clarifying how some work fits with the social work services definition and others do not.

However, please reach out to the swrb@sa.gov.au if you have any questions and want clarification on position descriptions in your own organisation. Remember registration is about protection of the title (social worker) and work (social work services) and not tied to particular roles.

Examples of position descriptions that need to be performed by a registered social worker.

• Team Leader Families and Relationships
• Case Manager
• AOD Case Manager
• Homelessness Case Manager and
• Family Support Practitioner

What these position descriptions had in common was providing clinical leadership in areas of trauma and high risk, where decisions are made by this person through assessment and analysis that has significant direct impact on people’s lives. From reading the work being undertaken it is in line with the social work services definition and/or supervises other professionals who perform social work services. We noted that often one of the qualifications required could be social work along with other allied regulated professions. It is for these reasons that the person performing this work would be required to register and have social work supervision from a registered social worker.

• NDIS Support Coordinator or Specialist Support Coordinator

These roles are at times advertised as requiring a social work degree and/or be members of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). If an individual uses or is required to use the title of social worker and/or identify as a social worker in their employment in this way they will be required to register as this is reflective of title protection in the scope of practice.

Examples of position descriptions that do not need to be performed by a registered social worker.

• Operations Manager Family and Community Services
• Alliance Senior Manager
• Program Manager

What these position descriptions had in common was providing administrative, strategic and broad senior management services and the work does not require the person to manage a caseload of clients and does not provide social work specific supervision to registered social workers. This work is not reflective of the definition of social work services.

However, in a scenario where the person was employed into this position because they have a recognised qualification in social work, and/or they or the employer want them to be known as a social worker - they would need to register as this is reflective of title protection in the scope of practice.

• Community Hubs Support Coordinator
• Senior Contact Facilitator
• Housing Access Lead

What these positions descriptions had in common was that the employment context is operating in areas of risk, trauma and complexity. However, the work does not fit the social work services definition in its entirety because people undertaking coordination, facilitation, etc would not take overall responsibility and make the clinical judgements that the definition of social work services requires.

However, in a scenario where the person was employed into this position because they have a recognised qualification in social work, and/or they or the employer want them to be known as a social worker - they would need to register as this is reflective of title protection in the scope of practice.

As an employer, we would encourage you to familiarise yourselves with the Act and meet your responsibilities which are:

• Ensure that employees undertaking social work services in organisations are registered with the SWRB SA
• Ensure that no unregistered person is 'holding out' as a registered social worker, which means using the title of social worker and/or identifying as a social worker when they are not registered.
• Report to SWRB SA any instances of dismissal or resignation for professional misconduct of an employee registered via the digital registration portal.
• Enable/Provide registered employees to meet their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and professional supervision requirements as regulated.

Read here for more detailed description of employer responsibility.

Holding Out

The Act prevents employers from misleadingly assigning the title to unregistered staff. Employers must ensure job titles and descriptions align with legal requirements.

Regulations

Stay informed, read SWRB SA regulations.

The SWRB SA is committed to working closely with employers to support the transition to this new regulatory framework. We will provide guidance and resources to help you understand and fulfill your obligations under the Act.

Our approach will focus on communication and education, rather than prosecution, to ensure a smooth transition for all those affected by the regulations.