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Acknowledgement of Country
The Social Workers Registration Board of South Australia (SWRB SA) acknowledges that the land we work on is the traditional lands of Aboriginal peoples and we pay our respects to elders, past and present. The SWRB SA acknowledges and respects that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Nations peoples of this country and recognises them as traditional owners and occupants of Australian land and waters. The SWRB SA acknowledges the violence of the colonial past and social work’s part in this history and the impacts colonisation continues to have on First Nations peoples. The SWRB SA acknowledges the strong and enduring connection to land and culture for First Nations peoples.
Message from our Minister - Hon. Katrine Hildyard
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Committee Announcement!
Congratulations to the members of the inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee of the Social Workers Registration Board of South Australia. The establishment of the Committee marks a significant milestone which demonstrates genuine commitment to respect, collaboration and inclusion.
This approach strengthens the profession and will ensure that the voices, knowledge, wisdom and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are honoured, prioritised and embedded in every aspect of the way forward.
I thank and commend the inaugural members and look forward to the transformative leadership they will provide in shaping a culturally responsive future for social work in South Australia and beyond.
Our new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Committee Members
We are very excited to announce the members of the inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Committee. We are very much looking forward to working alongside this committee. The quality of applications was outstanding, and we thank all of those who applied. Our 4 new members are:
April Lawrie – First and former Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People. Mirning/Kokatha woman. Qualified Social Worker.
Chrissy McKenzie – Social Worker at WSSSA and managing director of self-owned consultancy practice. Adnyamathanha, Dieri, and Kuyani woman. Qualified Social Worker.
Tracy Rigney – Extensive experience in child protection, safety and wellbeing. Narungga and Ngarrindjeri woman. Returned to university to achieve a social work degree after years of practice. Qualified Social Worker.
Jody Satala – 30 years’ experience working in child protection. Barunggam and Bundjalung woman. Pursuing social work qualifications.
One of our new members Jody Satala said this of her recent appointment:
“My appointment to the inaugural SWRB SA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee comes with the upmost humility. With this Committee comes much excitement, leading the way not only for SA but for other States and Territories throughout Australia. This appointment also comes with great responsibility, most importantly for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, families and our communities, but also for our First Nations workforce. My personal commitment is to bring my learnt knowledge and expertise to the table whilst always first seeking truth and deeply listening to the voices of our mobs and privileging our ways of knowing, doing and being. I walk in this journey alongside of 3 other incredible Aboriginal women, each of us bringing our own skill set filled with richness as we path the way towards something never before seen in this State or Australia. Truly privileged and honoured for this very significant opportunity”
Left to Right: Carmela Bastian (Presiding Member), Chrissy McKenzie, Jody Satala, Tracey Rigney, April Lawrie, Sarah Wendt (Director)
Message from Sarah Wendt - Director
We echo the Minister's congratulations to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People's Committee. We are very excited to begin this journey together.
We have continued to have strong, productive conversations with stakeholders across the sector as we move closer to rolling out registration. Building on these relationships, we are now working more closely with specific fields of practice to help shape and refine job and position descriptions. This is a key step in making sure there's a clear, shared understanding of how the new regulatory framework will apply to social work services in different settings.
By continuing this focused, sector-by-sector engagement, we're aiming to build a shared understanding of professional roles and responsibilities under the new framework making the registration process as clear, inclusive, and practical as possible for both practitioners and the communities they support.
Live Webinar
National Registration: A Way Forward
We are at a pivotal moment in the journey of the social work profession following the recent NRAS decision not to include social work under the AHPRA regulator. This presents both challenges and opportunities as we navigate the complexities of a national registration scheme for social work.
Join us for a live webinar where Professor Sarah Wendt will share valuable insights from the South Australian registration experience. Sarah will also share ideas and a potential roadmap for how we could collaboratively work towards national registration.
Don’t miss this chance to come together, engage with thought-provoking perspectives, and be a part of the conversation shaping the future of social work registration.
We look forward to your participation.
- When: 21st October 2025
- When: 10.30 - 11.30 ACST
- Where: Live Online Webinar (click below for registration)
Stakeholder Engagement
The SWRB SA has recently met with the following organisations:
- Flinders University
- Department of Correctional Services
- Department of Child Protection
- Centacare Catholic Community Services
Over the past few weeks, we have also had the privilege of engaging in field- specific conversations with key stakeholders across the domestic, family and sexual violence sector, the homelessness sector, and the out-of-home care sector.
These sessions have provided an invaluable opportunity to explore and clarify position descriptions and employer responsibilities in the context of the SWRB SA regulatory framework. The discussions have been rich and robust, reflecting a deep commitment from across sectors to collaborate as we move towards registration.
These sessions have been very well attended both face to face and online, with 60 people attending, representing 30 different agencies. We would like to thank our partners Embolden Alliance, CAFFSA, and Toward Home Alliance for their thoughtful contributions and ongoing collaboration. These conversations are critical in shaping a shared understanding, and we look forward to continuing this important work together.
Co-hosted forum with Embolden Alliance and the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence sector
Understanding Social Work Supervision
Social work supervision is a cornerstone of ethical, effective, and reflective practice, where experienced supervisors support and guide social workers to ensure high standards of service delivery.
The Social Work Registration Board (SWRB SA) will play a vital role in regulating professional supervision to uphold public safety and professional development.
To explore detailed information on how supervision supports social work professionals, please visit the resources section on our website for the explainer on Supervision.
Understanding Conduct and Competency
🎥 Webinar Recording Available
Thank you to everyone who joined our recent webinar, Understanding Conduct and Competency. We had a great turnout for the session.
If you missed it, or would like to watch it again, you can access the full recording: Understanding Conduct and Competency
🔍 Visit our website to explore more about Quality Practice, and other resources and guidance: swrb.sa.gov.au
Please join our LinkedIn page for updates and education content.
Stay Connected
Visit our FAQ’s on the website: swrb.sa.gov.au
If you have any questions, email us on swrb@sa.gov.au.
