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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 people 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 people. The SWRB SA acknowledges the strong and enduring connection to land and culture for First Nations people.
From the Presiding Member
Welcome to our second newsletter for 2025.
The work of the Board has focussed its efforts on several key priority areas, in particular, delegations for registration and investigation, finalising the details for the establishment of committees of the Board, including finance, risk and audit. The Board has also discussed the option for a non-practicing certificate registration.
Importantly, the Board is in the process of establishing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee. This Committee will work alongside the Board and bring a cultural lens to all matters relevant to social work registration.
It is very exciting to see the development of the registration portal and the level of expertise and diligence it has required to bring it to life. We look forward to the user testing phase of the portal to see all the work in action.
We recognise that there is still a great deal of work to do, but we feel confident that at each board meeting we are moving closer to the commencement of registration of social workers in South Australia.
From the Director
We hope that you have all had a productive start to the year.
In recent weeks we have heard from the sector that there are some concerns and confusion about the upcoming social worker registration. I would like to take this opportunity to update you on progress and reassure you we are here to talk to you at any time. We are committed to working through the needs of the workforce together.
We acknowledge that there is potential for disruption and uncertainty for both agencies and individuals as we transition to regulation in a previously unregulated profession. We have aimed to balance the requirement to regulate the profession and uphold community expectations, with the sector’s need to retain and protect its workforce to ensure the continued delivery of critical services.
I would like to reassure the sector that we are committed to minimizing the impact on the workforce and have been working closely with organisations through consultations and engagement to understand your concerns. Your feedback has been invaluable, and we are continuously refining the process to ensure that we have provided a tailored and staged approach for individuals and organisations impacted by registration.
We have been committed to consultation with the sector for 5-6 months. We are hearing many views and engaging in much discussion, which changes as viewpoints evolve. However, we are still waiting for approvals, and it is important to emphasise that the proposal we have put forward could still change. We have proposed a suite of options to ensure that everyone working within the definition of social work services has an option for registration. We will communicate as soon as we can, once appropriate approvals have been confirmed.
Aboriginal Sector Consultation and Engagement
Luke Cantley, our Aboriginal Regulatory Lead has been engaging with the sector to hear people’s thoughts and ideas about the impact of registration on the Aboriginal workforce. We are also pleased to announce that the SWRB is forming an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee to inform future decisions and processes.
We’re grateful for the valuable conversations we’ve had so far and remain committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for Aboriginal communities and the workforce.
Luke will continue to meet with key contacts in the sector. If you’d like to discuss anything, feel free to reach out and arrange a meeting luke.cantley@sa.gov.au
Staff Spotlight
In the lead up to registration, a vital part of the work of the office has been to procure and operationalise a registration portal. Two of our staff, Olivia Parkinson (Registration Lead) and Deeya Shukla (ICT Lead) are upcoming public service women leaders who have been working tirelessly to ensure that the legislative requirements for registration are met alongside providing a seamless user experience.
Working with our vendor, Olivia and Deeya have pursued excellence at every stage of the process, and the office is beyond grateful and amazed at their achievements so far. Olivia and Deeya have been supported by our Regulatory Lead, Chris Reynolds, Legal Services Manager, Ruth James, Principal Policy officer, Louise Butler and Corporate Services Manager Hayley Anderson throughout this process.
We are all looking forward to the first social worker registered through the newly established SWRB portal.
Question of the month
Do I have to register by July 1st, 2025.
The short answer to this question is no, you do not have to register by July 1st, 2025. This is the date that registration opens.
For those of you who need time to consider your registration and pathway options you will have until June 30th, 2026, to make an application.
The Board has worked hard to ensure that there is significant number of years for people to complete pathways, qualifications and gain experience whilst still remain working within social work services.
The Board has taken a considered and staged approach with various registration options to ensure we can retain valuable experience and workforce expertise whilst simultaneously regulating the profession and improving the competency and standards of the profession.
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.
