The Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) is a Crown entity which is the regulatory authority responsible for the registration of social workers.
Te Tiriti O Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi statement
As the SWRB, we recognise the Crown-Māori commitment as Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners and are committed to improving services and outcomes for Māori, strengthening the Crown’s relationship with Māori, and developing our Māori capability.
The SWRB’s primary functions are to:
- protect the safety of members of the public by ensuring that when social workers come onto the register, they are competent, fit to practise, and will be accountable for the way in which they practise, and to
- enhance the professionalism of social workers.
Our people
The Board
You can find out when the SWRB Board meets to approve registration applications and who our SWRB Board members on the SWRB Board page.
Executive team
Sarah Clark
Tumu Herenga Waka | Chief Executive
Sarah joined the SWRB in May 2017 after holding a number of roles within the state sector.
Originally from Christchurch, Sarah has a Masters in Geography, and a thesis on female offending. Her career has taken her on a diverse path, most recently with Superu (Families Commission) as Director of Client Services, and at the Office for Seniors as its Director. Across her career Sarah has worked with a wide range of Ministers in the public service, across multiple administrations.
She believes the SWRB is well placed to lift awareness of the importance of public safety across the wider social sector, and to support the professionalisation of social workers.
Scott McLew
Registrar
Scott McLew grew up in Nelson and graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration. After spending a couple years working for a charity in the creative arts space he moved to the UK in 2005 where he built a career in not-for-profit membership and advocacy organisations across a number of sectors including health, disability, international development and the built environment.
From 2013-2020 he held the role as the Chief Operating Officer and Registrar of the Construction Industry Council where he oversaw the statutory regulation of the building control profession across England and Wales, operating under separate legislation for the devolved administrations.
In 2020 Scott returned to Wellington to take up a role as the Chief Operating Officer with the Property Institute of New Zealand.
Scott joined the SWRB in late November 2025. He brings significant regulatory experience and a track record of operational excellence, strategic governance and stakeholder engagement.
“I am delighted to join the SWRB as Registrar. I respect the importance of social work to the fabric of our society. I take pride in being part of the kaitiaki for public protection and in sharing this commitment with the profession.”
Liz Jones
Purapura Whetū Arataki | Director of Workforce Planning, and Policy
Liz has worked across the public sector, to central government, for government departments, in the not-for-profit and voluntary sectors, in Aotearoa and overseas for over 25 years. Liz has a Business Degree, a Masters by Research in the development of older people’s housing and care services, two Postgraduate Diplomas in Social Housing and one in Public Health.
This is Liz’s second stint at the SWRB. She previously worked on changes to our legislation in 2017 that saw the implementation of mandatory registration for social workers. This time her role is Policy and Workforce Planning Manager.
Liz oversees a small team of Policy Advisors whose work supports social workers and social work students to become and maintain their compliance as registered professionals, such as the development of the Scope of Practice, Code of Conduct, and Programme Recognition Standards for our social work education providers.
The policy team also develops operational policy and procedures for our in-house SWRB teams in Registration, Professional Standards, and Education and Complaints. The team is also currently responsible for all Crown monitoring activity, and accountability reporting to the Minister for Social Development and Education. This includes our Statement of Intent, Statement of Performance Expectations, our Annual and Quarterly Reporting, and all performance measurement and monitoring activities.
Liz also leads the social worker Workforce Planning space, a new role assigned to the SWRB by the Minister. The SWRB’s role in workforce planning is to ensure a safe, professional, qualified, knowledgeable and accountable social worker workforce, and provide insight into where and when social workers are required to meet demand for services, now and in the future.
Our vision, purpose and values
Our vision
Our vision is that social workers in New Zealand are safe to practise, competent and accountable, and have the trust and confidence of the public.
Our purpose
Our purpose is to protect the safety of members of the public by ensuring social workers are competent and safe to practise and are accountable for the way in which they practise. We also enhance social workers’ professional practice and provide insight into the opportunities and challenges facing the social worker workforce.
Ko tā mātou Kaupapa
Te tautiaki i te iwi tūmatanui mā te whakarite, ka noho haepapa ngā tauwhiro, ka haumaru, ka whai pūkenga, ka tika hoki ki ngā mahi ināianei, ā, haere ake nei
Our whakataukī
He ara pūkenga
he ara tauwhiro
hei whakamana mātā waka
The many pathways of knowledge
the many pathways of social work
upholding the dignity of all
Our values
The following values inform and guide the SWRB in its pursuit to protect the public and enhance the professionalism of social work.
Matatika
To do what is right and just, ethical, fair, equitable, honest, unbiased, impartial, moral, trustworthy
Manaaki
To look after the dignity of others, to support, to tend to, take care of, protect, look out for, show respect, generosity and kindness towards others.
Mahitahi
To work together as one, collaborate, cooperate, co-design, connect, interact, reciprocate, discuss, debate, work in unity with teamwork and synergy.
Māia
To be bold, brave, capable, confident, courageous, to have endurance, strength, resilience.
Our functions
The SWRB’s duties and functions (as outlined in section 99 of the Social Workers Registration Act) are:
- to receive and consider applications for registration
- to authorise the registration of social workers
- to maintain the Register
- if it thinks fit, to adopt conditions subject to which all practising certificates, or the practising certificates of all registered social workers of a particular description, must be issued
- to consider applications for practising certificates referred to it by the Registrar
- to recognise New Zealand educational qualifications for the purposes of this Act
- to review the competence of social workers
- to establish and maintain a code of conduct for registered social workers
- in consultation with providers of social work education and training in New Zealand and bodies that set standards for social work education and training in New Zealand, to promote and set standards for such education and training for the purposes of this Act
- to promote the benefits of registration –
- to departments of State, other instruments of the Crown, other bodies and organisations that employ social workers, and the public; and
- among people practising as social workers
- to promote the establishment by departments of State, other instruments of the Crown, and other bodies and organisations that employ social workers, of accessible and efficient procedures for making, considering, and determining complaints relating to social workers they employ
- to advise, and make recommendations to, the Minister in respect of matters relating to the regulation of the social work profession
- to appoint the members of the Tribunal
- to promote and encourage high standards of practice and professional conduct among registered social workers and the employers of social workers
- to consider the cases of registered social workers who may be unable to perform adequately the functions required to practise social work satisfactorily
- to disclose to the employers or prospective employers of social workers information it has obtained under this Act relating to people who are or have been—
- applicants for registration; or
- registered social workers (subject to the Act)
- to provide administrative and related services for the Tribunal
- any other functions conferred or imposed on it under this Act or any other enactment
Social Workers Registration Act
The Social Workers Registration Act 2003 (the Act) establishes the SWRB.
Our annual report, statement of intent and performance expectations
You can download our corporate documents from our publications page.
Our Regulatory Strategy 2024–2028
Board Chair and Chief Executive foreword message
Enabling excellence through stewardship — strengthening the social work system so it can generate engaged, highly skilled, and well-supported professional social workers who are accountable for their practice.
We are pleased to share with the sector our inaugural Regulatory Strategy. The social work profession in Aotearoa New Zealand stands at a pivotal moment. Since mandatory registration began in 2021, we have witnessed a profession embracing accountability and commitment to public safety like never before. As SWRB Board Chair and Chief Executive, we are privileged to present this strategy — one that advances SWRB’s commitment to regulatory excellence by embedding stewardship as a core function, shifting from oversight to active partnership.
What does stewardship mean for us? It means shifting from a position of simple oversight to one of engaged partnership. Stewardship acknowledges that effective regulation happens not through enforcement alone, but through relationships built on mutual respect, shared understanding, and collective commitment to excellence. It means we work alongside the profession, employers, and communities to create conditions where social workers can deliver safe, competent, and culturally responsive practice.
Our approach is guided by the whakataukī He ara pūkenga, He ara tauwhiro, Hei whakamana mātā waka the many pathways of knowledge, the many pathways of social work, upholding the dignity of all. This speaks to both the diversity of our profession and our shared commitment to honouring every person we serve.
We want to acknowledge the foundational work of all those who have gone before us — particularly former Chair Shannon Pakura, whose leadership during the implementation of mandatory registration has positioned us to take this next crucial step forward. We build on the dedication of previous Board members, staff, and sector leaders who have shaped our profession’s regulatory journey from its earliest days. Their collective wisdom and commitment have created the strong foundation upon which we now embrace a more relational, inclusive, and adaptive approach to regulation.
Our regulatory philosophy is responsive by design. We understand that effective regulation requires the right intervention at the right time. This means starting with support, education, and guidance — helping social workers understand their obligations and develop their capabilities. When concerns arise, we respond proportionately, escalating our interventions when necessary to protect public safety. This approach recognises that most practitioners want to do well and benefit from clear guidance rather than punitive measures.
This strategy outlines our transformation through five critical capability shifts:
- Embedding continuous improvement in how we operate as a regulator
- Building regulatory understanding across the entire profession
- Designing evidence-based policies that support good practice
- Developing our staff capability to deliver responsive regulation
- Taking system-wide stewardship for the regulatory environment
Each shift reflects our commitment to stewardship — moving beyond compliance checking to actively nurturing professional excellence across the sector.
Stewardship is fundamentally relational. It means we engage with empathy, listen actively, and provide support that enhances capability rather than simply identifying deficits. It means working collaboratively with employers, education providers, and professional associations to strengthen the entire system that supports social work practice.
Through this strategy, we aim to be a regulator that the profession and the public can trust — one that upholds public safety while supporting social workers to thrive in their vital work serving New Zealand’s communities. As a modern occupational regulator, we will use cooperative measures to achieve compliance escalating to stronger enforcement where needed. This ensures our responses are proportionate, flexible and effective.
The communities’ social workers serve deserve nothing less than professionals who are competent, accountable, and supported to deliver their best work. This strategy sets out how we will make that vision a reality.
Mike Munnelly Chair, Social Workers Registration Board
Sarah Clark Chief Executive, Social Workers Registration Board
About the strategy
The strategy sets out how we will operate as an effective and trusted occupational regulator for social work in New Zealand. It describes our role, the wider system it works within, key internal and external challenges, and the importance of values-based practice, relationships, and regulatory good practice.
It also connects our regulatory functions with its lead agency role in social worker workforce planning. To support continuous improvement, the strategy identifies key priorities, five capability shifts to strengthen performance, and how progress will be measured and monitored.
Our Code of Service
Our service commitment
Ā Tātou Arapaki Our Pathway sets out the service standards you can expect from the Social Workers Registration Board. These standards apply across our work as the occupational regulator for social workers, the lead agency for social worker workforce planning, and a Crown Agent.
Our values
Our Code of Service reflects the values that guide our work:
- Matatika – we provide timely and accurate responses.
- Manaaki – we treat people with courtesy and respect.
- Mahitahi – we are helpful, cooperative, and professional.
- Māia – we lead by example and are committed to good service.
If we do not meet our standards
If we fall short of our service standards, we will work with you to put things right. You can contact us to give feedback or make a complaint.
- Email: feedbackandconcerns@swrb.govt.nz
- Freephone: 0508 797 269
We will acknowledge written enquiries within 10 working days. If your matter is complex, it may take more time to resolve. We will provide progress updates at least once a month.
If you are still unhappy
If you are still unhappy after we respond, you can contact the Office of the Ombudsman. For general enquiries and complaints: Freephone: 0800 802 602
Our information gathering and privacy policy
We are a public safety Crown regulator.
We hold a public register of all social workers and we gather information in relation to our regulatory role, including for registration applications; holding a Practising Certificate; and to assess and manage concerns we receive about the conduct, competence, and/or health of registered social workers.
We also gather information through an annual survey on workforce planning for social work, as well as surveys to assist in the assessment of our performance.
The Privacy Act 2020 regulates how we collect, use, hold, disclose, access, correct, manage and dispose of your personal information.
Where you voluntarily provide us with personal information (eg, through online forms or emails), we may hold your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. We will only use personal information that you provide to us through for the purposes for which you supplied it or, in exceptional situations, for other reasons permitted under the Privacy Act 2020.
We will not disclose your contact details without your consent and we will not share your personal information with others, unless this is necessary for the purpose for which you gave us the information (eg, to assess a complaint). Occasionally, the law may require us to disclose it (eg to investigate a criminal offence), or there may be safety reasons for disclosing it.
Our social media transparency statement
We are active on Facebook to share information of interest to the social work sector. As the regulator of social workers, we have a role in protecting the safety of members of the public and enhancing the professionalism of social workers.
Engage with us
Our community includes social workers, employers, social work educators, social work students, and other interested members of the public. We encourage our community to engage with us on Facebook by sharing and/or commenting on our posts. We won’t be able to reply individually to every comment but will endeavour to answer any queries made to our inbox within two working days.
You may also prefer to contact us by emailing your question to applications@swrb.govt.nz
Our social media standards
As a Crown entity we must uphold appropriate standards on our page. Any comments that are deemed offensive, threatening or discriminatory, or breach the privacy of any person will be removed, deleted and/or reported to Facebook. We also maintain the right to block and/or report any user of Facebook whose comments on our page breach our standards.
At times we may follow/like the pages of other individuals and organisations that are relevant to our mahi. This is not to be regarded as endorsement of their views.
Contact us
We welcome feedback and encourage you to raise any concerns about our social media page by emailing us at office@swrb.govt.nz
Concerns
If you have concerns about the way you or your issue was responded to by the SWRB, we would welcome hearing from you. The information will be handled respectfully and we will contact you promptly. You can get in contact by emailing us at office@swrb.govt.nz.
Contact us:
Office:
Social Workers Registration Board
PO Box 3452
Wellington Central
Wellington 6140
Freephone: 0508 797 269
Email: office@swrb.govt.nz
