Registration compliance function transfer

From 1 July 2025, the Social Workers Registration Board is responsible for investigating concerns about unregistered people being described as social workers. This registration compliance function was previously the responsibility of Te Kāhui Kāhu, a business unit hosted by the Ministry of Social Development.

Files relating to historic and current investigations were handed over to the SWRB by representatives from MSD and Te Kāhui Kāhu in a formal ceremony last week.

A group of four people standing together, facing toward the camera. Sarah Clark is being handed a USB stick by Shawn Eberly.
From left to right: Di Davis, Te Kāhui Kāhu; Sarah Clark, SWRB; Shawn Eberly, Te Kāhui Kāhu; Hohepa Patea, SWRB

Sarah Clark, chief executive of the SWRB, thanked Te Kāhui Kāhu for the work they had done to ensure a smooth transition of responsibility between agencies. “The care and support from the team to support this transition has been amazing,” Sarah said. “We are fortunate that we can springboard from the great work they have undertaken to continue this focus on ensuring only those who are registered can call themselves a social worker”.

All social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand are required to be registered with the SWRB. This registration protects the trusted title ‘social worker’ under the Social Workers Registration Act 2003, ensuring it can only be used by qualified professionals who have demonstrated their competence and commitment to ethical practice.

When unregistered people claim to be social workers, this undermines the profession and can damage the trust that clients and communities place in genuine social workers. By ensuring only registered practitioners use the title, we protect both the integrity of the profession and the therapeutic relationships that registered social workers build with their clients. Transferring the registration compliance function to the SWRB was one of the technical and policy amendments made to the Act earlier this year. This creates a single point of contact for all social worker registration matters, making it easier for employers and the public to report concerns and ensuring consistent enforcement of registration requirements.

How to report concerns

Members of the public can report concerns about unregistered people claiming to be social workers by first checking our public register, then emailing aretheyregistered@swrb.govt.nz if the person cannot be found but is presenting themselves as a social worker.

All current investigations have been transferred and will continue without delay.