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Social workers step into mandatory registration

All social workers in New Zealand need to be registered by the SWRB with mandatory registration in place (implemented February 27th, 2021). 

It’s a great step forward for the profession and one long sought by social workers who will join the ranks of other regulated professionals including teachers, nurses, doctors and lawyers.

It’s the SWRB’s role to ensure the safety of the public and enhance professionalism – being registered is part of having the system in place to make that happen. 

It will also reassure the public that all social workers are part of a fully registered workforce which adheres to a Code of Conduct and understands its professional obligations, strengthening trust in the profession.

Who must be registered

You need to be registered if you:

Who we would advise to register

If you have a social work qualification and work in social services, we would advise that best practice is you would become registered.  You are in all likelihood using your social work skills and knowledge in the role, and you can be practising social work even if it is not in your job title (see below for what is social work practice). Being registered supports social workers to enhance professional accountability to each other and the profession as a whole.

For employers, having registered social workers shows your organisation supports and stands behind a fully professional workforce which adheres to the SWRB’s Code of Conduct. By supporting a registered social worker, regardless of whether the position is called social work, you know your staff is required to meet the standards set by the profession. That helps to build trust and shows the public you take your obligations to public safety seriously. 

How to register

Find out how to register.

Social work practice

Practising social work can include any one or more of the following:

Find out about the Scope of Practice.

What happens if social workers are not registered in a mandatory environment?

SWRB 

Ministry of Social Development

Other information 

Experience pathway: S13

If you have lots of practical social work experience in New Zealand, but not an SWRB-recognised social work qualification, you may still be eligible to register under our Experience pathway: S13.

Learn more

To read discussion papers about mandatory registration go to Publications.

Published 28 February 2021

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