Ka mua, ka muri – Walking backwards into the future
July marks the start of a new practising, reporting and budgeting year. We report on the year that has passed while setting the course for the year ahead. Our direction of travel is set out in our Statement of Performance Expectations (SPE) – a document we produce every year as a Crown entity.
This year we are also looking even further ahead into the future as we set our strategic direction for the next four years through our Statement of Intent (SOI). Both of these documents are available on our website and highlight priorities for us as regulator, in our workforce planning role, and our aspirations as an organisation. You can read more about our focus in this edition of Onboard.
We wouldn’t be able to plan for the future without looking back – being aware of our recent progress and building on the incremental improvements we have made each year. For example, we have applied what we’ve learnt from complaints raised about practitioners into practical guidance based around the Code of Conduct (here) and in the workforce planning role we’ve produced three sector workforce reports for the first time (here).
I would particularly like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who completed the Annual Workforce Survey this year when completing their practising certificate renewal. We had the highest response rate ever this year. Through the information we gather we are able to talk to Ministers, funders, employers and agencies about the opportunities and challenges facing the social work workforce. There is no one answer, we need many hands – and a shared understanding is hugely valuable.
As we prepare this Onboard, we’ve been blessed by some winter sunshine and crisp, clear mornings. I hope you keep warm and enjoy those sunny days whenever they appear.
Ngā mihi,
Sarah Clark
Chief Executive
Workforce survey still open
Thank you again to everyone who took part in this year’s Workforce Survey when renewing their PC. The survey response has been fantastic, and we really appreciate those who took the time to participate. Over 60% of renewed social workers have taken part, and we are hoping for a few more before we close off.
If you were unable to complete the survey when you renewed your PC, you still can! You can go back into MySWRB and use the button to take you back to the survey.
The responses we collect enable us to share valuable workforce insights, including challenges facing the sector with policy makers, employers, and others in the social services sector. The more participants, the more representative of the sector as a whole our findings will be, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for strengthening the profession. Ngā mihi
WORKFORCE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 2023 – PRACTISING SOCIAL WORKERS PER 10,000 POPULATION
Strategic plans for 2024-25 and beyond
We are continually striving to lift our regulatory performance and to be a trusted and effective regulator that is responsive to the changing environment. We are also starting to build on our evidence base that we’ve established in our role as lead agency for social worker workforce planning, as we seek to ensure the social worker workforce is visible and recognised, maintaining cross-system relationships with key workforce partners.
As a Crown agent we are required to publish our Statement of Performance Expectations (SPE) by 1 July each year. This year, we have also published our Statement of Intent for 2024-2028. Together, these highlight our short-term and long-term focus, including:
- developing a regulatory strategy
- implementing the new education standards
- undertaking our first review of the Register
- developing a more efficient complaints and notifications system
- building on our connections and relationships with stakeholders and partner organisations such as employers and decision-makers
- initiating the 2025 operational review of the Social Workers Registration Act 2003 while supporting the legislation responding to the 2020 review, currently before the House.
You can find our SPE, SOI and Outcomes Framework on the Publications page of our website.
Workforce Spotlight Reports published
We have developed new workforce publications based on the findings from our annual Social Workers Workforce Survey. These Spotlight Reports highlight workforce demographics, challenges and opportunities by employer or employer group. The Social Workers Workforce Report 2023 is the foundation for the first of three of these new reports which have just been published on our website: workforce survey – spotlight reports
Quality improvement work – Register audit/update
The SWRB holds the responsibility for maintaining the Register of Social Workers for New Zealand. Since the introduction of mandatory registration in 2021, numbers on the Register have grown to more than 12,000.
However, the number of practising social workers currently sits between 8,000 and 9,000. The numbers are still settling down as the final renewals are coming in for the 2024-25 practising year. Of those who are not practising, 2845 have declared themselves as non-practising.
We are now trying to reach everyone we have not had any interaction with for the past three years. We want to confirm that the information we hold is correct and up to date.
If you are no longer practising – and have no intention to return to practice – you can ask to be removed from the Register.
If you are no longer practising, but may return to practice in the future, you must declare yourself as non-practising. You can make your non-practising declaration by logging into your MySWRB or you can contact us at applications@swrb.govt.nz or phone 0508 797 269.
At the end of last month, we wrote to registered social workers that have not renewed their Practising Certificate more than 3 years as part of the audit of the Register.
For those we contacted, if we do not hear from you within 6 months you may be removed from the SWRB Register. Before that action is taken, we will write to you to confirm our intention. If you are unclear on whether the work you are doing is social work the SWRB Scope of Practice provides a high-level description of social work and is available on our website here (swrb.govt.nz).
Can you help us spread the word? If you know of any retired social workers, social workers who have moved overseas or changed profession, or anyone else who you think may now like to be removed from the Register, please share this article with them. Ngā mihi.
Te Pūkenga halts plans for unified social work degree
We recently received notification from Te Pūkenga that the unified degree Te Ata Māhina is not progressing further for the time being as Te Pūkenga responds to the Minister’s priorities. SWRB have a role in prescribing social work programmes for the purpose of registration.
The SWRB regarded the unified degree as a positive development in the social work field which had the potential to improve the skills and abilities of newly graduated social workers and allow for a more coordinated approach in the delivery of programmes.
We would like to acknowledge the commitment and hard work by so many into the development of the unified programme and we hope this work can be adapted in whatever future iteration emerges.
Working with Te Pūkenga on their application also allowed us the opportunity to explore how our new education standards may be applied in practice. These insights will help inform our work on implementing the new standards. The latest version of the education standards, incorporates some clarifications and minor changes based on feedback from the sector. They can be seen here: Education Standards Review page
The standards have been approved in principle by the SWRB Board and, once consultation on the monitoring and education fees has taken place later in 2024, will be finally confirmed by the Board.
SWRB Chief Executive Sarah Clark was interviewed about Te Pūkenga by Radio New Zealand. You can read the article here: Social workers, nurses unhappy as Te Pūkenga halts plans to standardise polytechnic degrees.
Or listen here: Te Pūkenga halts plans to standardise qualifications
Bringing a public safety lens to building our understanding of the social worker-like workforce
The SWRB has been undertaking work to build our understanding of the social worker-like workforce, including how public safety may be strengthened. Earlier in 2024, we completed a report on addressing public safety for social worker-like kaimahi for the Minister for Social Development and Employment.
The report highlighted a number of findings.
- The SWRB’s engagement found many social worker-like kaimahi are doing the same work as registered social workers but without the same regulatory oversight in place to protect the public and increase professionalism.
- An estimated 30% of those eligible for the pay equity extension for community and iwi social workers meet the requirements for category three.
- A significant amount of the work completed by social worker-like kaimahi carries similar risks to the work completed by registered social workers, who are a regulated workforce with professional responsibilities and accountabilities in place.
- There is a lack of data available about this workforce, including how they ensure safe practise and the volume, nature and resolution of complaints against their practice. There are limited mechanisms for independent oversight.
- There are existing legislative mechanisms to increase oversight and accountability of kaimahi in social worker-like roles which could have positive implications for public safety outcomes and recognition of the mahi.
- The public do not have the same level of protection when interacting with a social worker-like kaimahi compared to a registered social worker.
The report is available on our website. We have also published some related research which we commissioned from MartinJenkins. Find out more at: Addressing public safety for social worker-like kaimahi.