- Why your Practising Certificate matters
- How to keep it current
- What it means for our profession
Your PC isn’t just paperwork – it’s part of how we maintain our professional standards and protect the people we serve. By keeping your PC current and practising within your scope, you’re playing your part in strengthening social work as a respected profession.
What benefit does a Practising Certificate offer?
Having a current PC shows clients, employers and colleagues that you’re qualified, competent, and committed to ethical practice. It’s one of the ways we protect the integrity of social work and ensure everyone practising is properly qualified or experienced.
A PC also helps ensure that social workers are identifiable as part of a unique and valuable profession that operates under the Social Workers Registration Act 2003 (SWR Act), Scope of Practice, and Code of Conduct. This supports our voices being heard by other professionals and builds public trust and confidence.
How do Registration, Scope of Practice, and my Practising Certificate fit together?
There are three key elements to being a legal social worker in Aotearoa New Zealand:
Registration is your entry into the profession – it’s ongoing and doesn’t expire. Think of it as your lifetime membership to the social work profession (unless something serious happens to cancel it or you choose to cancel it yourself).
Scope of Practice defines the boundaries of your professional activity. The Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) has developed the General Scope of Social Work Practice that describes what social work encompasses in Aotearoa New Zealand. Your individual scope of practice identifies which social work services you’re permitted to perform and any conditions on your practice.
Your Practising Certificate needs annual renewal. It expires on 30 June each year, and you need to actively renew it to keep practising legally. Your PC confirms you’re practising within your individual scope of practice.
Understanding your Scope of Practice
The General Scope of Social Work Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand describes our profession as relationship-based, promoting social change and empowerment, and guided by principles of social justice, human rights and respect for diversity.
Working within your scope means:
- Using the knowledge, skills and techniques you’ve gained through your recognised social work qualification and experience
- Establishing caring and respectful relationships to strengthen, restore and uphold the safety and wellbeing of those you work with
- Applying social work theory and practice across various roles and levels – whether working directly with individuals and whānau, in community development, policy, research, management, or advocacy
- Basing your practice on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the IFSW/IASSW definition of social work, and relevant ethical codes and standards
- Engaging in critical reflection and ongoing professional development
Your individual scope of practice may include specific conditions or limitations determined by the SWRB. It’s your professional responsibility to understand these boundaries and work within them.
Do I need a Practising Certificate?
If you are practising in a social work role (regardless of title), you are legally required to maintain your PC. These refer to roles[1] that assess, support, improve, or protect the well-being of individuals, families, groups, or communities. If you are unsure about whether your role qualifies, consider the following questions:
- Do you call yourself a social worker, or does your employer expect you to be registered?
- Do you work with a complex client group that requires you to fully draw on your practice knowledge, risk management, and exert a high degree of autonomy?
- Does your role encompass social work tasks? This may include:
- applying your social work values, skills, ethics, knowledge, and qualifications
- applying relevant bodies of knowledge, practice frameworks, both evidence-based, practice-based, and indigenous-based
- risk assessment
- working with complexity, including working with trauma and harm
- Do you work directly with clients, including whānau, hapū and community?
- Are you involved in casework decisions at any level?
- Do you manage and/or supervise other social workers?
- Do you teach social work practice or theory?
- Do you develop policy that impacts social work practice?
- Do you work in a role that influences or develops social work practice?
If you answered yes to any of these, you’re likely practising social work and legally need a current PC. The Act requires you to only practise within your individual scope of practice. If you are still unsure, consider the benefits and protections a PC may offer, such as:
- Supporting you to be seen as a skilled and accountable professional
- Connecting you to the Core Competence Standards and the Code of Conduct
- Maintaining your social work identity
- Keeping you connected to the sector
You can also contact the SWRB at any time if you have questions – we’re here to help.
Renewing your Practising Certificate: Keep it simple
Renewing is straightforward:
- Log into MySWRB a few weeks before 30 June
- Check and update your details
- Declare you are competent and fit to practise within your individual scope of practice
- Pay the fee
That’s it! Remember, the renewal button only appears a few weeks before your current PC expires.
For more information on how to renew your PC, check out the SWRB website – https://swrb.govt.nz/practice/practising-certificate.
What happens if you don’t renew?
Practising without a current PC isn’t just against the rules – it puts you at risk of:
- Fines up to $10,000
- Potential disciplinary action
- Compromising your professional standing
- Potentially invalidating your professional indemnity insurance.
The same penalties apply if you practice outside your scope of practice or claim to be a social worker when you’re not registered. The SWR Act takes these matters seriously to protect the public and maintain the integrity of the profession.
Staying professional
As registered social workers, we commit to:
- Ongoing professional development
- Maintaining our competence within our scope of practice
- Speaking up if we’re concerned about another social worker’s practice
- Practising only within individual scope
- Following our Code of Conduct.
These commitments help us provide the best service to the people we work with and maintain the reputation of our profession.
Questions?
Q: Do I need to renew my registration too? A: No, just your PC. Your registration stays valid unless something happens to cancel it or you choose to apply to the Board to cancel it yourself
Q: How do I know if I’m practising as a social worker? A: If you’re using social work skills and knowledge in your role to support people’s well-being as outlined in the General Scope of Practice, you’re probably practising social work – even if your job title isn’t “social worker.”
Check out the SWRB website for more information – https://swrb.govt.nz/practice/practising-certificate/. If you’re still uncertain, reach out to us about your specific situation applications@swrb.govt.nz or call 0508797269.
Q: What if I’m taking a break from social work? A: If you’re not practising, you don’t need a current PC. However please let us know or change your status on your MySWRB to non-practising. If you return to practice within three years, you’ll need to apply for a new PC before you start work again. If it has been longer than three years since you last held a PC then you will need to undergo a Return to Practice process.
Q: What if my details change during the year? A: It’s really important to keep us updated on any changes to to your name, address, or other contact information. You can do this yourself by logging into your MySWRB account. Please do so within a month of any changes.
Q: What happens if I can’t afford the fee? A: We encourage your employer to pay for your PC by becoming an authorised employer. Alternatively, you may talk to your employer to arrange reimbursement directly with them.
If you cannot pay the full fee all at once, we do offer the option of quarterly or monthly instalments. Please note that these part-payment options can only be arranged if you have no outstanding debt with SWRB.
Q: Do I need a PC if I am job hunting? A: You don’t need a PC until you are about to begin working as a social worker. Most employers pay for PC, so it’s best to hold off on applying for a PC until you have a job offer and a start date then, you can negotiate with your employer around paying for this. The actual process of applying for a PC and then seeking one is instant, i.e. you receive it as soon as you apply for it and pay for it.
Need more info? Contact the SWRB at applications@swrb.govt.nz or call 0508797269.
Related advice
Social Workers Registration Board Tiwhikete Mahi/Practising Certificate
Social Workers Registration Board Authorised Employer
Social Workers Registration Board Te Hoki ki te Mahi/Return to Practice
Social Workers Registration Board Hōkaitanga o ngā Mahi/Scope of Practice
Social Workers Registration Board Ngā Ture Whanonga/Code of Conduct
[1] Refer to the definition of social work service in the Social Workers Registration Act 2003.
