### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

6. Proceedings of Board
(1) The Chairperson may appoint the time and place for the Board to meet.
(2) The Chairperson shall, on the written requisition of not less than 8 other members of the Board, give notice of a meeting of the Board to be held not sooner than 7 days but within 28 days from the receipt of the requisition and appoint the time and place for that purpose.
(3) The Board shall not transact business at a meeting other than to adjourn unless there is a quorum of 6 members of the Board present.

7. Functions of Board
(1) The Board shall—
(a) establish and maintain a register of registered social workers;
(b) set and review the qualification standards for registration as a registered social worker and related registration matters;
(c) subject to subsection (2), assess qualifications to ascertain whether they should be set under paragraph (b);
(d) publish from time to time and make available for public inspection—
(i) the qualification standards set under paragraph (b);
(ii) the qualifications, not being qualification standards set under paragraph (b), in respect of which the Board has performed its function under paragraph (c);
(e) examine and verify the qualifications of persons who apply for registration as registered social workers;
(f) receive, examine, accept or reject applications for registration and renewal of registration as a registered social worker;
(g) deal with disciplinary offences in accordance with this Ordinance;
(h) keep proper records of its proceedings and accounts; and
(i) perform such other functions as are imposed on it under this Ordinance.
(2) Subsection (1)(c) shall not operate to require the Board to assess all types of qualifications to ascertain whether they should be set under subsection (1)(b), and whether or not any qualifications are those of a person who has applied for registration as a registered social worker.

### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

8. Powers of Board
(1) The Board may do all such things as are necessary for, or incidental or conducive to, the better performance of its functions and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may—
(a) establish committees to advise the Board on the performance of its functions and the exercise of its powers (including committees which have members who are not members of the Board);
(b) employ persons to assist the Board with the performance of its functions and the exercise of its powers;
(c) acquire and hold property of any description if in the opinion of the Board such property is necessary for—
(i) the accommodation of the Board or of any committee (including a disciplinary committee); or
(ii) the performance of any of its functions,
and, subject to the terms and conditions upon which such property is held, dispose of it;
(d) enter into, carry out, assign or accept the assignment of, vary or rescind, any contract, agreement or other obligation;
(e) exercise such other powers as are conferred on it under this Ordinance.
(2) The relevant provisions of Schedule 1 shall have effect with respect to a committee and its members.

9. Board may make rules
(1) The Board may make such rules, not inconsistent with this Ordinance, as are necessary for, or incidental or conducive to, the better performance of its functions or exercise of its powers and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may make rules in respect of—
(a) the conduct of meetings of the Board or of any committee (including a disciplinary committee);
(b) the election of members of the Board under section 4(3)(a);
(c) the steps to be taken by the Registrar where the Board accepts or rejects an application for registration or renewal of registration;
(d) the conduct and discipline of registered social workers;
(e) the reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred by persons attending to the business of the Board;
(f) the conduct of inquiries by a disciplinary committee and for other matters relating to the investigation of an alleged disciplinary offence;
(g) the election of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson under section 4(5);
(h) the election of a person to act as Chairperson under section 4(7).
(2) For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that rules made under subsection (1) are not subsidiary legislation.

### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

10. Approval of codes of practice by Board
(1) For the purpose of providing practical guidance in respect of the professional conduct of registered social workers (including ethical matters relating to such conduct), the Board may—
(a) approve and issue such codes of practice (whether prepared by it or not) as in its opinion are suitable for that purpose; and
(b) approve such codes of practice issued or proposed to be issued otherwise than by it as in its opinion are suitable for that purpose.
(2) Where a code of practice is approved under subsection (1), the Board shall, by notice in the Gazette, identify the code concerned and specify the date on which its approval is to take effect.
(3) The Board may—
(a) from time to time revise the whole or any part of any code of practice prepared by it under this section; and
(b) approve any revision or proposed revision of the whole or any part of any code of practice for the time being approved under this section,
and the provisions of subsection (2) shall, with the necessary modifications, apply in relation to the approval of any revision under this subsection as they apply in relation to the approval of a code of practice under subsection (1).
(4) The Board may at any time withdraw its approval from any code of practice approved under this section.
(5) Where under subsection (4) the Board withdraws its approval from a code of practice approved under this section, it shall, by notice in the Gazette, identify the code concerned and specify the date on which its approval of it is to cease to have effect.
(6) References in this Ordinance to an approved code of practice are references to that code as it has effect for the time being by virtue of any revision of the whole or any part of it approved under this section.
(7) The power of the Board under subsection (1)(b) to approve a code of practice issued or proposed to be issued otherwise than by it shall include power to approve a part of such a code and, accordingly, in this Ordinance code of practice

11. Use of approved codes of practice in disciplinary proceedings
(1) A failure on the part of any registered social worker to observe any provision of an approved code of practice shall not of itself be a disciplinary offence but where a registered social worker is alleged to have committed a disciplinary offence at a time when there was an approved code of practice, then subsection (2) shall have effect with respect to such code in relation to the alleged disciplinary offence.
(2) The Board or a disciplinary committee may, in any proceedings under this Ordinance to decide whether a registered social worker has committed a disciplinary offence, have regard to any provision of an approved code of practice which appears to the Board or disciplinary committee, as the case may be, to be relevant to the act or omission constituting the offence.