Sepuloni Carmel; Tolley AnneSOCIAL WORKERS REGISTRATION LEGISLATION BILLSecond ReadingHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): I move That the Social Workers Registration Legislation Bill be now read a second time. I am really pleased to be here to speak on the second reading of a bill that has been a long time coming. In 2003 when the Social Workers Registration Act was introduced the system of voluntary registration of social workers was intended to be a transition measure. I know that since then both sides of the House have been interested in mandatory registration for social workers to ensure we keep our young ones and families protected and increase the professionalisation of the social work workforce. Throughout my time in Parliament I have acknowledged the need for greater professionalisation of social workers and for further protection for some of our most vulnerable people. In 2015 I had a member's bill pulled from the ballot which sought to make registration mandatory but unfortunately this did not receive support from the Government at the time. Now as the Minister for Social Development I am so pleased to be continuing to progress the Social Workers Registration Legislation Bill. I'd like to acknowledge the previous Minister the Hon Anne Tolley for introducing this bill. Strengthening the social worker profession is something that we have in common on both sides of the House. The bill will provide better protection to those New Zealanders supported by social workers who are often among the more vulnerable adults and children in our community. Social workers support people through tough times look out for the well-being of our tamariki bring families together and provide a voice for people in need. In the short term social work alleviates stresses on individuals and whānau and addresses social problems that may be beyond the capacity of families to deal with themselves. Social workers deliver effective social services and interventions that mitigate and prevent harm that could otherwise have long-term adverse consequences. In the long term social workers are also vital for the overall well-being of people and communities. A lot has changed in the social work sector since the Social Workers Registration Act was passed in 2003. There has been a steady increase in the proportion of social workers who have professional qualifications. We've seen a very high level of voluntary registration. Around 80 percent of practising social workers are now registered. However under the current voluntary registration regime there is still no mechanism to effectively deal with anyone practising as a social worker who is not registered and where serious misconduct or poor practice is involved. Non-registered social workers can cause serious harm. They can potentially continue to practise without appropriate penalty or sanction except as provided under employment law and in compliance with statutory restrictions on tasks that can only be done by a social worker. The bill provides protection for the title of social worker. The bill proposes that any person who refers to themselves as a social worker or claims to practise as a social worker must be registered with the Social Workers Registration Board. If they are practising then they must also hold a practising certificate which is renewed annually. This will provide assurances for people interacting with social workers and who rely on them for support. It will also give greater weight to what it means to be a social worker for those who are practising. Employers will benefit too as they will have more confidence that when they employ someone they will be skilled and able to do the job they were hired for. Before I go into greater detail about the bill itself I want to take this time to acknowledge everyone who has been part of this process. I'd like to particularly recognise the contribution of the Social Workers Registration Board in supporting the change and in taking on the commitment to change itself. It will have a leading role in the coming months and years to give effect to the bill once passed. I also want to acknowledge the leadership of the social work sector which has been demonstrated through the cross-sector group the Social Work Alliance. They have put significant time and effort into working with the Ministry of Social Development in the development of the bill and the Supplementary Order Paper which will be discussed further during the committee of the whole House stage. To everyone who has participated in the select committee process the Social Services and Community Committee members and all those who submitted on the bill thank you for being part of this and contributing to the bill. The feedback from social workers organisations employers and service users has been invaluable. To all those involved your willingness to work together has made the bill stronger and more in tune with the reality of social workers. It took a while for us to get here. Once this bill is in effect entitlement to registration will require the Social Workers Registration Board to be satisfied that the person has a prescribed qualification is competent to practise as a social worker is a fit and proper person is competent to practise with Māori and other ethnic and cultural groups and has enough practical experience in practising as a social worker. Any person claiming to be a social worker and not registered will be liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment. Whether or not a person will need to be registered as a social worker or is entitled to be registered will be determined by whether their position description job title or someone else such as their employer suggests they are practising as a social worker and/or the qualifications claimed or implied as being needed by a person for their job as part of a profession are the same as required for a practising social worker. As part of giving effect to the bill the Social Workers Registration Board will provide guidance that determines what positions held by a registered social worker come within the definition of practising as a social worker and those that don't. The bill provides for a shift from five-yearly competence assessments to ongoing professional development. This is in tune with best practice and removes some costs on social workers. The bill will align complaints and disciplinary processes under the Social Workers Registration Act with other professional regulatory bodies. I recognise that there are a lot of talented social workers in the community who do good and vital work but who may not hold recognised social work qualifications. This is why the current practical experience pathway to registration as a social worker will continue for a limited period to allow them to make the transition to registration.If a non-registered person is practising as a social worker and they do not hold a recognised social work qualification then they have two years to ensure they are eligible and have applied for registration under the practical experience pathway if they wish to continue practising. There will be no change to any person currently registered as a social worker based on their practical experience; they will continue to be registered.To strengthen the bill even further I've released Supplementary Order Paper 187 which I will propose during the committee of the whole House. The Supplementary Order Paper will carry forward some suggestions arising from public submissions to the Social Services and Community Committee and in subsequent consultation by the Ministry of Social Development with the Social Work Alliance. Most notably the Supplementary Order Paper proposes scopes of practice for social workers. I know this is an issue that was favoured by the select committee and the sector. Scopes of practice provide a mechanism to describe the professional practice for a social worker and any conditions limiting an individual's practice. The use of scopes of practice is something that is commonly applied to health practitioners. It is a tried and tested approach that has operated for many years. It will be familiar to many social workers.Though mandatory registration has been widely expected in the profession for years it is important to make sure that people currently in the profession and their employers have time to adjust because there will be changes for some people. The two-year lead-in time will give the Social Workers Registration Board time to communicate out across social workers and employers so that everyone knows what to expect and crucially what they need to do. The social worker profession and the community have pushed for years to make sure that all social workers are accountable for their practice and are recognised for their professionalism. This bill will make that happen. It is a significant step forward for social workers and the people that they support. I say again that the time has come to move to mandatory registration and I'm very proud to commend this bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I just remind speakers that the second reading is not a place to debate any proposed Supplementary Order Paper. I didn't stop the Minister. You can outline but we don't go into detail.