Stewart Barbara: Social Workers Registration Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Stewart Barbara: Social Workers Registration Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:607;Page:4856] 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First supports this bill. It has been on the Order Paper for a very long time and we are pleased to see that at long last it has reached this stage. We all know in this Parliament that social work is becoming an increasingly challenging occupation; that has become very evident over the last few months with some very high-profile cases. We read about an increasing number of young people who have had problems in their lives and some of them should have been identified and assisted further by social workers. This occupation is becoming increasingly complex. Social workers make decisions that impact irreversibly on the lives of children and their families and as MPs we all receive letters and calls about those cases. A registration system for social workers is absolutely vital as that puts some emphasis back on accountability and accountability is required in this role just as it is in other professional roles where people’s lives are involved. 
New Zealand First supports the bill in its intent to work towards improving the quality of social work services. It is our view that a registration system will over time result in increased protection and safeguards for children and their families and also for social workers. New Zealand First is aware that the bill in itself will not upskill social workers. But it does provide a framework for ensuring that social work in New Zealand begins to get some of the rigorous discipline that is absolutely required. 
Sufficient resourcing and support must also accompany the new registration system. Of course that does include training. Ongoing supervision will encourage professional development and will provide personal support. It will also ensure that the needs of the client are being adequately met and that the social worker is very very clear about his or her role and responsibilities. New Zealand First believes there should be a clear intention for all social workers to be registered over time. We recognise too that this bill will not eliminate poor practice quickly. However it should begin the process of improving the quality and accountability of social workers. Because social workers are involved with the most vulnerable sectors of society a quality service is essential. One of the first things that registration will offer social workers is status and the new registration board should enhance the status of the social work profession. 
 We know that the Department of Child Youth and Family Services has staff turnover challenges and registration may be an important tool in the department’s efforts to recruit and train staff. The certainty of professional development usually does attract staff. Recent news releases point to a reduction in the number of full-time students choosing to study for a career in social work. The association of social workers estimates that in the past 5 years there has been a reduction of up to 15 percent in those willing and trained to do social work so the improved image of a department staffed by qualified and registered social workers may also help to attract and retain suitable staff. 
We are pleased that only qualified and certified people who have been through a competency process will be able to call themselves registered social workers. Only then can the public be satisfied that a social worker is competent or is at least deemed to be competent. Social work is becoming increasingly complex and New Zealand First believes that a registration system will provide a national standard and framework of control for both the roles and the responsibilities of social workers. New Zealand First supports this bill.