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A new competence assessment process administered by the SWRB is now available. The SWRB Competence Assessment Process makes registration and recertification more affordable and less complex.
Competence to practise social work is a key component of the social work registration process and a valid competence assessment certificate is required before being registered. Practising Registered Social Workers are also legally required to be in possession of a current competency certificate. A competency assessment must be completed three months either side of the five-year expiry date of your current competence assessment.
The new competence assessment, provided by the SWRB, will cost $255.55, and recertification will cost $153.32. In addition, the process has been streamlined and will primarily be a paper-based system.
“After a review in 2007, extensive consultation with industry bodies and a literature review to assist with considerations, the new process has been developed to reduce compliance costs for social workers and their employers, while maintaining confidence in the competence assessment system,” says Robyn Corrigan, SWRB Chairperson.
The benefits of the new process for the social work profession are that it:
“We are delighted to be offering this new competence assessment process, which provides greater benefit to the social work profession, and in recessionary times we need to be addressing every cost saving that we can provide for our social workers and their employers,” says Sean McKinley, SWRB Registrar and Chief Executive.
The new competence assessment process offered by SWRB will compliment that of the other recognised competence assessment providers* and will give social workers additional affordable options when choosing the process that best suit their needs.
Once the process is implemented, we are aware there might be some issues that will require consideration and reflection, and that minor adjustments may need to be made to the process during this period. It will be important that social workers have the confidence to identify concerns or enhancements that may add value to this new process. Please don’t hesitate to contact us in this instance.
For an outline of what is required under the SWRB’s competence assessment process please click here.
* Competency and recertification assessments by ANZASW and competence assessment by Te Kaiawhina Ahumahi.
Competence assessment will cost $255.55.
Recertification will cost $153.32.
In 2007 the SWRB reviewed the operation of the SWR Act (2003) and this review confirmed the common view that the registration and competency processes are difficult, cumbersome and expensive. The Review identified significant barriers to registration under the current policy settings. The principal barriers to registration, in particular evidencing competencies were:
The Board worked with employers, educators and professional bodies to review the Board’s approach to competence and address these issues. The Board’s aim was to:
reduce compliance costs for social workers and their employers, while maintaining confidence in the competence assessment system; to reduce the complexity of the current processes to evidence competence; and reduce the cost of registration to applicants.
A review of competence approaches of other jurisdiction and allied professionals such as teachers, nurses and midwives provided an avenue to improve SWRB’s alignment with comparable registration systems in health and education, as well as reducing costs to registered social workers. A literature review was also undertaken to assist with these considerations.
A moderation and evaluation plan has been developed and in the early stages of implementation of the SWRB’s competence assessment process, it will be trailed with a group of approximately 100 social workers.
The SWRB competency assessment is for all social workers practicing in New Zealand. The process is primarily a paper-based system. The process has identified two distinct groupings (see below) and each grouping will have a distinct competence assessment process.
‘Registered’ social workers (excluding those that are registered under the SWRB Graduate Competence) and/or social workers who hold a current competence certificate wishing to recertify their competence.
Process:
All other social workers who apply for registration and competence assessment.
Process:
Assessment of the above will be conducted by the SWRB’s Professional Advisor and an independent registered social worker.
Should documentation from either category be unsatisfactory and/or present concerns, the matter may be referred to a third party for their consideration and assessment. This process is flexible; it enables the SWRB, should there be sufficient concern, to defer the competence assessment and refer the social worker for peer/panel assessment.
A social worker may apply, in writing, for review of the competence to practice decision, citing the reason for the request. In this case, documentation will be sent to an independent registered social worker for review. The SWRB practice standards will be used as the assessment framework to review the decision. The social worker will be informed of the decision within 30 days of receipt of the application.