Competence and Recertification Assessment

Introduction

It is a professional responsibility for all practising social workers to maintain and be able to provide evidence of their competence to practise.

The Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) competence process provides an opportunity for all social workers to undertake a competence assessment. It is also a process that supports social workers to keep their competence assessment current by undertaking a recertification assessment.

The SWRB Core Competence Standards are used for the purposes of assessment.

To apply for registration as a social worker in New Zealand or to retain/renew your Annual Practising Certificate, you must have current Competence Certificate, as per Section 44(1) of the Social Workers Registration Act 2003, which states that:

A registered social worker who wishes to retain his or her practising certificate must complete a competence assessment at a time during the period between –

(a) the day 4 years and 9 months after the social worker last completed a competence assessment; and

(b) the day 5 years and 3 months after the social worker last completed a competence assessment.

To obtain a Competence Certificate, you must have either:

• successfully undertaken a competence assessment through an SWRB recognised Competence Assessment Programme
• completed the SWRB paper-based competence assessment application
• SWRB recognised competence as a graduate of a SWRB recognised qualification gained after 1 August 2008, as per the SWRB Competence Policy.

Related Policy and Publications:

• Entitlement to Registration - Competence
• Code of Conduct
• Code of Conduct guidelines
• Criteria for Annual Practising Certificates

About the Competence Process

The SWRB competence process is paper-based. It is one method by which social workers can evidence their competence for the purposes of registration. Because it is managed by the SWRB, this competence process provides a seamless assessment for social workers when applying for registration. The process reduces the overall complexity and cost of registration and competence assessment.

The SWRB policy statement ‘Entitlement to Registration – Competence’ supports the competence assessment process and sets out:

• the legislative requirements (Social Workers Registration Act 2003) and obligations of the SWRB; and
• the core competence standards.

Social workers choosing the SWRB competence process to evidence their competence must familiarise themselves with this policy statement.

Back to top

two categories of competence assessment:

1. Full
2. Recertification

FULL– for any social worker who has not previously completed an SWRB-recognised competence assessment. This includes social workers provisionally registered as a result of graduating from an SWRB-recognised social work programme after 1 August 2008 – these graduates must complete the competence assessment within two years of the date on which their qualification was gained.

Social workers in this category must complete all sections of the competence assessment application. This includes:

• your personal and contact details
• a Self Reflection Assessment of your practice
• a Practice Study of your own work that demonstrates the integration of the core competence standards in your practice
• a Core Competence Standards Declaration, in which:
  • you fill in and sign the Self Reflection Assessment Declaration
  • your manager or supervisor fills in and signs the section attesting to your competence against the SWRB core competence standards
  • a New Zealand registered or qualified social worker with a current New Zealand Competence Certificate fills in and signs the section endorsing your manager’s or supervisor’s assessment of your social worker competence.

If you are applying for a full competence assessment as part of registration as a social worker, this completed application should accompany your completed ‘Application form for registration as a social worker in New Zealand’ or be sent to the Social Workers Registration Board within 12 months of the date of your registration application.

Back to top

RECERTIFICATION – for any social worker who holds a current competence certificate but who needs to recertify their competence. This does not include social workers provisionally registered as a result of graduating from an SWRB-recognised social work programme after 1 August 2008 – see point 1. above for the process for these graduates.

Social workers in this category must complete the following sections of the competence assessment application. You must provide:

• your personal and contact details
• a Self Reflection Assessment of your practice
• a Core Competence Standards Declaration, in which:
  • you fill in and sign the Self Reflection Assessment Declaration
  • your manager or supervisor fills in and signs the section attesting to your competence against the SWRB core competence standards
  • a New Zealand registered or qualified social worker with a current New Zealand Competence Certificate fills in and signs the section endorsing your manager’s or supervisor’s assessment of your social worker competence
• a log of your Continuing Professional Development.

Note: You do not need to provide a Practice Study.

Back to top