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ANZASW Challenges Social Workers Registration Board Decision Over Increasing The Cost Of Social Work Registration
Last week, ANZASW challenged the Social Workers Registration Board’s (SWRB) decision to increase the cost of social work registration by filing a complaint with Parliament’s Regulations Review Committee. The cost of social work registration has increased by 64% since 2019 (to $605 per year).
Community social workers are unable to afford this increase and it will add increased pressure to the, already stretched, sector.
ANZASW is calling on the Government to fund the SWRB until the pay equity claim and sector funding issues can be resolved. The Government already pays for the cost of registration for those social workers it employs and so it is only fair they pay for the social workers who it funds in the community.
The registration fee increases will have a significant impact on the social work profession and social workers may no longer be able to afford to practice. ANZASW members have told us: “I will not earn enough to continue to practice” and “the proposed new fees are going to be 4 weeks’ worth of groceries for my whānau. This is going to cause a lot of financial stress”.
The SWRB 2021 workforce survey (released this week) showed 13.3% of respondents were planning to leave the social work profession or reduce their hours in the next 5 years. Pay and conditions and workload were key drivers behind the intention to leave. Increasing the cost of registration will only drive this trend further.
Braden Clark, ANZASW Kaiwhakahaere Chief Executive, says “social workers are degree-qualified, registered professionals and it is entirely unacceptable that social workers are under this level of pressure. The Government must step up and start funding the sector fairly”.
The Government chronically underfunds community social services, creating significant inequities between Government-employed social workers and their community counterparts. Social workers in the community and iwi sector earn an average of 34% less than those employed by the Government.
NGO social workers are still waiting for the settlement of a pay equity claim.
ANZASW has heard that some NGO employers may replace social workers with other workers due to the cost of hiring registered social workers. “When I resign, I have been told that they will not fill my position with a social worker due to these fees”.
“The Government has created this disparity through poor funding models. Insufficient steps have been taken to address this disparity” says Braden Clark.
Social workers in the community and iwi sector have worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are an important workforce. We need the Government to recognise their importance and take the pressure off these vital services through paying for the cost of registration.
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