The board has been appointed to work with the Scheme’s Director, Professor Sarah Wendt to build and oversee the scheme.

The scheme will officially commence in 2025. It will develop professional standards in South Australia and help build momentum toward national registration for social workers.

The new Board’s Presiding Member is Dr Carmela Bastian, a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Flinders University, with more than 20 years’ experience in child protection, family support and human services as a social work practitioner and academic.

She will be joined on the board by Kerry Beck, Jane Mussared, Ruka Taite, Sarah Macdonald, Nicole Lancaster and Jodie Stevens.

The Board is the state government authority responsible for regulating social workers, and will develop and maintain a social workers’ register and prepare and endorse codes of conduct, professional standards and ethical guidelines.

Members have been appointed for three-year terms.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard

Social workers are dedicated, highly skilled and well qualified professionals who, with compassion, walk alongside people when they face really difficult times and most need support. They deserve to be valued and have their profession recognised.

I am proud that South Australia is the first jurisdiction to progress its Social Worker Registration Scheme which will bring well-deserved benefits, respect and support to the social work profession.

Our new Board members are experts in their fields, with decades of experience, skill and dedication. I am grateful to them for carrying the important role of overseeing this nation-leading initiative.

The new scheme will help enhance public confidence in the vital roles social workers play in supporting and empowering children, young people and families, and in helping to build stronger communities.

Quotes attributable to Professor Sarah Wendt

South Australia is the first state with legislation to register social workers so this is really significant in the history of social work in this country.

Valuing, respecting, and supporting the social work profession is a key part of the registration scheme and I am committed to ensuring the Scheme is operational by 1 July 2025.

It is a privilege to be leading the establishment of the scheme in South Australia and working with board members who bring an exceptional range of expertise to their roles.

I thank Minister Katrine Hildyard for her respect of the social work profession and her advocacy in striving for high standards that ultimately benefit the community and families, with whom social workers engage.