This provides an exciting opportunity for someone who is deeply committed to driving high professional standards across the social work profession in this state.

The director will be employed by the Department for Child Protection, and will be responsible for the establishment, development and implementation of the scheme, including a Board and Registrar, in line with the Social Workers Registration Act 2021.

The seven-member board will be tasked with forming and maintaining a social workers’ register, and preparing and endorsing codes of conduct, professional standards and ethical guidelines for registered social workers.

The State Government has committed $4.7m over four years to support the introduction of the scheme for social workers in South Australia.

Further details about the Director’s position can be found on DCP's careers page.

Quotes attributable to Katrine Hildyard

Social workers are committed and qualified professionals who make a difference every day in the lives of South Australian families and communities.

The work social workers undertake with and for people who are experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability in our community is invaluable. Social workers support and empower people often facing really difficult circumstances to traverse new paths, to be safe, to tackle issues they may contemplate.

This important and exciting opportunity calls for someone who has the knowledge, skills and drive to champion the critical work social workers do and to uphold and amplify their professionalism and ethics.

I am proud that South Australia is the first jurisdiction to progress this important piece of work and the recognition it will bring to the social worker profession.

Striving for high professional standards in social work through this scheme acknowledges the commitment and expertise involved in the profession; appointing a Director to lead this work is an important step in the process.

Quotes attributable to Australian Association of Social Workers CEO, Cindy Smith

The implementation of the Social Work Registration Scheme in South Australia is most welcome news. This is a great first step towards National Registration.

The AASW has campaigned for registration for the profession of social work for more than 50 years.

Registration will provide the public with confidence that social workers are accountable and are expected to perform to recognised standards.

The Association stands ready to support the profession with this transition.