Scheme to assess staff

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 9

Scheme to assess staff

By

DEBORAH MCPHERSON

A scheme to assess social workers’ competency and establish more accountability is being introduced by the Social Workers’ Association.

Th association’s president, Mrs Lynne Briggs, said it had established a formal standard of practice and a scheme to assess competency in all its member social workers.

The scheme would also provide education and support. Association membership was not compulsory but the association hoped all social-work agencies and area health boards would require their social work staff to belong, said Mrs Briggs.

The association had about 540 members out of a total of about 1500 social workers nationally. It planed to assess all its members in the next two or years.

The scheme included a board of competency which would be responsible for issuing a New Zealand practising certificate for social work, once it had made sure social workers were adhering to the standards of practice.

Social workers would be assessed on their commitment and practice. Mrs Briggs said the association’s intention to introduce the scheme had been widely publicised in the social work journal and with social workers since last year. Some social workers might be nervous about the scheme but it was important that they be seen to be competent in their jobs, especially in dealing with child abuse.

Mrs Briggs said the association had been given a grant by the Minister of Social Welfare, Dr Cullen, to implement the scheme. . > ;