Overview

In order to safeguard the public and indirectly the interests of the professions, registration in terms of the Act with the South African Council for Social Service Professions is a legal requirement for practicing social work and child and youth care work in the Republic of South Africa. This includes social workers, social auxiliary workers, student social workers, student social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers (professional category of registration), child and youth care worker (auxiliary category of registration), student child and youth care workers, and student auxiliary child and youth care workers.

The SACSSP discharges its mandate mainly through three (3) core statutory mandates:

• Registration: Every social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care workers (professional category of registration), child and youth care worker (auxiliary category of registration), as well as students studying social work and/or child and youth care work, are required by law (Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978) to be registered with the SACSSP. Registration with the SACSSP provides these professionals with the Licence to Practice. If they are not registered, they are not allowed to practice their professions.
• Education and training: The SACSSP, on the recommendation of the Professional Board for Social Work and Professional Board for Child and Youth Care Work, determine the minimum qualifications (also known as Prescribed Qualifications) that a  person needs before he or she can register and practice as a social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care worker in the professional category of registration and child and youth care worker in the auxiliary category of registration. Thus, a practitioner is suitably qualified to practice the specific profession.
• Professional conduct: The SACSSP is responsible to determine the standards of professional conduct of social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care workers (professional category of registration), child and youth care worker (auxiliary category of registration) and ensure that they are maintained. In this regard, the SACSSP provides minimum standards and guidance, but also receives and investigates complaints of unprofessional and improper conduct by a social service professional. Also, see Professional Conduct.

More information about the SACSSP is also available under About the SACSSP.