Stakeholder

Stakeholders are all parties that have an interest in the work of the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) and the social service professionals falling within the ambit of the SACSSP regulatory authority.

The social service professionals provide services across multiple sectors and in collaboration with many other professionals and service providers. Therefore, it is a strategic priority for the SACSSP to establish, expand and maintain constructive and strategic stakeholder relationships at a national, SADC, continental and international level. These relationships vary from informal to well established formal relationships, but all relationships with stakeholders are mutually beneficial and adds value to the SACSSP mandate in respect of the registration, education and conduct if social service professionals.

Stakeholders are categorised as follows:

• Social service professionals
• Public
• Legislator (Parliament and Provincial Legislatures)
• Higher education and training institutions.
• Government – Ministries and Administration (national, provincial, and local),
• Employers (government and non-governmental)
• Professional associations
• Organised stakeholder groups, including labour unions
• Regulatory authorities such as SAQA
• Regional stakeholders (SADC and continental)
• International stakeholders

Professional associations as the bodies that represents the persons practicing the social service professions are stakeholders that play a substantive role in contributing to the interest of these professions and are important stakeholders. For a professional association to be included as a stakeholder on this webpage, the following criteria must be met:

• It is must represent one or more of the following professional groups and categories: social workers, social auxiliary workers, student social workers, student social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers, auxiliary child and youth care workers, student child and youth care workers, and student auxiliary child and youth care workers. Or represent a group of persons representation practitioners for whom the process for the establishment of a professional board in section 14A of the Act has been approved by Council.
• It must be officially constituted as a professional institution in terms of its own constitution, founding document or similar, that clearly indicates the professional association’s role(s) and membership.
• It must have on record the details of its members, which shall exceed the number of persons that are office bearers for the professional association.
• It must have office bearers in line with its constitution or founding document.
• It must be active as a professional association.
• It must be constituted at a national level or provincial level as a minimum.

Professional associations may register their details here or contact communications@sacssp.co.za for more information to be featured in this page. The final decision of placement of details of a professional association rests with the Office of the Registrar.

For SOCIAL WORKERS

National Association of Social Workers in South Africa (NASWSA):

Find more information on the link below:

National Association of Social Workers (South Africa)

Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI): ASASWEI is an association of schools of social work, other tertiary level social work educational programmes, and social work educators.

Find more information on the website below:

https://asaswei.org.za

South African Association for Social Workers in Private Practice (SAASWIPP):SAASWIPP is a voluntary professional association of social workers in private practice. Members are qualified social workers registered with the South African Council of Social Service Professions (SACSSP).

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.saaswipp.co.za

South African Occupational Social Workers’ Association (SAOSWA): SAOSWA is a voluntary professional association to promote and protect the interest of occupational social workers and their client systems. Members (ordinary) are social workers within the Republic of South Africa registered with the SACSSP. Registered social auxiliary workers and student social workers within the Republic may become an associate member.

Find more information on the website below:

https://saoswa.co.za

The Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978 requires that only persons with the prescribed qualifications that meet the minimum standards of education and training and are recognised by the Professional Board concerned may be registered to practise their respective professions.

Higher Education Institutions and other training providers of qualifications in social work, social auxiliary work, child and youth care work (professional category) and child and youth care work (auxiliary category) are key stakeholders in ensuring a sufficient and qualified supply of these social service professionals in the country.

See Education, Training and Development for more information.

Employers of social service professionals (social workers, social auxiliary workers, child and youth care worker (professional category) and child and youth care workers(auxiliary category) includes government (national and provincial departments, metros and municipalities), non-governmental organisations, the private sector, business and corporates, training institutions, and others. Employers are an important stakeholder as the ‘vehicle’ through which social service professionals render services to the population of the country.

Every employer has an obligation to be aware of the provisions of the following and how these apply to social service professionals in its employment:

• Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978
• Regulations under the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978
• Rules under the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978

EMPLOYERS AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS LICENSE TO PRACTICE (REGISTRATION)

A person may only practice as a social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care worker (professional category) and child and youth care worker (auxiliary category) and use the title social worker, child and youth care worker, social auxiliary worker or auxiliary child and youth care worker (whether at a service delivery, supervisory or managerial level), if he or she is registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) as legally required in terms of the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978. Such registration that provides the license to practice to social service professionals entails the following:

• Registration with the SACSSP when he or she first start to practise his or her profession, and thereafter,
• Payment of the prescribed annual fees before or on 31 March every year as to remain registered and in good standing.

If a social service professional does pay the prescribed annual fee before or on 31 March each year, he or she effectively loses his or her license to practise his or her profession, and must pay the annual fees due as to be in good standing to practise his or her profession. The SACSSP will also remove a person from the Register of all registered professionals kept in terms of section 19 of the Act, which will result in the social service professional being required to be restored to the Register. Until such time, he or she may not practise his or her profession.

Any person who contravenes the provisions of the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978 in terms of the requirement to be registered if he or she practises as a social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care worker (professional category) and child and youth care worker (auxiliary category) is guilty of an offence and on conviction be liable to a fine, or to imprisonment in terms of section 16 of the Act.

Employers of social service professionals have a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that persons in their employ practising social work, social auxiliary work and child and youth care work (at a professional and/or auxiliary level) are registered with the SACSSP. This includes the requirement of the timely payment of annual fees.

Where an employer wittingly employs a social auxiliary worker, child and youth care worker (professional category) and child and youth care worker (auxiliary category) who are not registered or in good standing with the SACSSP (annual fees paid in time), such an employer is equally liable for any legal actions that may be instituted. Furthermore, any actions taken by such an unregistered social service professional as part of his or her duties, will not only be the liability of individual, but also that of the employer.

Employers have:

an obligation to ongoingly monitor the status of registration of social workers, social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers (professional category) and child and youth care workers (auxiliary category) in their employ.

• by the obligation to request proof payment of annual fees (for ongoing registration) from social workers, social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers (professional category) and child and youth care workers (auxiliary category)) in their employ.
• the obligation and right to set the requirement to be in good standing (ongoing registration through payment of annual fees) as a condition of service and continued employment.
• the right to verify the registration status of employees on the Register by directing an enquiry to the SACSSP’s registration division.
• an obligation not to allow any social service professional whose registration status is not in good standing to practise his or her profession until such time it is.

Employers can assist by reminding social service professionals in their employ to pay their annual fees on time no later than 31 March each year.

EMPLOYERS AND ETHICAL PRACTICE

Social workers, social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers (professional category) and child and youth care workers (auxiliary category) are required by law to adhere to their respective professions’ Codes of Ethics and Conduct. The follow needs to be consulted:

• Rules relating to the acts or omissions of a social worker, a social auxiliary worker or a student social worker which shall constitute unprofessional or improper conduct (Government Notice 54 published in Government Gazette 14526 of 15 January 1993)
• Rules relating to the acts or omissions which constitute unprofessional or improper conduct of child and youth care workers and rules relating to conduct of child and youth care workers practising at professional and auxiliary levels (Government Notice No 833 published in Government Gazette 38128 of 31 October 2014

Employers have an obligation to create and facilitate a work environment that enables social service professionals. In this regard employers need to be aware understand that social service professionals are legally obliged to meet the standards of professional conduct, and if not, they will be in contravention of the Act.

Every social service professional employed has a reasonable expectation to practise in a work environment that enables him or her to adhere to his or her profession’s Code of Ethics. Therefore, it is important that employers take co-responsibility in facilitating a work environment that supports adherence to the Codes of Ethics and Conduct and engage with social service professionals employed on how to establish and sustain such an environment.

Also see alleged unprofessional or improper conduct

EMPLOYERS AND THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS

Every social service professional under the auspices of the SACSSP has a define scope of practice (the parameters within which a social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care worker (professional category) and child and youth care worker (auxiliary category) may practice his or her profession). These are prescribed in the relevant following Regulations:

• Regulations relating to acts which especially pertain to the profession of social work (Government Notice No. R. 852 published in Government Gazette No 15658 of 29 April 1994)
• Regulations regarding the registration of social auxiliary workers and the holding of disciplinary inquiries (Government Notice No. R. 103 published in Government Gazette No. 34020 of 18 February 2011)
• Rules relating to the qualifications for registration as a social auxiliary worker (Government Notice No R 104 published in Government Gazette 34020 of 18 February 2011)
• Regulations for child and youth care workers, auxiliary child and youth care workers and student child and youth care workers (Government Notice No. 838 published in Government Gazette No. 38135 of 31 October 2014)

Employers may only employ and utilize social workers, social auxiliary workers, child and youth care workers (professional category) and child and youth care workers (auxiliary category) to execute the functions as defined within their respective scopes of practice of these professions. Such a scope of practice is protected by law and may not be executed by person not registered.

Job-descriptions: Employers need to ensure that job descriptions are aligned with the respective Scopes of Practice for each professional group and registration category.

Advertisements for employment of social service professionals: Employers are required to ensure that every advertisement for a social worker, social auxiliary worker, child and youth care worker (professional category) and child and youth care worker (auxiliary category) clearly indicates that Registration with the SACSSP is a requirement.

Professional supervision: Professional supervision refers to the profession-specific supervision, guidance and support related the theory and practice of a specific profession in order to promote efficient and professional rendering of services related to the scope of practice of such a professional. Ethically and legally each professional group (i.e. social work and child and youth care work) may only supervise professionals (professional and auxiliary level) in its own profession group:

• Only registered social workers may provide professional supervision to other social workers and social auxiliary workers.
• Only registered child and youth care workers (professional category) may provide professional supervision to other child and youth care workers (professional category) and child and youth care workers (auxiliary category).
• Social auxiliary workers may only practise under the direct supervision of a registered social worker.
• Child and youth care workers (auxiliary category) may only practise under the direct supervision of a registered child and youth care worker (professional category).

The continental and international bodies indicated here are for reference and it should not be assumed that the SACSSP has established formal stakeholders’ relations with any of these.

Namibia:

Social Work and Psychology Council: Established through the Act as a professional Council for the social workers’ profession and the psychology profession to regulate the registration of persons practicing such professions and of persons practicing certain professions allied to such professions, to specify the education, tuition, training and qualifications of practitioners of such professions, and to prohibit the practicing of such professions without being registered.

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.hpcna.com/index.php/councils/social-work-psychology-council

INTERNATIONAL

International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW): The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) is the global body for the profession. The Federation and its national members strive for social justice, human rights and inclusive, sustainable social development through the promotion of social work best practice and engagement in international cooperation:

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.ifsw.org

International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) AFRICA: Social Work has a long history in Africa stemming back to pre-colonial times.  The region now comprises 25 IFSW members who are working toward the establishment of a recognised social work professional association in all the region’s countries, and the visibility of the profession’s contributions in addressing the complex factors of poverty, HIV eradication, gender equality and self-led community empowerment.

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.ifsw.org/regions/africa/

International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW): The IASSW is the worldwide association of schools of social work, other tertiary level social work educational programmes, and social work educators. The IASSW promotes the development of social work education throughout the world, develops standards to enhance the quality of social work education, encourages international exchange, provides forums for sharing social work research and scholarship, and promotes human rights and social development through policy and advocacy activities.

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.iassw-aiets.org

Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA): ASSWAis an international organization that aims to advance social work education in Africa. The association strives to uphold the social work values, principles and human rights of all people and social justice.

Find more information on the website below:

https://asswa.org

International Federation of Educative Communities (FICE-International): FICE-International creates networks across continents worldwide to support actions and all those working with at-risk children, children with special needs and children and young people in out-of-home care. All activities aim to respect the personality, interests and needs of the child or the young person.

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.ficeinter.net

Global Social Service Workforce Alliance: The Global Social Service Workforce Alliance works toward a world where a well-planned, well-trained and well-supported social service workforce effectively delivers promising practices that improve the lives of vulnerable populations. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and evidence, resources and tools, and political will and action needed to address key social service workforce challenges, especially within low- to middle-income countries.

Find more information on the website below:

https://www.socialserviceworkforce.org

Enquiries can be directed to:

The Registrar
South African Council for Social Service Professions
Private Bag X12
Gezina
0031

or by email to communications@sacssp.co.za