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Frequently
Asked Questions
Registration
and Renewal
- Is
a registered social worker regarded as a member of Social Workers Registration
Board? Should the registration fee and the renewal fee be regarded as
membership fee and annual fee respectively?
Social
Workers Registration Board is a statutory body established under the
Social Workers Registration Ordinance but not a professional organization
that adopts a membership system. Fellow workers are required by statute
to be registered as registered social workers and to pay the prescribed
fees. Along this line, registered social workers are not members of
the Board. Nor should the registration fee and the renewal fee be
regarded as membership fee and annual fee.
- A
person intends to study abroad to pursue a qualification in Social Work.
What qualifications does the Board recognize for registration?
The
Board has compiled an accreditation list of social work qualifications
awarded in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and Singapore. It has
also drawn up the accreditation mechanism for social work qualifications
awarded in Taiwan. Please click the URL here for details. Those
social work qualifications which are recognized by the accreditation
bodies of the said countries (except Singapore and Taiwan) are in
principle recognized by the Board for registration. However, any person
who is going to pursue social work studies in the above countries
are strongly advised to check with the accreditation body of the country
concerned that the qualification led by the programme he intends to
study will still be recognized in the year of graduation.
- Is
it necessary for a social worker, who is occupying a non-subvented social
work post, to be registered with the Board?
There
is no relationship between the source of subvention of a social work
post and the requirement of registration for the person who occupies
the post. Under the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, any person
whose uses the title of "social worker" or other related
descriptions is required to be registered with the Board or he will
be liable to the violation of the Ordinance.
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A registered social worker submitted his application for renewal only
one day after the expiry date of his registration. Why was he required
to re-apply for registration instead of having his registration renewed?
A registered social worker's name will be removed from the Register
of registered social workers if he fails to renew his registration
before it expires. Under Subsection 20(6) of the Ordinance and the
Board's current policy, he will be required to re-apply for registration
if he wishes to resume his registration status. The Board understands
that fellow workers might miss the expiry date of their registration
amid heavy work engagements. However, the Board has to abide by the
Ordinance in dealing with the break in registration. Fellow workers
are therefore advised to notify the Board of any changes in their
registered addresses as soon as practicable. This is to ensure that
fellow workers will receive the Board's correspondence related to
renewal of registration. In any circumstances, fellow workers have
the primary responsibility to renew their registration in time.
- A
person who does not hold a social work qualification recognized by the
Board for registration but intends to pursue a career in social work.
How can he attain his goal?
Subsection
17(2) of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance provides a person
who does not possess a recognized social work qualification or the
mandatory social work experience with another avenue to registration.
Such a person may apply for registration as a registered social worker
(Category 2) if he is currently occupying or has been accepted for
a social work post. In his application for registration, however,
the person should submit documentary proof of his social work employment
to the Board. Such proof should at least include an employment contract
duly signed by his employing agency and him, or a letter of certification
issued by his employing agency. It should be unequivocally stated
in the documentary proof that the post the applicant is occupying
or will occupy is a social work post and that the post requires the
applicant to be a registered social worker and use the title of "social
worker". The job duties of the post should also be clearly stipulated
in the document. If the application is so approved, the applicant
will be required to submit, within 2 years after his registration,
a study proposal to obtain a social work qualification recognized
by the Board for registration.
Registered Social Workers' Duties
- If
a registered social worker has been charged with or convicted of an
offence, should he report to Social Workers Registration Board?
Under
Section 24 of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, a registered
social worker who has, at any time on or after the date of the statutory
declaration made by him during his application for registration with
the Board, been charged with or convicted of any offence, whether
in Hong Kong or elsewhere, shall as soon as reasonably practicable
after he has been charged or convicted, serve a notice in writing
on the Board specifying the nature of the offence. Court documents
pertinent to the charge or the conviction, e.g. charge sheet, trial
certificate, court's judgement etc., should also be provided to the
Board.
Disciplinary Procedures
- What
are the Board disciplinary procedures for dealing with a complaint against
a registered social worker?
Under
Subsection 25(3) of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, any
complaint concerning any disciplinary offence shall be made in the
specified form to the Registrar who shall submit the complaint to
2 members of the Board (also registered social workers) appointed
for the purpose for scrutiny. Should the 2 members consider necessary,
they will refer the complaint to the Board. The Board will then appoint
a disciplinary committee composed of 5 members selected from the Disciplinary
Committee Panel to inquire into the case and to make recommendations
to the Board after the disciplinary inquiry. Based on the report submitted
by the disciplinary committee, the Board will make a final decision
on the complaint. Please click the URL here for the details
of the disciplinary procedures of the Board.
Interpretation of Code of Practice
- Social
workers may encounter difficulties in comprehending the clauses of the
Code of Practice. Whom can they turn to for help?
The Board understands that fellow workers in general would expect
the Board might help them interpret the application of the clauses
of the Code of Practice. However, one of the Board's functions is
to deal with disciplinary offences in accordance with the Ordinance.
After a complaint has been referred to the Board, it will appoint
an independent disciplinary committee to inquire into the case. Based
on the report submitted by the disciplinary committee, the Board will
make a final decision as to whether the registered social worker being
complained has committed a disciplinary offence and issue a disciplinary
order as and if necessary. In view of the Board's role as an adjudicator,
the Board is required to maintain an impartial stance. For this reason,
the Board has decided to make reference to the practice of other professions
not to address individual enquiries on the respective clauses of the
Code of Practice. By so doing, the Board does not have to express
its position at the initial stage on a certain scenario that may subsequently
become a complaint case to be inquired by a disciplinary committee.
However, fellow workers may approach Hong Kong Social Workers Association
which has agreed to assist the Board in addressing enquiries on the
applicability and the implication of the Code of Practice on individual
basis. The Association's phone number is 2528 1802.
Register of Registered Social Workers
- Why
are registered social workers' registered address posted on the Register?
How are RSWs' personal data to be protected?
Under Section 16 of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, the
Board is required to make the Register of registered social workers
available to any person for inspection free of charge at the office
of the Board. The Register contain every registered social worker's
Chinese and English names, registration number, registered address,
qualification on which his registration is based and category of registration.
The Ordinance does not explicitly impose any restriction on the registered
address. Registered social workers are free to provide the Board with
any local address for communication purpose. In fact, in response
to some RSWs' concern over the disclosure of their registered address
on the Register, the Board has seriously deliberated the issue in
the course of drafting the amendments to the Ordinance. It eventually
decided to maintain the status quo of the Register taking into account
that the disclosure of registered addresses is a manifestation of
being accountable to the public. Professional bodies such as the Medical
Council of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Estate Agents Authority, etc.,
also adopt the same practice.
A
person who intends to inspect the Register should turn up at the Board
Secretariat in person. Any phone enquiries of the kind will not be
entertained. The inspector should register with the Secretariat staff
and have his identity verified. After scrutinizing the users' guide,
he will be allowed to make access to the Register with the assistance
of the Secretariat staff. The purpose of inspecting the Register is
mainly for verifying the registration status of a person. Any downloading
or photocopying to forward/extract any information on the Register
is strictly prohibited. The Board believes that this mechanism should
be able to prevent any abuse of the Register and that the personal
data of registered social workers on the Register are protected.
- Is
there any simple and quick access to the Register of registered social
workers?
Inspectors
may refer to the concise Register of registered social workers on
the Board's homepage. This Register contains every registered social
worker's English and Chinese names, registration number, and the expiry
date of current registration.
Others
- A
registered social worker was awarded a social work qualification last
year and had submitted the pertinent documentary proof to the Board
in his application for renewal of registration. Why has the field "highest
qualification" in the Verification of Personal Particulars Form
not been amended accordingly?
As
a usual practice, only the highest qualification of a registered social
worker, which is recognized by the Board for registration, will be
put on the Register and the Verification of Personal Particulars Form.
If a fellow worker submits the documentary proof of his new social
work qualification that is not included in the Board's accreditation
list, the Secretariat will put this qualification on his personal
record but will not on the Register or the Verification of Personal
Particulars Form.
- Can
a registered social worker apply for income tax deduction against the
registration fees and the renewal fees?
If
being a registered social worker is one of the requirements of his
employment, the registered social worker may apply for deduction of
income tax against the paid-up registration fees and renewal fees.
The social worker may attach a copy of the Certification of Registration
or the registration card, whichever appropriate, to the tax return.
Registered social workers are advised to apply for tax deduction in
the same financial year of the payment of fees.
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