News Update

13/12/2003
Election of Social Workers Registration Board Members
Result of Vote Counting

The election of Members of the Social Workers Registration Board was conducted in December 2003. A total of 3,062 ballots were received by 12:00 noon on 13 December 2003. After the vote counting on the same day, the result is as follows:

Name of Candidate
No. of Votes Received
Ma Lai Chong
1,246
Chan Wing Leung
434
Chui Pong Hung
708
Leung Ngai Mou Yin, Justina
1,146
Ngai Kong Yiu
769
Mak Hoi Wah
1,104
Wong Keung Sang
1,226
Yuk Tak Fun
817
Chui Wing Tak, Ernest
687
Li Shuet
851
Chiu Lap Kee
920
So Wai Kee
609
Yuen Tsang Woon Ki, Angelina
1,104
Chan Yee Fei
681
Tsui Ming Sum
956
Man Hung Yee, Joseph
304
Koo Wing Hon
678
Law Chi Kwong
1,442
Wong Man Sing, Barry
452
Shum Chung Fun
403
Ng Chiu Yan
646


10/12/2003
Validation of Ballot Papers in the Election of Members
of the Social Workers Registration Board

The Board Secretariat has received enquiries from RSWs on why they have to fill in their personal particulars in completing the ballot paper for the election of members of the Social Workers Registration Board.

To help RSWs relieve their worries over this matter, I would like clarify the validation process adopted by the Board in this election exercise. First of all, the provision of personal particulars of voters in the completed ballot paper is purely for validation purpose only. As ballot papers are despatched to RSW voters by mail and completed ballot papers are returned by RSW voters to the Board Secretariat either by mail or in person, it is necessary to adopt measures to ensure that right ballot paper received by the Board Secretariat is the right ballot paper that the Board Secretariat has sent to the RSW voter concerned on 25 November 2003. For this purpose, when the ballot papers are printed, each ballot paper is serial numbered. Each RSW voter has his / her own unique serial numbered ballot paper.

Upon receipt of the envelops containing the ballot papers, the envelops are put into locked ballot boxes. The ballot boxes will be opened by two observers at 2:00p.m. on 13 December 2003 and vote counting will begin immediately. The envelops will be opened and the ballot paper will be read by a computer scanner. The computer will check the serial number of the ballot paper and the HKID ID No. or passport no. provided in the ballot paper against the data base of RSW voters. A ballot paper will be validated if and only if the personal particulars provided by the voter and the serial number of the ballot paper match with data-base of the RSW voters. If the two does not match, the ballot will not be counted by the computer. The above arrangement is designed to prevent against the casting of more than one vote by any voter and the casting of votes by a person who is not a voter in this election.

During the vote counting exercise, the computer will only generate the following three reports, namely, (i) report on the total number of voters participating in this election, (ii) report on the votes received by each candidate and (iii) report on the top eight candidates who have received the highest number of votes.

A validation process in the above manner is necessary because in this election exercise, votes are cast by RSW voters by returning of ballot papers to the Board Secretariat by post.

SWRB Webmail System

Dear Registered Social Worker,

I am pleased to inform you that the SWRB Webmail System is now ready for use by our Registered Social Workers (“RSWs”). The purpose of setting up the SWRB Webmail System is to enhance communication between the Board and RSWs as well as communication among RSWs.

Please follow the attached guidelines and logon the SWRB Webmail System (http://email.swrb.org.hk) to activate your webmail account at your earliest convenience. The Board will send the following messages to you via the email account:

messages from the Board for general purpose;
publicity materials from tertiary institutes and agencies;
the Board’s publications; and
invitation letters on renewal of registration.

To facilitate us to make arrangements on sending email copy and hard copy of the above messages to you, please complete and return the reply slip on your preference to receive email copy or hard copy of the above messages to the Board Secretariat at your earliest convenience. If we do not receive your reply slip, on top of email copy, we will continue to send you hard copy of the above messages. You may change your preference at any time if you wish to do so by making a written request to us.

If you need more information on the above, please feel free to contact our Board Secretariat at 2591 1955.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Justina Leung
Acting Chairperson
Social Workers Registration Board

[ Click here to download the initial guideline ]

13/9/2003

Notice of Revised Fee Schedule
　
In accordance with subsection 38(3) of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance (Chapter 505), the Social Workers Registration Board, following consultation with the Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food, announces the revised fee schedule as follows:

Application for Registration
$700
Renewal of Registration
$400
Re-application within 3 years after de-registration
$600
Re-application more than 3 years after de-registration
$700

For enquiries, please call : 2591 1955

1/9/2003

The audited accounts of the Registration Board for the period from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 is set out below for information:

Please click here to view the Audited Accounts

6/12/2002

Notice

This is to announce that Mrs. Patricia Chu, the Representative of the Director of Social Welfare to sit on the Social Workers Registration Board, will retire from her post in the Department. She has commenced her pre-retirement leave since 6 December 2002. With effect from the same date, Mrs. Chu left the office of Chairperson of the Board. Pursuant to Section 4(6) of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, Mrs. Justina Leung, the Deputy Chairperson, will act as Chairperson of the Board until 15 January 2004.　 Mr. SIT Tung will succeed Mrs. Chu, in the capacity of the representative of the Director of Social Welfare, to be Member of the Board.

26/09/2002

The Board launched an opinion poll in March 2002 to gauge RSWs' opinions and intent on the Board’s proposed amendments to the Social Workers Registration Ordinance. The result of the poll is emunerated as follows for RSWs' easy information.

Please click here to download the result of the poll

24/8/01

Statement of the Advisory Committee
On Social Work Training and Manpower Planning
On Continuing Professional Development of Social Workers

The Advisory Committee on Social Work Training and Manpower Planning, an advisory body on the education and training of social workers, notes that in the newly released Guidelines on Code of Practice for Registered Social Workers, the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) recommends social workers to attend professional enhancement activities of not less than 24 hours a year aiming at upgrading their professional skills and knowledge. The committee believes that the social work profession is a progressive profession that strives for improvement and excellence. Like other professions that share the mission of enhancing the well-being of the community, the social work profession, in view of the rapid changes in Hong Kong, should be aware of the need to refresh and consolidate the existing knowledge and practice through training and should also constantly upgrade and advance itself to better serve the community and facilitate positive social development. Social workers, being professionally trained, should always keep themselves abreast of the changes impacting on the community and the profession, and explore new approaches in discharging their competence to meeting the new and changing demands on, and the rising expectation of the profession.

As stipulated in the Reform Proposals for the Education System in Hong Kong issued by the Education Commission in September 2000, Hong Kong needs to develop into a society that values lifelong learning. Everyone should have the attitude and ability for lifelong learning and a willingness to advance further beyond the existing knowledge level, and to continuously consolidate and upgrade their knowledge and ability. Continuing education is therefore crucial for the social work profession in facing the challenges ahead.

The Committee considers that now is the opportune time to promote continuing professional development among social workers, and strongly supports the recommendation of the SWRB that social workers should attend professional enhancement activities of not less than 24 hours a year.


11/08/2000

Policies and Procedures for handling complaints against / opinions on Social Workers Registration Board

To strengthen the communication with Registered Social Workers (“RSWs”), the Board has drawn up a set of procedures to deal with the complaints/opinions lodged by the public/RSWs against/on the Board’s policies, practice and operation. Please click here for the details of the procedures. You may also download the forms as appended from “Forms” of this homepage.

11/04/2000

Web Resources on Social Work Programs

Please be informed that WWW Resources for Social Workers is providing a list of social work programs available round the world. You may visit website www.nyu.edu/socialwork/wwwrsw for details.

03/04/2000

Extracted Replay to RSW's Enquiries

The Board has recently received enquiries from RSWs seeking
clarification on the interpretation of section 35 of the Social Workers
Registration Ordinance and the interpretation of the Judgement handed
down by Mr. Justice Stone on the judicial review sought by en ex-social
worker. After seeking legal advice, the Board has issued a reply which
is extracted hereunder for general information:-

Interpretation of the Ordinance

  1. Under section 35 of the Ordinance,
    "Any person who-
    ...

    2. (h) hot being a registered social worker...knowingly permits the
    use of, or uses, in connection with his business or profession.
    (i) the description "registered social worker" or "註冊社會工作者"
    (ii) the initials "R.S.W."
    (iii) the description "social work" or "社會工作" or "social work"
    or 社會工作者 or "社工",
    (iv) any initials or abbreviation of words intended to cause, or which
    may reasonably cause, any person to believe that the person using
    the initials or abbreviations, as the case may be, is on the Register,
    (i) not being on the Register, advertises or represents himself as a registered
    social worker or knowingly permits himself to be so advertised or represented;
    ...
    commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 5..."

  2. According to the afore quoted section of the Ordinance, a person who is not
    registered under the Ordinance but nevertheless describes himself as a
    "registered social worker", or "social worker", or use the description of
    "social work", or permits the use of these terms with his rank title, is liable
    to be prosecuted.

  3. A non registered person practicing social work or occupying the post of a social
    worker would have, if not directly used, permitted the use of the term "social work",
    or even "registered social worker" in his rank title in the course of his job,
    and therefore might trigger section 35 of the Ordinance.

  4. The Board is fully aware that aware that any use of the terms "social work"
    or "social worker" etc. will not constitute an offence under the Ordinance if
    such use is within sections 34(3) and (4) of the Ordinance, i.e. using the
    terms "social work" etc. to describe his academic qualification or past working
    experience (as envisaged by section 34(3) and (4) of the Ordinance).
    However, such exceptions will not apply to the situation which a person actually
    practices social work by engaging a social worker's post.

  5. The Board is also fully aware that it is not a statutory requirement for person
    to any person to register under the Ordinance provided always that such person
    does not describe himself or permit himself if to be described in connection with
    the terms "social work", "social worker" etc.


    Interpretation of the Judgment delivered by Mr. Justice Stone


  6. The Board appreciates that Mr. Justice Stone has clarified that the
    Ordinance dose not impose a statutory requirement for all social
    workers to register. The Bored also notes that Mr. Justice Stone has
    clarified how an unregistered social worker could be held liable of
    a criminal offence under the Ordinance.:-

    "...it is plain on a fair reading of the sequence of correspondence
    that the criminal aspect which was principally arousing concern lay
    not in failure to register per se but in the event that social workers
    in the relevant grades continued to use their rank titles in the course
    of their jobs absent such registration" (page 19)


  7. It is under such circumstances that a social worker who fails to register
    or fails to renew his registration status whilst practicing social work
    and occupying social work post may trigger section 35 under the Ordinance.

20/12/99

On 3 December 1999 the Court has handed down its judgement on the judicial review sought by Miss Cheung Man-wai, Florence. The Court's judgement is posted on the Homepage for your information.


[ Please click here to download the court judgment ]