Cracking whip on unregistered social workers

women, and pick and mend the broken pieces in the lives of these vulnerable people.
In other words, they play the society’s watchdog role of trying to correct all ills hence this job should be done by people of high integrity.
However, how can a person with such a huge responsibility be able to acquit themselves when his or her existence is unknown and does not work in reference to the set standards of that profession?
How can this person be trusted to rehabilitate a raped child or battered woman?
How can he or she be trusted to rescue children from abusive parents — are just a few questions asked once the public gets information that some impostors have been masquerading as social workers and doing more harm than good to vulnerable people and communities. In light of this, the Council of Social Workers has tightened its screws and stamped its authority saying it will not hesitate to effect the law on anyone found wanting, according to board chairperson Mr Phillip Bohwasi.
He says the council has been raising awareness by placing several adverts in the press asking all practicing social workers to be registered as required by the law.
He adds that time has come for the Council of Social Workers to enforce the law without fear or favour and rid the social care sector of impostors masked as social workers and doing more harm than good to vulnerable people and communities.
He says in terms of Section 5 of Statutory Instrument No. 179 by-law of the Social Workers Act: Prohibition against practice without practising certificate no person shall practice as a social worker, directly or indirectly, by himself or herself or in partnership or association with anyone person except in accordance with the terms and conditions of a valid practising certificate issued to him or her by the Council. (Social Workers Act 27:21, number 9 of 2001)
Mr Bohwasi said the move to be stricter this time is because the social work profession is has come of age and they cannot continue to relax.
“This is a profession that should be well monitored. We are creating ethics so that social workers perform their duties within a framework which they define themselves like all other professionals.
“It is the duty of council to make sure that the practice of social work is regulated. The education of social work should also be regulated so we need to have all these kinds of people in one group and then we can begin to speak to them as a unit,” said Mr Bohwasi.
He pointed out that the registration process is designed to benefit communities not the social workers and the council.
“Social workers work with vulnerable members of the community in most cases women and children. Anyone who is in a vulnerable position cannot make decisions that are appropriate to themselves, some people find themselves in trouble, children find themselves in need of care, women find themselves in violent situations and social workers come in.
“When you work with such kind of people you need to practice certain levels of ethics. You need to practice certain levels of individual dignity for the same people because they have lost their dignity in the problem.
“Social workers’ role is to pick up people from that indignity to a situation where they can gain their own confidence and be members of the community again,” said Mr Bohwasi.
Mr Bohwasi said Zimbabwe has been producing social workers for the region and overseas while there are few people practicing in the country.
“This is unacceptable and the council is taking steps to rectify this anomaly. We need to ensure that we make good use of our skilled social workers in Zimbabwe.
“For children’s home to operate without a qualified social worker is an anomaly. NGOs who work with vulnerable children and families without qualified social workers present serious social protection challenges.
“We are not saying all organisations working with vulnerable should not employ non-social workers, but these can provide some other support services, since some settings require multi-disciplinary intervention.
“There is no substitute for the social worker’s role because it’s a specialised skill. Graduates of Social Science degrees such as Psychology and Sociology can perform other roles in social services but not social work.
“A conference for social work employers is on the cards to seek the views on building a safe and confident environment for social care work in Zimbabwe,” he said.
He said society should not forget that there are many children’s homes in the country, some of them operated by well wishers who are not qualified.
“For example women who see young children suffering in the townships and put them in their homes are doing a great job. We are not going to hunt down homes that are keeping children without registration but we are saying social workers should be registered.
“We are going into a process of creating terms and conditions for community child care workers,” he added.
Mr Bohwasi revealed that they continue to put emphasis on registration of social workers so that they become registered by February 28. He says ample time has been given to people considering that January is a difficult month for many.
“We understand that there are social workers in remote areas and are getting messages we have been sending out. We have also heard that some people might not have received the messages but 28 February is the deadline and anyone who comes after that will pay a penalty fee,” he pointed out.
He said the registration fee of social workers is US$25, while the practicing fee is US$20. Beginners will fork out a total of US$45. Mr Bohwasi said the council has since written to the Chief Magistrate; Attorney General; UNICEF; Chairman of NANGO; Police Commissioner General; and Chairman of Zimbabwe Council for the Welfare of Children advising them of the February 28, 2012 deadline for all practising social workers to register and be issued with certificates upon payment of the stipulated fee.
“Registration is an on-going process because people come into the country at different times. There has been a tendency for organisations to bring in social workers from outside Zimbabwe to carry out social work activities on either paid short-term contracts or volunteers.
“This is illegal and such people should be reported to council so that action can be taken,” he added.
Mr Bohwasi explained that registered social workers are bound by the code of Ethics for Social Workers which is being developed to make sure that the workforce is properly regulated.
“Employers are responsible for supporting the regulation of the social welfare workforce and help them to maintain a consistently high-quality delivery of social care services,” he said.
A social worker Mr Msekiwa Makwanya who recently returned to Zimbabwe from the United Kingdom where he had been working as a social worker said registration of social workers is not a new phenomena as it is also international best practice and all the countries in the region including South Africa register practitioners.
He added that to follow the modern trends, the Council of Social Workers came to being in 2001 in terms of the Social Workers Act Chapter 27:21 to protect the public by maintaining a compulsory register of social workers and enforcing a code of practice, which sets out the standards required of social workers in all sectors of practice including government, NGOs and private sector companies. The Council is responsible for the regulation of social work practice in Zimbabwe.
Mr Makwanya added that the Council of Social Workers protects the public by requiring high standards of social work education, conduct and practise of social workers, and ensuring that only those who are properly trained and committed to high standards are able to practice social work.
“Social work operates within a framework of legislation and government policy which require social work practitioners to be registered. Ethics help employers and practitioners meet the required standards, provide high quality services to people who use services and promote public trust and confidence in social care services,” he said.
According to the First Schedule Section 4(1), of the Social Workers Act, the profession of social work promotes the welfare of human beings and the betterment of human society through the development and systematic application of scientific knowledge of human and societal activities and social services.
Their techniques include psychotherapeutic case-work, social-dynamic group-work and planned community intervention. The activities of professional social workers include performing the functions of probation officers in terms of the Children’s Act [Chapter 5:06] and any other enactment.
The third schedule (Section 23) of the Social workers Act stipulates that to register as a Social Worker in Zimbabwe, the person should be of or over the age of 21 years; and is ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe; and has obtained a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Zimbabwe; or a Diploma in Social Work from the University of Zimbabwe. A person can also register if he or she is of or over 21 years; and is ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe; and has obtained a degree or diploma which, in the council’s opinion, is equivalent to a degree or diploma; and has practised as a social worker in Zimbabwe for not less than one year; or outside Zimbabwe, for not less than two years.
There is also a requirement of section 24 (1) (c) to provide evidence of identity, good character and reputation, and of the authenticity and validity of any certificate or other document submitted, as the Council may reasonably require.
With the important role of social workers being clearly defined, it is important that they follow the correct registration procedures as society trusts them with mending social ills.
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