CHAPTER 27:21

SOCIAL WORKERS ACT

Act 9/2001

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

PRELIMINARY Section

1. Short title.

PART II

COUNCIL OF SOCIAL WORKERS

3. Establishment of Council.
4. Functions and powers of Council.
5. Composition of Council.
6. Chairman and vice-chairman of Council.
7. Terms of office and conditions of service of members.
8. Disqualifications for appointment or election as member.
9. Vacation of office by member.
10. Minister may dismiss or suspend member.
11. Filling of vacancies on Council.
12. Appointment of members in default of election.
13. Meetings and procedure of Council.
14. Validity of decisions and acts of Council.
15. Funds and accounts of Council.
16. Expenses of Council.
17. Annual general meetings of social workers.
18. Committees of Council.
19. Minutes of proceedings of Council and committees. PART III

STAFF OFCOUNCIL

20. Registrar of Social Workers and other staff of Council.
21. Functions of Registrar.

PART IV

REGISTER AND REGISTRATION

22. Register of Social Workers.
23. Qualifications for registration.
24. Application for registration.
25. Grant or refusal of application for registration.
26. Certificate of registration.
27. Duration and renewal of registration.
28. Offences in connection with Register, etc.

PART V

CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION, DISCIPLINARY INQUIRIES AND PENALTIES

29. Cancellation of registration.
30. Return of certificate of registration on cancellation of registration.
31. Inquiries byCouncil.
32. Exercise of powers by Council after inquiry.
33. Exercise of disciplinary powers on conviction of offence.
34. Improper or disgraceful conduct.
35. Recovery of costs and penalties by Council.

PART VI

GENERAL

37. Restoration to Register.
38. Limitation of actions against Council, its members and staff.
39. Offences by or in respect of unregistered persons.
40. Special provisions relating to companies and partnerships.
41. Notice of registration, cancellation or suspension.
43. By-laws.
44. Transitional provision: formation of first Council.

SCHEDULES

First Schedule: Social Work.

Second Schedule: Powers of Council.

Third Schedule: Persons Qualified for Registration.

AN ACT to establish a Council of Social Workers and to provide for its functions; to provide for the registration of social workers and the regulation of the practice of social work; and to provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.

[Date of commencement: 3rd November, 2003.]

PART I

PRELIMINARY

1    Short title

This Act may be cited as the Social Workers Act [Chapter 27:21].

2       Interpretation

In this Act—

“appointed member” means a member referred to in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section five;

“certificate of registration” means a certificate issued to a registered person in terms of section twenty-six;

“Council” means the Council of Social Workers established by section three;

“elected member” means a member who has been elected or is deemed to have been elected to the Council in terms of paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section five;

“member” means the chairman or any other member of the Council referred to in subsection (1) of section

five;

“Minister” means the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare or any other Minister to whom the President may, from time to time, assign the administration of this Act;

“Register” means the Register of Social Workers established in terms of subsection (1) of section twenty-two;

“registered” means registered in terms of this Act;

“Registrar” means the Registrar of Social Workers appointed in terms of section twenty. PART II

COUNCIL OF SOCIAL WORKERS

3       Establishment of Council

There is hereby established a council to be known as the Council of Social Workers, which shall be a body corporate capable of suing and being sued in its corporate name and, subject to this Act, of doing anything that bodies corporate may do by law.

4       Functions and powers of Council

(1) Subject to this Act, the functions of the Council shall be

• to register social workers, that is to say, persons whose profession or occupation is described in the First Schedule; and
• to conduct examinations to qualify persons for registration as social workers; and