CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

The members of the Professional Board for Social Work (PBSW) and the SACSSP are currently being elected. This process will be concluded towards April 2010. Unfortunately the consideration of all applications for the approval of CPD activities will have to be postponed until the new PBSW and the SACSSP have been inaugurated. Activities submitted may at that point in time be considered in retrospect. Providers are welcome to submit their applications and they will be prepared for the first meeting of the Approval Panel.

Correction to the article published on “Child and Youth Care Regulations- a Union Perspective”

The SACSSP wishes to apologise for misrepresenting the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) in an article published in the May/June 2009 edition of the Council’s newsletter.

The SACSSP’s resolution not to register child and youth care workers at a professional level and to approve the qualification at a degree level had no relevance to SAQA processes. Rather, it resulted from in-depth consideration of various issues on the part of the Council. Neither was the decision of the SACSSP to approve the registration of child and youth care workers at FETC level dependent on SAQA processes.

Elections to be held between 01 February and 03 March 2010.

The Election of Members to serve on the Professional Board for Social Work and the SA Council For Social Service Professions (SACSSP) will be held between 01 February and 03 March. Ballot papers were mailed this week, persons who have not received their mail by the end of next week, please email a request to mail@sacssp.co.za for a replacement ballot paper to be issued.Only registered social workers will be allowed to vote. To view employer letter-click here.

TO ALL SOCIAL WORKERS AND SOCIAL AUXILIARY WORKERS: To view the Annual fees for 2010/2011 that is now due click here. The invoices will be mailed to the postal address of the social workers and social auxiliary worker. The closing date for fees payable is 31 MARCH 2009 into : ABSA Bank Acc. No 40 50 70 84 44, Hatfield branch no. 632 005. PLEASE ALWAYS use your registration number followed by your names as DEPOSIT REFERENCE

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL THE RECEIPTS OF 2009/10 FINANCIAL YEAR HAVE BEEN ISSUED!!!Any person who have not received it yet, please mail or fax proof of payment to: mail@sacssp.co.za or fax to 012 329 9160.

We wish to apologise for the delay in the issuing of registration certificates for the newly qualified social workers and social auxiliary workers. This delay is due to the new Council not being in place as yet, as these certificates must be signed by the President. Confirmation letters can on request be issued to employers in instances where all registration requirements were met and permission is granted for the person to take up employment. Once the Council is in office registration certificates will be issued. However all other processes pertaining to the registration of social work practitioners proceeds as usual, meaning receipts and invoices can be issued as it does not require the signature of the President.

PAYMENT OF THE 2009/10 ANNUAL FEES PAYABLE BY SOCIAL WORKERS AND SOCIAL AUXILIARY WORKERS CLOSED ON 31 MARCH 2009. Social workers and social auxiliary workers please note if you have not deposited your annual fees into the bank account of the SACSSP by 31 March 2009, your name has been removed from the Register and you need to contact the Council urgently at 012 356 9940 to obtain restoration forms to restore your name, as you are NOT allowed to practice social work if you are not registered, as it is illegal you can be charged with unprofessional conduct. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL THE RECEIPTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED!!!

PROMOTION OF ACCESS INFORMATION ACT (PAIA)

PAIA requires Council to obtain permission from social workers, social auxiliary workers and student social workers to distribute any information to any person of the public and or to any institution. Any social service practitioner on the register of the SACSSP that objects against Council giving out any information, should inform the Council in writing.

UPDATE OF THE DATABASE OF THE SACSSP

As Council endeavours to improve its customer care services,It has become imperative to update the IT system, kindly complete the form and mail/fax to Council's office at: mail@sacssp.co.za OR Call: (012) 356- 9940. Click here to download the form

JOURNAL FOR SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS-"THEME CHILDREN"

The SACSSP resolved to publish a practice Journal at least once per annum for the social service professions, to encourage social service practitioners to write on positive aspects pertaining to their work.Social Service Practitioners interested should forward information to the Registrar at the Council's office at (012) 356 9940; E-mail:mail@sacssp.co.za. To view format- Click here

PRONOUNCEMENT ON THE STATUS OF CHILD AND YOUTH CARE REGISTRATION PROCESSES- Click here

STUDENT SOCIAL WORKER MERIT AWARD

On 8 October 2009 Mrs. Iveda Smith, Registrar of the SACSSP attended the Merit Award function for the outstanding fourth-year student social worker for the 2008 academic year at the University of Johannesburg. The university also honoured six other social work students who made their mark in 2008.

Miss Saskia Louise Johnson. Apart from the usual certificate, the Council and the Professional Board for Social Work issue a cash award to the value of R500.00 to the winner. In addition, the student will not pay the initial social work annual fee for 2008. We congratulate both Miss Johnson and the University of Johannesburg on this outstanding achievement.

REVIEW OF SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS ACT, 110 OF 1978, AS AMENDED.

To view and comment on the Bill- click here

To view TOR for the development of the SSP's policy - click here

To view the current Social Service Professions Act, 110 of 1978, as amended- click here

LAUNCH OF CODE OF ETHICS WORKSHOPS:

To view details of the launch and the national provincial workshops - The Invitation- click here
To view details of the launch and the national provincial workshops - The Agenda- click here
To view details of the Workshop on Professsional conduct (word doc) - click here

NOTICE TO ALL SOCIAL AUXILIARY WORK SERVICE PROVIDERS

It came to the knowledge of the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) and the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) that Korema Development Agency is offering education and training in social auxiliary work and also distributes learning material pertaining to the education and training of social auxiliary work. Kindly note that Korema Development Agency is not accredited by the HWSETA to offer education and training in social auxiliary work.

The learning material of Korema is not approved and should not be used as reference material. Notice has been given by the SACSSP and HWSETA to Korema Development Agency to discontinue with immediate effect the distribution of social auxiliary work learning material and offering of education and training in social auxiliary work until such time that the Agency is accredited to offer the FETC in Social Auxiliary Work.