Answers are provided to some of the questions asked by social workers about the Society of Professional Social Workers (SPSW).
This is currently provided by VERO Insurance Ltd. Cover for Public Liability.
Cover is not provided automatically as part of your membership with SPSW. However if you contact the SPSW Executive Officer it can be arranged through SPSW Insurance with an extra cost per member.
A qualified ‘yes’. An example recently was a letter sent to the WA Director of the National Disability insurance regarding NDIS participants with Psycho-Social disability in WA who were not receiving adequate and timely assessment and planning meetings and therefore unable to access the services they required.
In a group representing a whole profession however, it is often difficult to take a representative stand on complex issues. An example of when we were not able to was when asked to give input to debate on abortion law reform in WA, because of divergent views of members.
Contact with Ministers and alliances with other like-minded agencies are made and maintained.
Yes. Inclusivity is a major focus. Contributions of ideas are welcomed and needed.
CPE is managed by a CPE subcommittee of the Board of Directors who plan a year of scheduled CPE activities that are advertised on the website and to the CPE email group.
Our Code of Ethics is available as a downloadable PDF and is easy to read, comprehensive, clear, workable and effective.
All income made in Western Australia will be kept here and spent on providing services to members. There will be no capitation fees for items which are not relevant to professional workers in WA. Fees will also remain lower as the Society does not have the overheads of a corporate central office.
Any person who has graduated with a social work qualification from an approved Australian social work education program.
Assessment is required of the qualifications of social workers holding an overseas qualification to determine their eligibility and referral will be made to relevant bodies who carry out this assessment.
Students from accredited schools will be warmly welcomed and respected for the significant and unique input they can have.
There are 5 types of membership – Full membership, Reduced Fee Full membership, Life membership, Student membership and Associate membership (both these latter categories, unlike the other types of members cannot vote at meetings, obtain insurance cover or hold office).
This term has a similar meaning to being accredited. The term ‘fellow’ has strong connections with scholarly bodies, which similarly refer to members as ‘fellows’. It requires members wishing to attain this status of membership to complete a log of CPE activities and submit it for audit annually.
The Constitution is under review and will be available from the Society’s website soon. Please contact us for more information.
The governance of the Society is managed by a Board, consisting of an Executive (being the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Membership Officer) and a set number of General Members. Members will be appointed with primary concern for a specific area of skill, expertise or interest which will be managed through the establishment of Sub-committees and/or Working Groups.
The full annual membership fee for both members and fellows is reviewed annually and available on the membership page. Refer to the Membership page that outlines these fees and other information pertinent to membership.
Applications for membership are made by filling out a Membership Application Form. This is available from the Membership page. When you complete this application you have three avenues to follow if you are applying for full membership:
- as a graduate with a recognised Australian social work qualification; or
- prior membership of the AASW – for this you need to enclose a copy of your most recent membership registration
- as a person having been assessed as holding an approved overseas social work qualification.
Your application includes a signed declaration that you will abide by the Society’s Code of Ethics and that you support the objects of the Society as stated in its Constitution. (downloadable PDF of the Constitution is being reviewed and will be available soon. Please contact us for more information).
You should then email a completed membership form to the SPSW Executive Officer at eo@spsw.net.au so it can be processed and your membership endorsed.
