Should Social Workers Be Registered in Australia? A Balanced Look at the Debate

Disclaimer: The reflections in this article are my own. They do not represent the views, positions or policy directions of any organisation, advisory role, board or committee I am part of. These thoughts are offered in good faith to support open, thoughtful discussion within the profession.

The national conversation about social work registration in Australia has grown sharper over the past few years. At first glance, the idea seems obvious; social workers support people during moments of vulnerability, hold legal and ethical responsibilities, and often work inside high-risk systems. Many wonder why our profession remains one of the few without statutory registration, especially when nurses, psychologists and occupational therapists are already regulated.

Yet social work has never belonged solely to clinical health. It sits across systems, community, culture, justice, trauma, migration, gender and identity. Any move toward regulation reaches far deeper than administration; it shapes the soul of the profession.

This article offers a grounded look at what social work registration in Australia could achieve, what it cannot fix, and what must be handled with care.

Where Social Work Registration in Australia Currently Sits

South Australia is the only jurisdiction with legislation ready to regulate the profession. The Social Workers Registration Act 2021 (SA) passed Parliament in December 2021. Amendments in 2023 and 2025 removed the original fixed start date, meaning the scheme will commence once formally proclaimed.

The Act introduces:

• protected title

• a definition of “social work services”

• a defined scope of practice

• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Committee for cultural governance

South Australia offers a live model. Not a finished product; a starting point.

Why Many Support Social Work Registration in Australia

For many practitioners, registration is overdue for straightforward, practical reasons.

Public confidence

People deserve assurance that anyone using the title “social worker” is trained, qualified and accountable.

Title protection

Right now, the title is unregulated. Anyone can use it, regardless of education.

Workforce mobility

A national system supports movement across states and reduces duplication for employers and practitioners.

Professional recognition

In multidisciplinary settings, statutory registration can clarify social work’s role and standing.

Why Others Are Cautious

The hesitations are grounded in daily realities across health, child protection, disability, justice, education and community work.

Registration cannot repair broken systems

Much harm arises from:

• overwhelming caseloads

• inconsistent or absent supervision

• organisational pressure

• racism and discrimination

• stretched funding

• risk-averse cultures

Registration targets individuals; it cannot fix systemic conditions that shape their decisions.

Risk of narrowing the profession

If the model leans too heavily toward health, social work’s broader identity may contract toward clinical roles.

Impact on lived experience practitioners

Without safeguards, registration may exclude people whose histories include trauma, criminalisation, poverty, addiction or child protection involvement. These voices enrich the profession.

Impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners

Concerns include:

• cost and administrative load

• tension with community-based practice

• mistrust rooted in history

• risk of reinforcing colonial structures

Cultural governance must be shared, meaningful and embedded.

Impact on multicultural and CaLD practitioners

This part of the debate is often missing, yet vital.

Many multicultural and CaLD practitioners navigate:

• migration journeys

• changing visa conditions

• disrupted education

• overseas qualifications

• racism in the workforce

• English as a second or third language

• cultural obligations

• community expectations

Poorly designed social work registration in Australia may:

• create financial and bureaucratic barriers

• devalue international qualifications

• intensify scrutiny of multilingual practice

• disadvantage workers in regions with limited supervision

• impose Western norms of professionalism

If regulation reduces workforce diversity, multicultural clients will feel it first.

What Social Work Registration in Australia Could Improve

Registration offers several practical benefits.

Clarity for the public

People can see who is credentialed and accountable.

Accessible complaints pathway

A transparent process for addressing misconduct.

Minimum standards

Shared expectations around competence, supervision and ongoing learning.

National alignment

Education providers, employers and practitioners work to the same baseline.

What Registration Cannot Fix

Registration is not a substitute for:

• safe workloads

• trauma-informed workplaces

• quality supervision

• culturally responsive practice

• stable teams

• ethical funding models

• anti-racism efforts

• meaningful representation for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and CaLD communities

Treating registration as a cure-all risks shifting blame without improving conditions.

The Deeper Question

After many conversations and reflections, I have come to believe the central question is not:

“Should we register social workers?”

but rather:

“Can we design social work registration in Australia in a way that protects the public and protects the cultural depth, diversity and justice-orientation that define the profession?”

If we can answer yes, registration can strengthen rather than narrow who we are becoming.

Australia has a rare opportunity to design something thoughtful, inclusive and future-focused. A regulatory system shaped by the communities we serve.

This is the moment to get it right.

Based in Perth, WA, LEXs provides telehealth counselling across Australia for individuals, couples, and NDIS participants. Services extend to Social Work supervision, Peer Work supervision, training, and keynote speaking on men’s mental health, CaLD community wellbeing, and culturally responsive suicide prevention; helping people and organisations make mental-health care more compassionate, inclusive, and effective. LEXs provides services across Australia, supporting clients in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and beyond. To learn more about our work across Australia, visit LEXs' services page.