Introducing a professional capabilities framework for social work in Aotearoa New Zealand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol34iss4id983Keywords:
Professional capabilities, education, newly qualified social workers, competenciesAbstract
INTRODUCTION: This article discusses the findings from a project on enhancing the professional capabilities of newly qualified social workers. Existing capability and competence frameworks are reviewed, and components of a draft Aotearoa New Zealand Professional Capabilities Framework (ACPF) are outlined.
METHODS: This phase of the research programme began with a literature scan of five social work professional capability frameworks then used this information, data from earlier parts of the study, and a series of co-production workshops with key stakeholders to draft a professional capabilities framework for newly qualified and more experienced social workers.
FINDINGS: Analysis of the existing frameworks and data from the co-production workshops identified seven core values and 10 core capabilities to guide early-career and more experienced social work practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
IMPLICATIONS: Professional capabilities frameworks can guide and inform the practice and learning of all social workers. Following further stakeholder engagement, especially with tangata whenua (Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand), it is strongly recommended that the Social Workers Registration Board considers the adoption or adaptation of the APCF as an alternative to the current competence standards.
References
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW). (2014). ANZASW Social work practice standards: Enhancing competent social work practice. https://anzasw.nz/wp-content/uploads/Practice-Standard- Publication-Full-Nov-14.pdf
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW). (2019). Code of ethics. https://www.anzasw.nz/public/150/files/Publications/Code-of-Ethics-Adopted- 30-Aug-2019.pdf
Ballantyne, N., Beddoe, L., Maidment, J., Hay, K., & Walker, S. (2017). Literature scan 1: Social work education, curriculum mapping and educational taxonomies. https://ako.ac.nz/assets/Knowledge-centre/ NPF16-003-Enhancing-the-readiness-to-practice-of- newly-qualified-social-workers/LITERATURE-SCAN- Social-Work-Education-Curriculum-Mapping-and- Educational-Taxonomies.pdf
Ballantyne, N., Hay, K., Beddoe, L., Maidment, J., & Walker, S. (2019a). Mapping and visualizing the social work curriculum. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 37(2-3), 184–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228835.20 19.1609386
Ballantyne, N., Beddoe, L., Hay, K., Maidment, J., Walker, S., & Ngan, L. (2019b). Enhancing the readiness to practise of newly-qualified social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Report on phase one: The social work curriculum. https://ako.ac.nz/knowledge-centre/ enhancing-the-readiness-to-practise-of-newly-qualified- social-workers/report-on-phase-one-the-social-work- curriculum/
Ballantyne, N., Beddoe, L., Hay, K., Maidment, J., Walker, S., & Mayhew, Z. (2019c). Enhancing the readiness to practise of newly qualified social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand (Enhance R2P). Report on phase two: The readiness to practise of NQSWs. https://ako.ac.nz/ assets/Knowledge-centre/NPF16-003-Enhancing-the- readiness-to-practice-of-newly-qualified-social-workers/ cbcbe5dede/Report-on-Phase-Two-The-Readiness-to- Practise-of-NQSWs.pdf
Ballantyne, N., Beddoe, L., Hay, K., Maidment, J., & Walker, S. (2022). Research brief: The development of a Professional Capabilities Framework for social work in Aotearoa New Zealand. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 34(2), 81–89.
Banks, S. (2021). Ethics and values in social work (5th ed.). Red Globe Press.
Beddoe, L. (2018). Social work education in Aotearoa New Zealand: Building a profession. Practice, 30(4), 305–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2018.1478955
Beddoe, L., Hay, K., Maidment, J., Ballantyne, N., & Walker, S. (2018). Readiness to practice social work in Aotearoa New Zealand: perceptions of students and educators. Social Work Education, 37(8), 955–967. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/02615479.2018.1497152
British Association of Social Workers (BASW). (2017). Professional capability framework – End of last placement/qualifying level. https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/
Cairney, P. (2018). Why don't policymakers listen to your evidence? [Audio podcast]. Public Policy Institute: University of Auckland. https://www.policycommons. ac.nz/2018/12/05/professor-paul-cairney-why-dont- policymakers-listen-to-my-evidence-and-how-should-i- respond-2/
Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR). (2012). Entry-level competency profile for the social work profession in Canada: Executive summary. http:// www.ccswr-ccorts.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ Competency-Profile-FINAL-Eng-PG-1-51.pdf
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). (2015). 2015 Educational policy and accreditation standards. https://www.cswe.org/getattachment/Accreditation/ Accreditation-Process/2015-EPAS/2015EPAS_Web_ FINAL.pdf.aspx
Hay, K., Maidment, J., Beddoe, L., Ballantyne, N., Walker, S., & Mayhew, Z. (2019). Literature scan: Professional capabilities framework. Ako Aotearoa.
Hunt, S., Staniforth, B., & Beddoe, L. (2019). Establishing the qualification criteria for social worker registration in Aotearoa New Zealand: Conflict and compromise. Social Work Education, 38(7), 894–907. https://doi/full/10.1080/ 02615479.2019.1593957
International Federation of Social Workers (2014). Global definition of social work. https://www.ifsw.org/global- definition-of-social-work/
Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence. (2017). Family violence, sexual violence and violence within wha ̄nau: Workforce capability framework. Ministry of Social Development. https://www.justice.govt. nz/assets/Documents/Publications/family-violence- workforce-capability-framework.pdf
Ministry of Social Development (2015). Expert panel final report: Investing in New Zealand’s children and their families. https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd- and-our-work/work-pro- grammes/investing-in-children/ investing-inchildren-report.pdf
Nash, M., & Munford, R. (2001). Unresolved struggles: Educating social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Social Work Education, 20(1), 21–34.
Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB). (2015). The SWRB ten core competence standards. https://swrb.govt. nz/for-social-workers/core-competence-standards/
Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB). (2016). Kaitiakitanga framework. Tangata whenua voices in social work. https://swrb.govt.nz/about-us/news-and- publications/publications/
Taylor, I., & Bogo, M. (2014). Perfect opportunity – perfect storm? Raising the standards of social work education in England. British Journal of Social Work, 44(6), 1402–1418. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bct077
TCSW. (2012a). The professional capabilities framework for social workers. The College of Social Work.
Watson, D., & West, J. (2016). Social work process and practice: Approaches, knowledge, and skills. Palgrave Macmillan.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
By completing the online submission process, you confirm you accept this agreement. The following is the entire agreement between you and the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) and it may be modified only in writing.
You and any co-authors
If you are completing this agreement on behalf of co-authors, you confirm that you are acting on their behalf with their knowledge.
First publication
By submitting the work you are:
- granting the ANZASW the right of first publication of this work;
- confirming that the work is original; and
- confirming that the work has not been published in any other form.
Once published, you are free to use the final, accepted version in any way, as outlined below under Copyright.
Copyright
You assign copyright in the final, accepted version of your article to the ANZASW. You and any co-authors of the article retain the right to be identified as authors of the work.
The ANZASW will publish the final, accepted manuscript under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This licence allows anyone – including you – to share, copy, distribute, transmit, adapt and make commercial use of the work without needing additional permission, provided appropriate attribution is made to the original author or source.
A human-readable summary of the licence is available from http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, which includes a link to the full licence text.
Under this licence you can use the final, published version of the article freely – such as depositing a copy in your institutional research repository, uploading a copy to your profile on an academic networking site or including it in a different publication, such as a collection of articles on a topic or in conference proceedings – provided that original publication in Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work is acknowledged.
This agreement has no effect on any pre-publication versions or elements, which remain entirely yours, and to which we claim no right.
Reviewers hold copyright in their own comments and should not be further copied in any way without their permission.
The copyright of others
If your article includes the copyright material of others (e.g. graphs, diagrams etc.), you confirm that your use either:
- falls within the limits of fair dealing for the purposes of criticism and review or fair use; OR
- that you have gained permission from the rights holder for publication in an open access journal.
