ANNUAL REPORT Reports from the: National President, Chief Executive Officer, Branches, National Groups and Committees. 2012 - 2013 AASW Contacts National President Professor Karen Healy [email protected] Chief Executive Officer Glenys Wilkinson [email protected] © Australian Association of Social Workers National Office – Canberra Level 4, 33-35 Ainslie Place CANBERRA CITY ACT 2600 PO Box 4956 KINGSTON ACT 2604 T 02 6232 3900 F 02 6230 4399 National President’s Report ..............................................................................................................................3 Chief Executive Officer’s Report .......................................................................................................................7 Australian Capital Territory Branch...................................................................................................................9 New South Wales Branch .............................................................................................................................. 12 North Queensland Branch ............................................................................................................................. 14 Northern Territory Branch .............................................................................................................................. 16 Queensland Branch ....................................................................................................................................... 19 South Australia Branch .................................................................................................................................. 21 Tasmania Branch........................................................................................................................................... 23 Victoria Branch .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Western Australia Branch .............................................................................................................................. 27 Australian College of Social Work Steering Committee ................................................................................ 29 Australian Social Work Editorial Board .......................................................................................................... 31 International Qualifications Committee (IQC) ................................................................................................ 33 International Social Work Committee (ISW) .................................................................................................. 35 National Committee for Child Protection Practice (NCCPP) ......................................................................... 36 National Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee .............................................................. 38 National Education Program .......................................................................................................................... 40 National Education Committee and National Field Education Sub-Committee ........................................ 40 National Ethics Group (NEG) ........................................................................................................................ 42 National Ethics Panel (NEP) .......................................................................................................................... 43 National Mental Health Committee (NMHC) ................................................................................................. 44 National Practice Standards Review Committee (NPSRC)........................................................................... 46 National Research Committee (NRC) ........................................................................................................... 48 National Social Policy Committee (NSPC) .................................................................................................... 50 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Taskforce ................................................................................................. 52 Registration Taskforce ................................................................................................................................... 53 Branch Management Committee (BMC) Members ....................................................................................... 54 AASW Staff Contacts .................................................................................................................................... 55 AASW Branch Office Managers .................................................................................................................... 56 National President’s Report To the AASW Annual General Meeting Melbourne, 23 November 2013 AASW Annual General Meeting It is my pleasure to present the National President’s Annual Report for 2012-2013. The past year has been one of many highlights and continued growth for the AASW. It is a source of great satisfaction for the Board, many office holders and staff members to be able to play our part towards achieving the AASW core purposes: to strengthen and represent our profession and to be a strong voice for a more inclusive society. This report will reflect on the achievements of the past year and will look to the future. Looking back In June 2013 the AASW membership reached over 7500 members. This is an excellent accomplishment and represents over 25% membership growth in the last 18 months. Our growing membership base provides a sound base for us to strengthen and represent our profession and to advocate for a more inclusive society. We aim for a membership of 10 000 by 2015 and we urge all members to do their part in encouraging professional social workers to join the AASW. Thanks to our amazing membership team, particularly Lisa McCarron and Robyn Cottell who are ever helpful in responding to membership inquiries. We have also attained a substantial financial surplus, in excess of $300 000, in the 2012-2013 financial year. This year’s surplus is an important step towards financial recovery following on from the large accumulated financial losses since 2007. While the Board and our executive team are very satisfied with this year’s result, it is also important that we continue to build a financial buffer to ensure the sustainability of our Association in the face of unforseen events. Without the AASW, the social work profession would struggle to survive in Australia and this is one reason why it is so important that we continue to get the financial settings right. Over the past year all Board members have undertaken professional Company Director training via the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The Board has committed to an ongoing program of professional development for our Directors. This is an important milestone in the development of Directors’ capacities and is central to professionalising the leadership of Association. It ensures Directors are aware of, and responsive to, their fiduciary responsibilities to the Association. As a company we fall under the Companies Act, and must act accordingly. Members can be assured that all Directors have the knowledge required to steer the association in a legally and financially sound direction as we continue to grow and that your Board is committed to meeting the professional standards required of company directors. This year, the AASW also completed several important initiatives. Significantly, the review of Practice Standards was completed in June 2013. We acknowledge the leadership of Dr Carmel Laragy in bringing this important review to timely completion and we thank the practice standards committee for the completion of the review. We are continuing to embed these standards across the work of the Association. These standards will be used by field educators, employers, supervisors and practitioners to clarify the expectations of professional social work practitioners. We are also pleased to be holding the first national symposium for the entire AASW membership in five years! We know that many members yearn for opportunities to learn and network with the general membership at a national level. In 2012, the new Board put in place the sound financial planning measures needed for us to confidently proceed to re-introduce regular national symposia. While we recognise the challenges of such events, we also believe that these events are a hallmark of a vibrant association. I acknowledge Christine Craik and the national symposium committee for their leadership of this initiative. AASW Annual Report 2012-13 Page 3 In 2012-2013, the AASW made several important advances towards professional registration and title protection. We can report on an increased recognition of the social work profession among government ministers and policy makers as reflected in our inclusion in discussions around professional regulation at a national level. Yet we need also to acknowledge the difficult policy environment we now face as we continue to lobby for professional registration. The Standing Council on Health has recently announced a decision to introduce a national code of conduct for unregistered professions. We are concerned that government ministers view the code of conduct as an alternative to inclusion of social work and other professions in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. So the AASW