The Social Workers Registration Board of South Australia (SWRB SA) has commended Lutheran Care for its leadership and collaboration in preparing the sector for mandatory social worker registration.

In a recent sector e-newsletter, the SWRB SA published a spotlight on Lutheran Care’s leadership ahead of the workplace changes. One of the first organisations to engage with the SWRB SA, Lutheran Care invited the Board to a dedicated forum at its Kent Town office, where staff from homelessness services shared insights, challenges and sector perspectives. Lutheran Care also undertook a comprehensive review of its workforce and job descriptions to determine which roles require registration, and has been acknowledged by SWRB SA for sharing its assessment template to support other organisations.

Lutheran Care’s Executive Manager Services and Practice Quality, Ashleigh Hosking, has led the organisation’s response, ensuring a coordinated and informed approach across all programs. Staff have been encouraged to participate in SWRB SA updates, webinars and discussions to build understanding of the new regulatory framework.

Lutheran Care has also strengthened its clinical governance through a structured role assessment process, aligning internal policies with legislative requirements.

Supervision remains a cornerstone of practice at Lutheran Care. With established clinical supervision in place for Allied Health and Positive Behaviour Support teams, the organisation is now expanding its model to support social workers under the new registration scheme. New policies are being developed to ensure supervision is reflective, ethical and compliant.

Lutheran Care continues to support student placements, new graduates and emerging practitioners, welcoming the introduction of registration categories that support workforce pathways—especially in regional areas where recruitment remains challenging.

SWRB SA thanked Lutheran Care for its transparency, initiative and willingness to collaborate for the benefit of the broader sector.

Photo: Louise Butler of SWRB SA with Ashleigh Hosking, Lutheran Care (credit: SWRB SA).