CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

All Social Workers and Social Auxiliary Workers who are registered with the South Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) and who wish to remain registered and practise the profession must participate in CPD and meet the requirements. It is a legal requirement.

CPD aims to:

  • build knowledge and skills;
  • keep practitioners abreast of developments in their field;
  • promote confidence in practitioners’ abilities to provide high-standard services;
  • maintain professional standards; and
  • promote excellence.

What is CPD?
CPD means that social workers and social auxiliary workers must participate in approved CPD activities; and obtain at least 20 CPD points per year.

What are approved CPD activities?
CPD activities are divided into group activities and individual activities.

Type of activity Definition Number of points
Workshop Intensive study, work, participatory and sharing discussions that address policy, practice and educational challenges

Duration: 1 day to a maximum of 5 days

 2-5 points per day
Small group discussion Focuses on a relevant topic – policy, legislation book or journal article reviews; case studies and best practice models; group supervision; in-service training

Duration: 1 hour to a maximum of 2 hours

 2 per hour
Information session Sharing information and/or consulting stakeholders

Duration: 1 to a maximum of 2 hours

 1.5 points per day
Conference/congress/symposium A large gathering local, regional, provincial, national or international with a specific theme and sub-themes 2-4 points per day

As part of the vision and mission of the National Adoption Coalition, we promote sharing of best practise and capacity building as one of the main objectives.

NACSA has therefore been promoting activities to earn CPD points and has registered several conferences and group activities since its establishment in 2011 such as:

  1. Bi-annual Adoption Conference in 2011, 2014, 2016 (8 points)
  2. Small group discussion: National and provincial coalition meetings (3 points)
  3. Group activities (5 points per day)

GROUP ACTIVITY

Community engagement around child protection and adoption

Focus

  • An interactive workshop focusing on identifying child protection challenges within communities. The focus is on creating awareness and action to address the increasing reality and implication of abandonment and unplanned crisis pregnancies.
  • The importance of knowledge and skills to render objective and judgment-free option counseling is discussed and practiced.
  • Dealing with abandoned children in accordance with relevant legislation and policy in an ethical and expedient way is made practical.
  • Adoption is discussed in detail as an alternative placement option – focusing on the adoption triad.
  • Taking action and partnering with relevant role players to address these challenges.

Timeframe

Vary between 2 hours and 1.5 days – depending on focus group and availability

Target groups

Relevant child protection role players, i.e. hospital staff, SAP, teachers, students, social workers, DSD, Justice, C&YCC