CPD for Social Workers

This summary outlines CPD activities that allows Social Worker members of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) to meet their CPD requirements.

CPD Cycle

The CPD Cycle runs annually.

CPD Goals

CPD Requirements vary depending on the CPD Goal undertaken. Use the information below to work out the most appropriate CPD goal:

1. Accredited Member CPD goal. All members (excluding current AMHSW and students) can choose to complete this goal. On completion, the member will be awarded the Accredited Member status, and will be eligible to register for the Accredited Social Worker trademark.

2. Accredited Mental Health Social Worker CPD goal. All social workers applying for Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) status and/or current AMHSWs wishing to renew their status.

3. Accredited Family Violence Social Worker (AFVSW) CPD goal. All social workers applying for AFVSW status and/or current AVFSW’s can complete this goal.

4. Accredited Clinical Social Worker CPD goal. Social workers applying for Accredited Clinical Social Worker (ACSW) status, or those who are current ACSWs.

CPD Requirements

All members are required to develop a CPD Plan and engage in Supervision:

A CPD plan ensures that members reflect on their CPD needs and develop a plan suitable to their CPD needs.

All members are required to engage in supervision with a Social Worker. Direct supervision with a Social Worker is preferred. Supervision can be accessed through a range of means including face-to-face, online, telephone or video/web conferencing. Members are encouraged to use the ‘Find a Supervisor’ advanced search directory on the AASW website to locate a potential supervisor.

Accredited Member CPD Goal
Social workers applying for this goal must complete a total of 30 hours of professional development, including:

10 hours of Category 1 ‘Supervision’.
15 hours of Category 2 ‘Skills and Knowledge’.
5 hours of Category 3 ‘professional Identity’.
Developing a CPD plan is mandatory.

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker CPD Goal
Social workers applying for the AMHSW goal will need to complete a total of 50 hours, including:

10 hours of Category 1 ‘Supervision’.
15 hours of Category 2 ‘Skills and Knowledge’.
5 hours of Category 3 ‘Professional Identity’.
An additional 20 hours of CPD from Categories 1, 2, or 3.
Total CPD must include 20 hours be relevant to mental health practice, and 10 hours relevant to Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) consistent with Medicare Guidelines.

Accredited Family Violence Social Worker CPD Goal
Social workers applying for AFVSW status must complete 50 hours of CPD including:

10 hours of Category 1 ‘Supervision’.
15 hours of Category 2 ‘Skills and knowledge’.
5 hours of Category 3 ‘Professional identity’.
An additional 20 hours of CPD from Categories 1, 2 or 3.
Total CPD must include 20 hours relevant to family violence.

Accredited Clinical Social Worker CPD Goal
Social workers completing the ACSW goal must complete a total of 50 hours of CPD, including:

10 hours of Category 1 ‘Supervision’.
15 hours of Category 2 ‘Skills and knowledge’.
5 hours of Category 3 ‘Professional identity’.
An additional 20 hours of CPD from Categories 1, 2 and 3.
Total CPD hours must include 20 hours relevant to clinical social workers.

CPD Categories

Category 1: Supervision
Professional supervision in social work is useful for reflecting and learning, and to ensure high standards of practice. Memers are required to undertake supervision relevant to their practice. Activities include:

Supervision.
Professional mentoring.
Professional coaching.
Professional consultation.

Category 2: Skills and Knowledge
Regular skill and knowledge development is important for keeping up to date with contemporary practice. Active, participatory learning is encouraged, although activity types vary. It is mandatory for all social workers to develop a CPD plan. Activities include:

Academic study and research.
Conferences, seminars, workshops and conferences.
Self-directed learning.
Reading publications.
Online training.
Presentations.
Reflecting on the professional and ethical standards documents.

Category 3: Professional Identity
Maintaining and developing professional identity is an important part of ones development as a social worker. Activities which can be recorded in this category include:

Attending an AASW event.
Contributing to the learning of other social workers.
Contribution to publications, policy and research.
Membership of the AASW Group, Committee or Board.
Participating in World Social Work Day activities.
Practice groups, conferences, seminar and presenting or promoting social worker perspectives.
Professional networking.
Providing supervision, mentoring or coaching to social workers.
Publishing chapters, books or journals.
Volunteering relevant to social work.

CPD Documentation

To record a professional development activity towards a CPD goal, members are required to ensure the activity is relevant to them and consistent with the categories defined above. A record of professional development activities should be kept in ‘My CPD Record’ in a Social Workers Member Account on the AASW website (member log-in required).

For more information about these CPD guidelines click here.

Date of Issue: July 2012
Last reviewed: 2nd April 2020
These guidelines will be reviewed periodically.