Obligations are those things that we are required to do. Most obligations arise out of a set of ethics or principles which help us to understand why the obligation exists. Kaimahi hold a range of duties informed by legislation and statutory guidance, organisational expectations and accountabilities to professional registration bodies. This backdrop guides and informs why and how we carry out sets of duties and powers.

This means we:

• enact and are guided by our professional obligations (such as SWRB, ANZASW Code of Ethics, and other requirements of professional registration)
• demonstrate integrity inside and outside the organisation, in situations that may be uncomfortable, challenging and less certain
• recognise social and economic inequalities, injustice and oppression, and promote the rights of people, acting as agents for social change
• use critical reflection and questioning to recognise confirmation bias and work through contradictions and practice complexities.

Applied practice resource

Video – Principles in our Oranga Tamariki context

Practice standards

Practice standards – search our 8 practice standards

Policy and guidance

Policy – search our operational policies

Our work – search our guidance

Professional bodies

Social Workers Registration Board code of conduct

Social Workers Registration Board core competence standards

Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers code of ethics