Professional Standards - Paerewa Ngaio

Our Social Workers

Ā mātou Tauwhiro

The Open Home Foundation is committed to providing professional and relevant services.  To maintain a high standard our Social Workers are trained, supervised and required to be members of the Aotearoa, New Zealand Association of Social Workers.  We also encourage OHF Social Workers to become registered under the Social Workers Registration Act 2003. Currently 82% of OHF Social Workers hold a relevant qualification.

Our Foster Parents

Ā mātou Mātua Whāngai

To ensure a high quality of foster care it is our policy that foster parents go through an assessment, training and accreditation programme to prepare them for the task of providing care for other peoples' children and young people.  This process includes referee, Child, Youth and Family and Police checks.

Professional Ethics & Standards

Ngā Paerewa Tipape me Ngā Paerewa Ngaio

OHF Social Workers must adhere to:

• The ANZASW Practice Standards

• The ANZASW Code of Ethics

ANZASW – Standards for Practice

Ngā Paerewa mō te mahi

Competency is about standards or levels of performance.  The standards that follow have been drawn from the objects of ANZASW and include value statements, specific skills and knowledge which can be observed and demonstrated.

1. The Social Worker adheres to the Code of Ethics and Objects of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers.

2. The Social Worker demonstrates a commitment to practising social work in accordance with the Bi-cultural Code of Practice and an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi.

3. The Social Worker establishes an appropriate and purposeful working relationship with clients taking into account individual differences and the cultural and social context of the client’s situation.

4. The Social Worker acts to ensure the client’s participation in the working relationship.

5. The Social Worker’s practice assists clients to gain control over their own circumstances.

6. In working with clients, the Social Worker uses her/his own personal attributes appropriately.

7. The Social Worker has knowledge about social work methods, social policy, social services, resources and opportunities and acts to ensure access for clients.

8. The Social Worker only works where systems of accountability are in place in respect of his/her agency, clients and the social work profession.

9. The Social Worker constantly works to make the organisation and systems, which are part of the social work effort, responsive to the needs of those who use them.

10. The Social Worker uses membership of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers to influence and reinforce competent practice.

Private information

Pārongo motuhake

In order for OHF to provide the best possible support and care services to you and your family/whanau it is necessary for us to collect relevant personal information about you.  The information we need will be collected directly from you unless there is a good reason to do otherwise.  If you have any concerns about giving this information or about the way it will be collected please discuss these with the Social Worker.

Your personal information will be held securely at the OHF Service Centre.  It will be accessed by OHF staff involved in the provision of services to you.

OHF will make every effort to protect the confidentially of your information.  We would normally seek your permission before disclosing information about you to anyone else but may be required to disclose it to a third party, e.g. Child, Youth and Family, under statute or contract.

We may need to check your information with you from time to time to ensure it remains accurate and up-to-date.

You have a right to request access to the personal information held about you by OHF.  If you think the information is inaccurate you can talk to your Social Worker about having it corrected.  Information we hold about you can be requested from the Service Centre.