Week 10 - SAFA - Safe guarding vulnerable adults from abuse - Core competencies focused on this week

This week the SWRB core competencies that were observed I focused on 4, 5 and 9.

4. Competence to promote the principles of human rights and social economic justice.

5. Competence to engage in practice which promotes social change.

9. Competence to practice within legal and ethical boundaries of the social work profession.

In this case, the police were called out because there were concerns about abuse in the whānau. However, the person involved was able to make their own informed decision and told the police they didn’t want any further action taken. Legally, the police couldn’t step in or forcibly remove them because there wasn’t enough evidence to justify it. New Zealand law requires clear evidence of abuse before any coercive action can be taken, and without that, the police couldn’t do anything.

This situation really showed the gap between what the team expected and the legal limits of what could actually be done. The SAFA social worker understood the law and respected the individual’s right to decide, but others didn’t seem to fully get that the police couldn’t act just because they thought there might be abuse. She had to walk a fine line between managing the team’s expectations and staying within the boundaries of the law, all while maintaining her professionalism.

Representing the social work profession with integrity means understanding both the legal constraints and the rights of the people we work with. Even though the team misunderstood her role, and the police couldn’t do what some had hoped, the SAFA social worker stayed true to her professional standards. She made sure the person’s decision was respected and kept advocating for the whānau best interests.

This situation also highlighted how important it is to have clear communication and role definitions within a team. If the team had a better understanding of what the SAFA social worker’s role actually was, expectations would’ve been set more clearly from the beginning. It also showed how important it is to respect the legal rights of individuals, and the professional boundaries of each team member.

When reflecting on the core competencies through a Nga Takepu lens, I considered the importance of manaakitanga in the context of the social worker’s supervisor role. The supervisor ensures that external services are informed that, while SAFA supports high-risk clients, their capacity to intervene is limited by legislative mandates. Specifically, without evidence, the Police are unable to take action, which, in turn, limits SAFA's ability to provide further support.

Additionally, the concept of mauriora is crucial for the social worker's wellbeing. It is essential that she receives ongoing support through regular supervision. This provides her with a dedicated space to express the challenges and dynamics within her role, ensuring that she remains fit and capable to carry out her responsibilities effectively.