What does the Professional Board DO? INFORMATION

OK .. so we voted for them. and they get elected, so what will they actually DO?

This is what the Social Service Professions Act of 1978 Act amended in 1998 (the Third Edition) states are the objectives of a Professional Board are( Section 14b) ... so these apply then to the Professional Board for Child and Youth Care Work.

Somewhat abbreviated:

The board is to consult and to liaise with other boards and authorities on matters that affect child and youth care and to assist the promotion of Social Services nationally.

It controls and exercises authority over all training and the way in which practice is exercised in child and youth care work.

It co-operates and liaises with training institutions, decides on minimum standards of education for child and youth care workers.

It communicates to the Minister, information of public importance in child and youth care matters.

It maintains and enhances the dignity of the child and youth care profession.

It can direct the Registrar of Council to remove any name from the register, to reinstate them, to suspend from practice awaiting a disciplinary enquiry.

It approves Training Schools.


It considers any matter affecting child and youth care as a profession.

It can recognise  qualifications, establish joint standing committees or committees to the board.


and finally, it performs such other prescribed functions and do things necessary or expedient to achieve the objects of the Act in relation to child and youth care.

One argument is that there is no profession until there are registered members. and for this to happen there have to be regulations for their registration as professionals approved by the Minister. These have been written, but it seems that the new board may have some responsibility to see that these are steered through the processes to them finally appearing in a Government Gazette. The Regulations set out the agreed qualifications and criteria by which a child and youth care worker will be registered at the Auxiliary or Professional level.

A registered professional must at one and the same time as being recognised for registration sign adherence to a code of ethics, or rules of ethical behaviour.These have also been written and approved but the new board may find themselves steering this process as well.

The bottom-line here is that no-one can call themselves a child and youth care worker and be employed as such unless that person is registered with the Council and satisfies the criteria set out in the regulations. The board will have a responsibility to study the applications. Further the board will have a say in recommending suspension awaiting enquiry if the rules of ethical behaviour are broken by a child care worker. in this way and in many other ways as set out in the object,the board REGULATES the profession.

In another post at some other time we will have to look at the relationship between the functions of the board and those of the Council.