The National Social Work Qualifications Board (Establishment) Order, 1997

• Jurisdiction: Ireland

S.I. No. 97 of 1997.

THE NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK QUALIFICATIONS BOARD (ESTABLISHMENT) ORDER, 1997

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 3 to 6 of the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961 (No. 27 of 1961), as amended by Section 22 of the Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 1996 , (No. 32 of 1996) hereby orders as follows: 1. This Order may be cited as the National Social Work Qualifications Board (Establishment) Order, 1997. 2. In this Order:

"the Board" means the National Social Work Qualifications Board established by this Order;

"the Chairperson" means the Chairperson for the time being of the Board;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Health;

"health board" means a health board established under the Health Act, 1970 ;

"fund" means the grant or grants paid to the Board by the Minister;

"establishment day" means the 27th day of February, 1997;

"letter of accreditation" means a letter certifying that the bearer has a non national qualification;

"officer" means an employee of the Board;

"N.Q.S.W." means the National Qualification in Social Work obtained in the State and "national qualification" shall be construed accordingly;

"non-national qualification" means a professional social work qualification obtained outside the State, which is recognised by the National Social Work Qualifications Board as equivalent to the National Qualification in Social Work;

"practice teacher" means a social worker who supervises students on practice placements on courses recognised by the National Social Work Qualifications Board;

"social worker" for the purposes of this Order means the holder of a professional qualification recognised by the National Social Work Qualifications Board;

"recognised course" means a course the content of which has been recognised by the National Social Work Qualifications Board as being a course leading to the award of the NQSW. 3. (1) A body to be known as the National Social Work Qualifications Board is hereby established to perform the functions conferred upon it by this Order.

(2) The Board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a seal and with power to sue and be sued with its corporate name and to hold land.

(3) All courts shall take judicial notice of the seal of the Board so established and every document purporting to be an order or other instrument made by the Board and to be sealed with its seal (purporting to be authenticated in the manner provided for in this Order) shall be received in evidence and be deemed to be such order or instrument without further proof unless the contrary is shown. 4. The National Validation Body on Social Work Qualifications and Training shall be dissolved on the establishment day. 5. The functions of the Board shall be to—

( a ) carry out any and all functions carried out by the National Validation Body on Social Work Qualifications and Training prior to the making of this Order,

( b ) grant the NQSW to persons who have successfully completed recognised courses,

( c ) advise on the equivalence of qualifications obtained otherwise than in an Irish third level institution,

( d ) advise the Minister, health boards, other health agencies and voluntary hospitals. Government Departments, public sector employers and other employers as to which courses provided in the State have been recognised by the National Social Work Qualifications Board for the purpose of awarding the NQSW, should any of the above seek such advice,

( e ) advise the Minister of the standards which should inform the education and training of Social Workers in the State,

(f) advise the Minister and other relevant Ministers of the specific content of recognised courses, having consulted with Government Departments who employ social workers,

( g ) determine and agree, in consultation with third level institutions providing, or proposing to provide at any time in the future, academic and professional social work education and training, the development of course content for the education and training of Social Workers in the State,

( h ) assess from time to time, as occasion may require, but in any event not less than once in every five years—

(i) the suitability of the social work education and training provided by any institution recognised by the Board for such purpose,

(ii) the standards of theoretical and practical knowledge required for social work qualifications,

(iii) whether the education and training of social workers meet the requirements as laid down in EU Directives and other legislation passed by the Council of the European Communities.

(i) maintain in accordance with rules made by the Board a record of NQSW. certificates granted to social workers who have successfully completed recognised courses pursuant to paragraph (b) of this article,

( j ) issue letters of accreditation to social workers with non-national qualifications,

( k ) maintain in accordance with rules made by the Board a record of letters of accreditation issued to social workers with non-national qualifications,

( l ) engage in research into the education and training of social workers including the formulation of experimental curricula and the evaluation of existing programmes and examinations and assessment procedures,

( m ) maintain statistical records and make such records available for research and planning, including manpower planning purposes, and

( n ) undertake such other appropriate tasks and functions as may be assigned to the Board from time to time by the Minister. 6. (1) Any reference in any legislation to the National Validation Body on Social Work Qualifications and Training shall, immediately subsequent to the making of this Order, be taken to be a reference to the Board.

(2) The establishment of the Board shall not invalidate any courses recognised or certificates granted by the National Validation Body on Social Work Qualifications and Training and such courses and certificates shall continue to have effect as if they were granted by the Board.

(3) The new Body shall be substituted for the old in any legal proceedings pending; transfer of assets and liabilities; preservation of continuing contracts, and the transfer of members of staff. 7. (1) The membership of the Board shall consist of not more than seventeen persons who shall be appointed by the Minister as follows—

( a ) two shall be persons appointed on the nomination of a body recognised by the Minister as being representative of social workers,

( b ) two shall be persons appointed on the nomination of a trade union which in the opinion of the Minister is representative of the majority of social workers,

( c ) one shall be a person representative of practice teachers,

( d ) three shall be persons appointed from Colleges providing a recognised course leading to the NQSW that is to say University College Dublin, University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin; such members to be appointed on the nomination of the Head of the College and be employed in the College Department providing...