Social Work Licensure

The single most important thing about social work licensing is:
It's not for social workers, it's for the public.

That's all social work licensing can ever be about - ensuring consumers that the people providing services are competent, and that if this level of competency is not met, there are avenues of recourse.

Obviously the social work profession benefits from a governmental recognition of its importance, but the value that must guide regulation every step of the way is a concern for the welfare of the public - not the promotion of the profession.

Association of Social Work Boards - 2001