SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS Private Bag X12, Gezina, Pretoria 0031 Tel: (012) 356 8315 Ref: Complaint Form 37 Annie Botha Ave, Riviera, Pretoria, 0084 Fax: (086) 607 3682 Email : profcond2@sacssp.co.za C O M P L A I N T F O R M 1. The SACSSP is a regulatory body. It therefore does not provide direct social work services. Please contact the organisation concerned on matters pertaining to social work service delivery, unless the practitioner is in private practice. We do encourage you to first lodge your complaint directly with the Social Worker concerned so that you can jointly consider the possibility of attaining an expeditious remedy to your complaint. 2. The respondent is the person against whom you are lodging a complaint. 3. The complainant is the person lodging the complaint. 4. Complete a separate Complaint Form for each respondent. 5. Documents should preferably be typed or, alternatively, handwritten documents must be printed legibly using the English medium. 6. Documents may be submitted by post, electronically or hand delivered. The following procedure is to be followed when a complaint of unprofessional conduct is lodged with SACSSP against registered social service practitioners (social worker, student social worker, social auxiliary worker, or child and youth care workers CYCC). This procedure is as directed by the Regulations of the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978, as amended, and is as follows: 1. Complete the form, in full. Only attach concise and relevant documents related to your complaint. 2. Upon receipt of your written complaint, a copy thereof will be forwarded to the respondent. 3. The respondent will be afforded the opportunity to respond in writing to the complaint within a specified period of time.
4. Thereafter both your complaint and the response of the respondent will be tabled before the Registrar s Committee for Professional Conduct (RCPC). This Committee (RCPC) comprises the Registrar or designated official and/or designated senior and independent subject matter experts. i. The RCPC meets once every two months and functions as a screening committee which conducts assessments, as well as providing a recommendation on each complaint, provided that such complaints fall within the domain of the Rules as per the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978, as amended. ii. The RCPC does not have the mandate to decide whether or not a person is guilty of unprofessional or improper conduct, but can institute further investigations and/or recommend alternative channels of effective complaint resolution. iii. You will be notified in writing of the findings related to your complaint. Should you not agree with the findings of the RCPC, you may dispute the findings of the RCPC on a Notice of Dispute Form. iv. The complaint may proceed to a Committee for Preliminary Inquiry where a decision will be taken as to whether there is a prima facie case against the respondent. v. Should the matter fall out of the ambit of the above two Committees, then the matter is referred to the Professional Conduct Committee for adjudication on the respondent s alleged non-compliance with Regulations relating to the Rules. If the respondent is found guilty this Committee will impose a penalty in line with Section 22 of the Act.
For more information please visit www.sacssp.co.za; go to Professional Conduct link 1. COMPLAINANT DETAILS COMPLAINT FORM Complaint lodged by: Individual Organisation Please provide the following information 1.1 First name and surname of the complainant 1.2 Postal address of the complainant or, if applicable, the name and postal address of your organisation.....code... 1.3 Physical address of the complainant or, if applicable, the physical address of your organisation.....code. Province.. 1.4 Contact details Tel Work....Home. Cell Fax.. Email..
2. IDENTIFYING PARTICULARS OF THE RESPONDENT (THE PERSON AGAINST WHOM THE COMPLAINT IS LODGED) *If you are lodging a complaint against more than one respondent, please complete a separate complaint questionnaire for each respondent indicating what you regard as unprofessional conduct in each instance. 2.1 Full Name of Respondent (social worker; student social worker or social auxiliary worker; child and youth care worker; child and youth care worker on auxiliary level): _ 2.2 Postal Address of the Respondent Code: 2.3 Physical Address of the Respondent 2.4 Name and Address of the Organization where the Respondent is employed 2.5 Contact details of the Respondent 2.6 Telephone Number: Work: Cell: Email: 2.7 Registration Number (SACSSP): 2.8 Is the Respondent in private practice? Yes / No 3. INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPLAINT *Please use additional paper if necessary. Please type the details of the complaint as it is imperative that this must legible in order to process the matter. Please provide detailed information regarding your complaint separately; include supporting documents where possible. 3.1 ACTS OR OMISSIONS DEEMED TO BE UNPROFESSIONAL OR IMPROPER Please tick and motivate where most appropriate in your view:
3.1.1 BEHAVIOUR DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROFESSION 3.1.2 UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR TOWARD CLIENTS 3.1.3 SUPERSESSION (Social service practitioners should not accept a client of a colleague unless pre-arranged) 3.1.4 UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR OR CONDUCT TOWARDS COLLEAGUES AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL PERSONS 3.1.5 UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS EMPLOYERS AND PARTNERS
3.1.6 ADVERTISEMENT CONTRARY TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE GUIDELINE OF CODE OF ETHICS 3.2 HAVE YOU INSTITUTED ANY OTHER ACTION AGAINST THE RESPONDENT OR HAVE YOU REFERRED THE COMPLAINT TO ANY OTHER INSTITUTION (EG HIGH COURT, CHILDREN S COURT, CRIMINAL/LABOUR/CIVIL COURTS)? PLEASE SPECIFY AND INDICATE THE STATUS OR OUTCOME OF SUCH ACTION. _
Complaint in personal capacity: I (full name) hereby declare that the facts contained herein are true and correct. Signed at on SIGNATURE OF COMPLAINANT Complaint on behalf of an organisation To the best of my belief and knowledge, I (full name) hereby declare that the facts contained herein are true and correct. Signed at on SIGNATURE OF DIRECTOR/MANAGER OF ORGANISATION SIGNATURE OF CONTACT PERSON Capacity of contact person in the organisation IF ACTING ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANISATION, PLEASE COMPLETE DETAILS BELOW: AFFIX ORGANISATION S STAMP HERE: You can fax/email/ courier your Complaints Form (to 0866 073 682 / profcond2@sacssp.co.za), or hand deliver the original immediately to THE REGISTRAR, SACSSP, PRIVATE BAG X 12, GEZINA 0031 Please keep a copy of your complaint and enclosures for your own records.