Issue 55 (05/2025)
Table of Contents
Bearing Witness to Professional Autonomy: A Review of the 2024 Social Workers Registration Board Election Day
"Good evening, everyone! We have completed the vote counting for all three districts, and the results are in my hands. I now officially announce the results of the 2024 Social Workers Registration Board member election. The eight candidates with the highest number of votes, in order of their candidate numbers, are:
- Leung Pui Yu Pamela
- Fong Fu Fai
- Yuen Hon Lam Joseph
- Lee Shuk Ha Carmen
- Chiu Han Man
- Leung Kin Hung
- Lee Yuk Chi
- Cheung Tat Ming
After taking their oaths as required by law, they will begin their three-year terms as elected members of the Board starting from 16 January 2025. With this, I declare that this election has been successfully completed and is now officially concluded." Miss Chan Mei-lan, Anna May, Chairperson of the Election Committee of the Social Workers Registration Board, announced the results of the member election held on 14 December 2024. Afterwards, the Board Chairperson and the elected members answered questions from the press under the flash of cameras and shared their feelings about being elected.
After the amendment of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, due to changes in the Board’s personnel, membership of the Election Committee members also changed. When reviewing the previously adopted postal voting system, the Board found that in past elections, there were still hundreds of ballots delivered by postmen in following work days after the results were announced. Since vote counting was already ended, these ballots were directly shredded, wasting the postmen’s efforts and the Board’s postage, but the voters’ choices were not recorded. More importantly, even if voters no longer "raced against the deadline" to mail ballots, the postal voting system could not ensure that the ballots received were personally filled out by the voters according to their own wishes. Therefore, the Board decided to implement in-person voting for the first time. This decision was made in late August, allowing about four months for preparation.
Amid the personnel changes before and after the amendment, much work was backlogged, and organizing an in-person election was a heavily-weighed task, yet not the last straw. Finding venues, working out procedures, and logistics for both physical and manpower resources were not tasks that could be completed overnight. However, everyone took up their positions in time, quietly awaiting election day.
On the day before the election, Board staff transported materials in batches to the venues in Wanchai, Mongkok, and Sheung Shui in the afternoon to set up polling stations. The on-site installation and testing of the voting and counting systems were completed before sunset, and the final venue inspection ended at 8 p.m.
On the election day, the weather was clear and slightly chilly, and traffic was smooth.
During the ten-hour voting period, some voters arrived early, dragging their luggage, fulfilling their voting duties before traveling abroad; some couples with babies arrived in the afternoon, making voting part of a family day. Senior voters with mobility difficulties insisted on personally collecting ballots and voting for their preferred candidates. These 1,900 registered social workers vividly realized the achievement of professional autonomy.
Photo: Miss Chan Mei-lan, Anna May, Chairperson of the Election Committee, announced the election results
Overview of Current Board Members, Committees, and Working Groups
Current Board Members
According to the Ordinance, the current Board consists of 27 members. The list is as follows:
Mr. HUI Chung-shing, Herman, G.B.S., M.H., J.P. (Chairperson)*
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace (Deputy Chairperson)*
Mr. NG Kam-wah, Webster, J.P. (Honorary Treasurer)#
Mr. FONG Cheung-fat, J.P. (Honorary Secretary)*
Ms. AU Chor-kwan, Ann, J.P.#
Miss CHAN Chong-lai*
Miss CHAN Mei-lan, Anna May, M.H., J.P.*
Mr. CHEUNG Tat-ming#
Mr. CHIU Han-man#
Professor CHOW Yin-man, Amy*
Professor FAN Hoi-kit, Alex, M.H.#
Dr. FONG Fu-fai#
Ms. FUNG Shuk-man#
Mr. LAI Wing-hoi, Frederick, J.P.*
Dr. LAU Chung-hang, Kevin, M.H.*
Ms. LAU Oi-sze, Alice, M.H.#
Mrs. Patricia LAU*
Ms. LEE Shuk-ha, Carmen#
Ms. LEE Yuk-chi, M.H.#
Mr. LEUNG Kin-hung#
Dr. LEUNG Pui-yu, Pamela#
Mr. LO Wa-kei, Roy*
Mr. SIN Yat-kin, S.B.S., C.S.D.S.M., J.P.#
Ms. TAM Kam-lan, Annie, G.B.S., J.P.*
Mr. WONG Man-sing, Barry, M.H., J.P.*
Mr. YUEN Hon-lam, Joseph#
Representative of Director of Social Welfare%
Remarks
* Tenure from 5 July 2024 to 4 July 2027
# Tenure from 16 January 2025 to 15 January 2028
% Currently served by Ms. WONG Yin-yee
Overview of Committees and Working Groups
The Board has various committees and working groups to deliberate on matters related to its functions, including the Committee on Administration, Committee on Professional Conduct, Committee on Continuing Professional Development, Committee on Qualification Recognition, Task Force on Legal Affairs, and Task Force on Corporate Communications. Below are brief introductions and member lists for each:
Committee on Administration
Main Functions: To oversee, propose and review the personnel, financial, publicity and overall administrative matters.
Members:
Mr. LAI Wing-hoi, Frederick, J.P. (Chairperson)
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace
Ms. AU Chor-kwan, Ann, J.P.
Professor FAN Hoi-kit, Alex, M.H.
Mr. FONG Cheung-fat, J.P.
Ms. FUNG Shuk-man
Mrs. Patricia LAU
Mr. NG Kam-wah, Webster, J.P.
Mr. SIN Yat-kin, S.B.S., C.S.D.S.M.,J.P.
Committee on Professional Conduct
Main Functions: To propose and review the Code of Practice of RSWs and the disciplinary proceedings for handling complaints against RSWs; and to deal with matters in relation to the professional conduct of RSWs.
Members:
Mr. WONG Man-sing, Barry, M.H., J.P. (Chairperson)
Ms. AU Chor-kwan, Ann, J.P.
Miss CHAN Chong-lai
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace
Mr. CHAN Man-ho (Co-opted member)
Miss CHAN Mei-lan, Anna May, M.H., J.P.
Ms. CHAN Tsz-man (Co-opted member)
Mr. CHEUNG Tat-ming
Professor FAN Hoi-kit, Alex, M.H.
Dr. FONG Fu-fai
Dr. LAU Chung-hang, Kevin, M.H.
Mr. NG Kam-wah, Webster, J.P.
Mr. SIN Yat-kin, S.B.S., C.S.D.S.M.,J.P.
Committee on Continuing Professional Development
Main Functions: To advise the Board on devising and implementing a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework to the benefit of the long-term development of the social work profession.
Members:
Ms. TAM Kam-lan, Annie, G.B.S., J.P. (Chairperson)
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace
Mr. CHEUNG Tat-ming
Mr. CHIU Han-man
Professor CHOW Yin-man, Amy
Mr. FONG Cheung-fat, J.P.
Dr. FONG Fu-fai
Ms. FUNG Shuk-man
Dr. LAU Chung-hang, Kevin, M.H.
Mr. LEUNG Kin-hung
Dr. LEUNG Pui-yu, Pamela
Mr. LO Wa-kei, Roy
Ms. Melissa Kaye PANG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. (Co-opted member)
Dr. TANG Kam-shing (Co-opted member)
Professor Agnes TIWARI (Co-opted member)
Committee on Qualification Recognition
Main Functions: To propose and review Principles, Criteria and Standards for Recognising Qualifications in Social Work; to carry out qualification recognition assessment and reviews as and when necessary; and to deal with matters in relation to qualification assessment.
Members:
Professor CHOW Yin-man, Amy (Chairperson)
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace
Dr. AU YEUNG Kwok-wai, Eric (Co-opted member)
Dr. FONG Fu-fai
Ms. FUNG Shuk-man
Professor HUNG Suet-lin (Co-opted member)
Dr. KWAN Chi-kin (Co-opted member)
Dr. LAM King-yee, Vicky (Co-opted member)
Ms. LEE Shuk-ha, Carmen
Ms. LEE Yuk-chi, M.H.
Professor Janet LEUNG (Co-opted member)
Ms. TAM Kam-lan, Annie, G.B.S., J.P.
Ms. TSOI Man-yu (Co-opted member)
Dr. WOO Chi-wood (Co-opted member)
Mr. YUEN Hon-lam, Joseph
Task Force on Legal Affairs
Main Functions: To handle specific legal matters
Members:
Professor FAN Hoi-kit, Alex, M.H. (Chairperson)
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace
Miss CHAN Mei-lan, Anna May, M.H., J.P.
Mr. FONG Cheung-fat, J.P.
Ms. FUNG Shuk-man
Mr. LAI Wing-hoi, Frederick, J.P.
Dr. LAU Chung-hang, Kevin, M.H.
Mr. WONG Man-sing, Barry, M.H., J.P.
Task Force on Corporate Communications
Main Functions: To handle communications with medias and publicity matters
Members:
Mr. HUI Chung-shing, Herman, G.B.S., M.H., J.P.
Miss CHAN Man-yee, Grace
Mr. FONG Cheung-fat, J.P.
Mr. LAI Wing-hoi, Frederick, J.P.
Professor FAN Hoi-kit, Alex, M.H.
Qualification Recognition Review
The Board is currently conducting qualification review for five social work qualifications during 2024 to 2025 academic year. For details regarding future assessment years and results for other reviews, please visit https://www.swrb.org.hk/en/qa_schedule.asp。
Promotion Work
In the past six months, staff from the Board office introduced the board's functions to social work students at institutions through either virtual meetings or in-person visits.
．Hong Kong Shue Yan University
．St Francis University
．City University of Hong Kong
．Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Sha Tin) of the Vocational Training Council
．Hong Kong Baptist University
．Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
．Hong Kong Nang Yan College
．Gratia Christian College
．UOW College Hong Kong
．The University of Hong Kong
．YMCA College of Careers
．School of Professional and Continuing Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Statistics (as at 13 May 2025)
Registered Social Workers
Total Number of RSWs
• 28,497
Gender Distribution
• Male：9,054（31.77%）
• Female：19,442（68.22%）
Qualification for Registration
• Recognized degree：19,774（69.38%）
• Recognized diploma：8,671（30.42%）
• Possess social work experience that fulfills the requirement of the Ordinance：52（0.18%）
• Not holding recognized social work qualification, but currently occupied or has been accepted for a social work post：0（0%）
Statistics on Complaint Cases (since establishment)
Total cases received：800
Total cases for disciplinary inquiry：169
