Social workers are required to regularly complete at least 8 hours of continuing education every year. If a person subject to mandatory continuing education for social workers does not receive continuing education, special caution is required as there will be an administrative fine of 200,000 won for those who did not complete the training and a fine of 1 million won for the target institution. If you are working in the social work field, you must check to see if you have forgotten or missed any training.
▼ Korean Association of Social Workers’ continuing education ▼
👉 Go to Online Education Center
Now, let’s look into the areas of continuing education that social welfare must complete (required/optional), and learn more about cases where you are treated as a non-completer and administrative fines.
Fine for failure to complete continuing education for social workers
Social worker continuing education areas and ratings
Required and optional areas
Social worker continuing education areas are divided into ‘required areas’ and ‘optional areas’. Those subject to mandatory continuing education must complete at least 8 points per year, including at least 1 point (1 point or more) in each required area. Specifically, a score of 1 or higher in the mandatory mandatory field of ‘Social Welfare Ethics and Human Rights’, and 1 grade in one of the following subjects: ‘Social Welfare Practice’, ‘Social Welfare Policy and Law’, ‘Social Welfare Administration’, and ‘Social Welfare Research’. It is mandatory to complete the course with a GPA or higher.
The continuing education areas listed in the Korean Association of Social Workers’ [Social Worker Continuing Education Operation Guidelines] are as follows.
Continuing education area
(Source: Social Worker Continuing Education Operation Guidelines)
👉 (Latest) Operational guidelines for continuing education for social workers
If you are treated as a non-completed student
Cases in which a social worker is treated as someone who has not completed continuing education are as follows:
If you have completed more than 8 GPA per year but have not completed the required areas of continuing education, you will be considered as an uncompleted student.
If a person who did not complete the previous year’s continuing education did not complete it within the remaining continuing education grace period
– You must complete the remaining continuing education hours from the previous year + an additional 8 hours of continuing education hours for the current year.
– The remaining continuing education grace period is recognized only until July of each year.
If you wish to receive partial GPA approval due to unavoidable circumstances, you can submit the supporting documents at a later date. However, if the supporting documents are not submitted within 3 days after training, the training will be considered as not completed.
✅ Partial grade approval cases and supporting documents
Trainees who wish to receive partial credit approval for the aforementioned continuing education must complete a partial credit approval form and submit it along with supporting documents. The supporting documents for each partial rating approval case are as follows.
Proof of partial grade
(Source: Social Worker Continuing Education Operation Guidelines)
Administrative disposition for social worker continuing education
Those who have not completed continuing education
Those who have not completed continuing social worker training will be subject to a fine based on the Social Welfare Services Act.
Basis of violation Legal provisions Fine amount
If continuing education is not received in violation of the proviso to Article 13, Paragraph 2 of the Act, Article 58, Paragraph 2 of the Act, 200,000 won
Fines for negligence are imposed and collected by the Minister of Health and Welfare, city/provincial governors, or city/county/district heads, as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
Institutions eligible for continuing education
If a social worker fails to complete the continuing education, the institution subject to the continuing education will be subject to administrative measures such as fines, correction orders, and complaints as follows.
✅ Fines
If an unfavorable disposition is taken, such as directly or indirectly forcing a person subject to continuing education obligations to not attend education (treating absence due to completion of education as absence from work or vacation), a fine will be imposed based on the Social Welfare Services Act.
Basis of violation Legal provisions Fine amount
In case of unfavorable disposition on the grounds of continuing education in violation of Article 13, Paragraph 3 of the Act, Article 58, Paragraph 2 of the Act, 1 million won
If a person subject to continuing education obligation participates in continuing education (online/face-to-face), the relevant institution may process it with official leave, education order, or education trip.
✅ Corrective order
If the list of subjects subject to mandatory continuing education is not submitted, a corrective order will be issued. (Article 26, Paragraph 1, No. 11 of the Social Welfare Services Act)
✅ Accusation
If the list of recipients of continuing education is not submitted or false information is submitted, the facility operator is reported (Article 54, Paragraph 7 of the Social Welfare Services Act)
2024 Social Worker Continuing Training Application Date
Information on the 2024 social worker continuing education application date announced on the Korean Association of Social Workers’ Online Education Center (on.welfare.net) is as follows. Since the training application date varies depending on the region, please check the training application date for the 1st to 4th rounds and apply for training on that date to avoid any disadvantages.
👉 Click here for 2024 continuing education application date information
2024 Social worker continuing education application date
Please note that the application date is subject to change and will be re-informed in the event of a change, so we recommend that you check the exact date again before applying for continuing education.
So far, we have looked into the areas of continuing education that social welfare must complete (required/optional), and learned more about cases where a person is treated as a non-completer and administrative fines imposed by those who have not completed continuing education and the target institution.
If you are curious about who is eligible for mandatory continuing education in social welfare and how to apply for exemption, please read the article below and refer to it.