Dear Colleagues,
It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 Social Work Congress, to be held on the Gold Coast from 18–20 November 2026. This year is especially meaningful as it marks the 80th anniversary of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). It’s a big milestone that honours the proud legacy of our profession and the lasting impact social workers have had across Australia.
Our theme for the Congress, 80 Years of Leadership, Shaping Tomorrow Together, perfectly reflects this moment in time. For eight decades, social workers have been at the heart of advancing social justice, supporting communities, and pushing for change. Today, with issues like the urgent need for better responses to family and domestic violence, the challenges within the NDIS and disability services, housing insecurity, aged care, disaster response, climate justice, and the ongoing fight for genuine cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, social work has never been more vital.
At the same time, our profession faces its own battles, like the push for national registration and the fight to protect the title of “social worker.” Securing national registration is vital to ensure that our work is recognised, respected, and regulated across the country. It’s about safeguarding the integrity of our profession and ensuring that the public can trust the expertise of every social worker they encounter. Protecting the title means maintaining the high standards of training, ethics, and accountability that have always defined social work in Australia.
The Congress will give us the opportunity to reflect on these important issues, share best practices, and strengthen our collective voice as we shape the future of our profession. Over the three days, we’ll hear from keynote speakers, researchers, practitioners, and advocates, both from Australia and overseas. And we’ll also have the chance to share our knowledge in conversation. Together, we’ll explore fresh ideas and innovations, and map out a way forward for a profession that’s both deeply rooted in its history and excited for what’s to come.
But the Congress isn’t just about sessions and talks. It’s about connection. It’s about building networks across different practice areas, celebrating the work we’ve done together, and acknowledging excellence through the AASW National Excellence Awards. I encourage you to take full advantage of the opportunity to engage in conversations, renew old connections, and make new ones that will help sustain and strengthen the social work community well beyond 2026.
Your participation is what will make this Congress truly inspiring and impactful. I’m looking forward to seeing you on the Gold Coast as we celebrate our past and build the future of social work together.
See you there!
Warm regards,
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Association of Social Workers