Labour is calling for a registry of social workers, saying the Government is failing to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

Social Development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni says there have been a number of cases of misconduct by unregistered staff.

"Of those 17 [cases] where there has been misconduct of some sort by the social worker, only one of them was registered," she says.

Sepuloni says under current law, anyone can call themselves a social worker.