Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who is required to join the College?

College membership is required for any person in Ontario who wishes to use the title social worker or social service worker and/or registered social worker or registered social service worker. College membership is required if a person represents or holds out expressly or by implication that he or she is a social worker or a social service worker or a registered social worker or a registered social service worker. Membership in the College is also required in order for a social worker to perform specific functions under the Health Care Consent Act and the Substitute Decisions Act.

Q.  I am currently registered as a social worker in another province.  Can I transfer my membership to the OCSWSSW?

The College has entered into a Mutual Recognition Agreement for social workers. The purpose of the MRA is to establish conditions under which a social worker who is registered in one Canadian jurisdiction will have his or her qualifications recognized in another Canadian jurisdiction which is party to the Agreement. To this end, the College is developing registration processes. At this time, social work applicants who wish information about registration on this basis are encouraged to telephone, email or fax the College. 

There is no Mutual Recognition Agreement for social service workers as Ontario is the only province which regulates social service workers.

Q. What are the specific functions under the Health Care Consent Act and the Substitute Decisions Act for which College membership is required?

Effective May 15, 2000, members of the College who are registered as social workers are authorized to be evaluators under the Health Care Consent Act, 1996. An evaluator is the person who is authorized to determine whether a person is capable with respect to his or her admission to a care facility (which includes a long-term care facility). An evaluator is also authorized to assess whether a person is capable with respect to a personal assistance service (as defined in the Health Care Consent Act).

Effective May 15, 2000, members of the College who are registered as social workers are also authorized to do capacity assessments for the purposes set out in the Substitute Decisions Act, provided they comply with any additional requirements of the Substitute Decisions Act and its regulations. Capacity assessments under the Substitute Decisions Act include assessments of whether a person is capable of managing property or whether a person is capable of performing their own personal care. If you are currently on the roster of capacity assessors, the Capacity Assessment Office will require evidence of your registration as a social worker in the College in order to maintain your status as a capacity assessor under the Substitute Decisions Act.

Q. I applied quite some time ago and have not yet received a certificate of registration. Why is this?

Staff of the College move applications through the various approval processes as quickly as possible. A number of processes must be completed before a certificate of registration is issued. Approximately 50% of applications experience some delay. The reasons for this are varied but include: provision of incomplete information on the application; waiting for receipt of verification of education and/or supporting forms; and payment problems. We communicate as quickly as possible with those applicants whose application is delayed, so that any problem can be resolved, if possible. Once the application is complete, the Registrar must review it prior to issuing a certificate of registration in order to confirm that the applicant meets the registration requirements. Note: Fees are processed upon receipt of an application.

Q. What is my responsibility as a member of the College?

As a member of the College, you are accountable to the professional standards and ethical standards established by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice have been approved by the Council and have been distributed to members.

Q. Can I call myself a social worker or social service worker without registering with the College?

No. You must be a member of the College if you wish to call yourself a social worker or social service worker.

Q. What are the consequences if I do not register with the College and continue to call myself a social worker or social service worker?

It is a provincial offence to use the title social worker or social service worker without being registered with the College. Upon conviction, a person who uses the title without being registered is liable to a fine of up to $5,000 for a first offence, and up to $10,000 for a subsequent offence. In addition, there is provision in the Act for the College to obtain a compliance order from the court.

Q. How does the College benefit the professions?

The establishment of the College gives social workers and social service workers status comparable to other regulated professions in Ontario, such as accountants, lawyers, physicians and nurses.

The establishment of the College may build public confidence in the value of the social work and social service work professions. The existence of a College to ensure competence may strengthen credibility for both professions.

As a professional, you are concerned about the well being of your clients. Until the College was established, anyone, regardless of academic credentials or experience, could call themselves a social worker or social service worker and practise either profession. This legislation helps ensure that your clients receive the same professional service from others who hold themselves out as social workers or social service workers as they have come to expect from you.

Q. As a member, what professional designation will I use?

As a member of the College, if you are a registered social worker, you are obliged to use the designation RSW or TSI in documentation used in connection with your practice of social work and you are required to use either the title "social worker" or "registered social worker" (or their French equivalent) in connection with your practice of social work. If you are a member of the College who is registered as a social service worker, you are obliged to use the designation RSSW or TTSI in documentation used in connection with your practice of social service work and you are required to use either the title "social service worker" or "registered social service worker" (or their French equivalent) in connection with your practice of social service work.

Q. How do I verify if my register information is correct or inquire about another member’s register information?

If you wish to receive a copy of your register information, make the request in writing to the College (e-mail: info@ocswssw.org, fax: 416-972-1512 or mail to our street address) including your name and registration number.

If you wish to receive a copy of the part of the register pertaining to another member, make the request in writing (see above) and include the name of the other member and sufficient identifying information to facilitate the delivery of an accurate copy of the part of the register.

Q. Do I need to pass an entry to practice examination in order to join the College?

Not at this time. The entry to practice examination for the social work category and the entry to practice examination for the social service work category are not currently in place.

In time, applicants for membership in the College will be required to pass an entry to practice examination. The College is currently developing the entry to practice examination requirement for each category of membership.

Q. Will there be continuing competence (quality assurance) requirements? What will they be?

The Standards of Practice Committee developed a Continuing Competence Program (CCP) to ensure that members meet professional and ethical standards and that practice enhancement takes place in an ongoing way. The CCP was approved in principle by Council and in 2004, the College conducted Phase 1 of its consultation with members to identify and resolve potential problems with the program in order to enhance its usefulness. Based on the feedback from Phase 1, the College made revisions and began Phase 2 in May 2008 to solicit feedback from members about the revised program. Based on these findings, the program will be finalized and brought before the College Council for approval.

The program is based on an adult education model. It requires members to review their professional responsibilities, conduct a self-assessment, identify learning objectives, develop and implement a learning plan, and evaluate their progress. Once the program is implemented, members will be required to make an annual declaration to the College of their participation in the program.

Q. Will the College be offering professional liability insurance to members?

The mandate of a regulatory body, such as the College, is to protect the public interest. One of the objects of the College is to receive and investigate complaints against members of the College and to deal with issues of discipline, professional misconduct, incompetency and incapacity. One purpose of professional liability insurance is to provide coverage to offset costs of disciplinary defense associated with malpractice, errors or mistakes in the course of professional duties. Thus it would be a conflict of interest for the College to provide professional liability insurance to its members. Typically, professional associations, whose mandate is to promote the profession and the interests of those in the profession, offer professional liability insurance as one of the benefits of membership.

While in some provinces the regulation of a profession has been delegated to a professional association, this is not the case in Ontario, where to date, regulation of a profession has been delegated to the profession through the creation, by statute, of specific professional regulatory bodies.

Q. I am currently enrolled in a social work/social service work program. Can I join the College as a student member?

The College does not have a student member category. However, if you are graduating with a degree in social work or a diploma in social service work and require membership in the College prior to convocation, but after you have completed all the academic and practicum requirements, the Registrar may issue a general certificate of registration provided all other registration requirements are met, and you agree to a term, condition and limitation on the certificate of registration. This process requires that a specific form be completed by your academic institution and that you also complete a form that confirms your agreement to a term, condition and limitation on your certificate of registration until such time that you obtain your degree or diploma.