College Updates

The College recently made some changes to its website to improve the user experience for all stakeholders, including registered members and the Ontario public at large. These improvements are part of the College’s strategic plan to strengthen stakeholder and public awareness. The now more accessible and transparent ocswssw.org includes the following design changes: Introducing the College’s New Public Section The College website now features a Public section to help Ontarians access important information, including the…

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Dear member: We invite you to participate in the College’s online member communications survey. The College is currently undertaking a review of its overall member communications strategy in an effort to continually improve our services and gauge member needs. The survey will allow us to measure the success of our communications tools and services to determine areas of improvement. All answers are strictly confidential and no identifying information is required. The survey will take approximately…

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On Thursday May 31, 2018, the College held an election for social work members and social service work members in Electoral District No. 4. The results of the College Council elections are now final and the candidates below are declared elected by the Election Committee. Terms for the elected Council members will commence in September 2018. Role of Council Members Council Members provide direction to the College and its staff in fulfilling its mandate to…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers' Annual Meeting and Education Day (AMED) is fast approaching and we are looking forward to the event on Thursday, May 24, 2018. AMED is part of the Glenda McDonald Educational Series. While registration to attend AMED in-person has reached full capacity, we invite you to join in via livestream. Livestream Information Once again this year, the Annual Meeting portion of the day in addition to…

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The College has learned that the new Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA) and its supporting regulations have been proclaimed in force as of April 30, 2018. While the majority of provisions in the CYFSA are now in effect, Part X (Personal Information) will come into force January 1, 2020. The CYFSA replaces the Child and Family Services Act, RSO 1990 (CFSA), which has been repealed. Members can access the CYFSA and its…

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The College is pleased to announce that the spring 2018 issue of Perspective can now be viewed on the Perspective website. This issue's feature article, “20,000 Strong: Looking Back at 18 Years of Regulatory Excellence”, celebrates the College's 20,000-member milestone by looking at two individuals who have been with the College from the very beginning. Also in this issue… Message from the Registrar – Strengthening Stakeholder and Public AwarenessTerminating Social Work and Social Service Work…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers is pleased to remind you of the upcoming Annual Meeting and Education Day (AMED). The event takes place on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building (Toronto). AMED is part of the Glenda McDonald Educational Series. While registration to attend AMED in-person has reached full capacity, we invite OCSWSSW members to join in via livestream. Don't miss out on what will…

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The following is being circulated at the request of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO): As OCSWSSW members are aware, on December 30, 2017, the government of Ontario proclaimed into force the controlled act of psychotherapy, with a two-year transition period to allow the mental health sector a period of time in which individuals must either become registered with one of the appropriate colleges or restrict their services so that they do not perform the…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new initiative that aims to further extend the College’s reach to the Ontario public and continue to fulfill our primary duty of public protection. The College’s message to Ontarians is simple: check to make sure your social worker/social service worker’s name is on the Online Register. A quick check on our website will tell you whether…

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The College would like to remind all members who have not yet renewed their membership for 2018 that a $50 penalty fee has been added to unpaid renewal fees effective February 1, 2018. Important Note: If you do not intend to renew your membership for 2018 or wish to change your membership status, you must contact the College for further instructions. Renew Your Membership OnlineRenew your membership through the College's online member services.To renew your…

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The College has important information for members regarding the proclamation of the controlled act of psychotherapy, the Continuing Competence Program (CCP), and the Social Workers and Social Service Workers Professional Development Fund (SWSSWPDF). PsychotherapyMembers have been contacting the Professional Practice Department with many questions about the controlled act of psychotherapy, including whether or not they can call themselves a “psychotherapist”. As of December 30, 2017, members of the College may perform the controlled act of…

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Effective immediately, Member Resource USBs have been phased out. You can now access all important documents and resources directly from the Resources for Members webpage, including the following: The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Handbook, Second Edition, 2008. Includes amendments to the Standards of Practice, effective October 1, 2010, February 13, 2011, May 6, 2015 and January 1, 2018. CCP documents CCP Instruction GuideCCP Self-Assessment Tool and Professional Development Plan PDFCCP Self-Assessment Tool…

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