College Office Closed for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) will be closed on Monday, October 2nd in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity for all Canadians to learn about and reflect on the dark chapter in the country’s history, honour the children who never came home and to commemorate the survivors of the residential “school” system, their families and…

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2023-2024 College Council Remains Committed to Protecting Ontarians

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College), is pleased to announce the 2023/2024 College Council. “Our registrants, social workers and social service workers, play a crucial role in the well-being of Ontarians,” said Council Chair John Fleming, who was re-elected to the position on September 7. “They represent the largest workforce of mental health professionals in Ontario, delivering services in diverse settings such as schools, the justice system, hospitals, communities…

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Council Highlights for September 7-8, 2023

September 7, 2023 The following Council members were elected by Council to the Executive Committee: John Fleming, Public member – Council Chair Sanjay Govindaraj, RSW – Vice-Chair Carrie McEachran, Public member – Executive Member Elayne Tanner, RSW – Executive Member Madimba Tshibuabua, RSSW – Executive Member Sue-Ellen Merritt, RSSW – Executive Member September 8, 2023 Council reviewed and approved the recommendations of the Nominating Committee with respect to statutory and non-statutory committee membership and chairs.…

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College’s Revised Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Now Available

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is excited to share that the revised Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice were recently approved by College Council and are now available for you to view on the College’s website! Thank you to all registrants who provided us with their insights – your feedback helped to refine and revise the minimum standards of practice for professional and ethical care in Ontario. Revisions to the Code…

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Council Meeting Highlights for May 1, 2023

Council declared Carrie McEachran, public member, elected to the Executive Committee by acclamation until the end of the 2022-23 Council year. John Fleming, Council Chair, provided his report to Council. Council approved a number of decisions around the implementation of recommendations from the governance review including changes to the election process for prospective candidates seeking election to College Council. These changes include additional screening using a Council Member Profile which describes governance attributes and competencies.…

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IMPORTANT NOTICE – WEBSITE MAINTENANCE UPDATE

The College will be performing scheduled maintenance on the College website from Monday, August 14, 2023 at 10 p.m. until Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 2 a.m. During this timeframe, we anticipate that there may be disruptions to the College website and online services, including the Online Register, Registrant Portal, and Applicant Portal. To find a registrant or confirm the registration status of a social worker or social service worker, please contact the College at info@ocswssw.org.…

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College Response to the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee Report – August 2023

The Office of the Chief Coroner has informed the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) of the outcome of a review by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC) and sought the College’s support in actioning one of its recommendations. This eBulletin is intended to address the DVDRC’s recommendation by: Sharing the findings of the DVDRC with registrants. Reminding registrants of their professional obligations with respect to competence, currency and…

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Watch the 2023 AMED Videos Online!

The College held its 2023 Annual Meeting and Education Day (AMED) virtually on June 13, 2023. With almost 2,600 registered attendees, this year’s AMED was a tremendous success! We invite registrants to watch the videos of the AMED sessions — the theme of which was Making the Connection: Professionalism, Accountability and Public Protection — on the College website and YouTube channel.The AMED 2023 videos available on the College website and YouTube channel are as follows: Annual Meeting Welcome Message and Opening Intention Council Chair’s Report…

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Professional Practice Update: 2023 Continuing Competence Program

In this update: Reminder: 2023 Continuing Competence Program Read the latest Practice Notes on sexual abuse of clients The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is pleased to share the following updates to support social workers and social service workers in their practice: Reminder: 2023 Continuing Competence Program The College encourages registrants to get started on their 2023 Continuing Competence Program (CCP) if they haven’t done so already. The CCP…

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Message from the Council Chair – Announcement of New Registrar and CEO

The Council of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is pleased to announce the appointment of Denitha Breau as the new Registrar and CEO, effective August 1, 2023. Denitha's selection comes after careful consideration and a diligent and extensive recruitment process to identify the ideal candidate. With over 15 years of valuable regulatory knowledge and experience, Denitha has been serving as the Deputy Registrar at the College for the…

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Important Notice – Website Maintenance Update

The College will be performing scheduled maintenance on the College website on Sunday, June 18th from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. During this timeframe, we anticipate that there may be disruptions to the College website and online services, including the Online Register, Registrant Portal, and Applicant Portal. To find a registrant or confirm the registration status of a social worker or social service worker, please contact the College at info@ocswssw.org. We apologize for any inconvenience…

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College Response to CASWE Statement on Entry-to-Practice Exams

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) has been made aware that the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) has issued a formal statement expressing their opposition to the College’s decision to implement entry-to-practice exams. Please see the College’s response to the CASWE statement below. Jason Albert, CASWE-ACFTS Interim President andCarole Carpot, CASWE-ACFTS Executive Directored-dg@caswe-acfts.ca May 29, 2023 Dear Jason and Carole: We are writing as Council Chair and…

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