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May is Mental Health Month, which makes it a good time to do something many of us put off: check in honestly on how we're doing and if we’re getting the support we need. For many Ontarians, mental health is a complicated subject. When someone finally takes the step to reach out, it matters significantly that the professional they are working with is qualified, ethical and genuinely accountable. This is where registered social workers and…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is working with the consulting firm Rigor as part of a comprehensive review of its Continuing Competence Program (CCP). The goal of this project is to better understand how registrants practise across diverse settings and sectors, identify emerging practice contexts and variations in scope, and ensure that the CCP remains current, supportive, effective and responsive. The CCP has traditionally been based on an…

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The College is pleased to offer the following resources to support you in your work and practice: Exploring practice, together – Join us for upcoming Coffee with the College sessions Join us for the next dates in our interactive series, Coffee with the College. Hosted by the Professional Practice Team, these sessions offer a forum to explore common ethical and practice issues in a thoughtful, dialogue-based environment. Registrants can engage directly with staff through questions…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) is continuing its work with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to implement entry-to-practice exams for applicants. We are now at the planning stage where we are in a position to share when exams will begin as a registration requirement. Although we will begin implementing exams in late 2027 for certain applicant groups, the exam requirement for applicants who have graduated from an…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is collaborating with the consulting firm Rigor as part of a comprehensive review of its Continuing Competence Program (CCP). The goal of this project is to develop a clearer understanding of how registrants practise across diverse settings and sectors, identify emerging practices and variations in scope and ensure that the CCP remains current, supportive and effective. The research phase of the project will run…

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The College is pleased to provide registrants with the following information to support their practice. In this update: 2026 CCP required resources NEW - Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) SAPP information sessions 2026 CCP Required Resources The Continuing Competence Program (CCP) is a mandatory requirement for all College registrants except those in the retired class of registration. This includes registrants who are not currently practising, those in the inactive class and registrants on maternity, parental or sick leave.…

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The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is pleased to share that the 2025 Educational Forum is now available to watch by visiting the College website or YouTube channel. The College’s Director of Professional Practice, Christina Van Sickle, MSW, RSW, facilitated a panel discussion entitled The Greatest Risk Requires the Greatest Competence – Private Practice and Psychotherapy. The expert panel explored what competencies are needed to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy, and why…

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In this update: New online application process for Council elections What do Council members do? Am I eligible to stand for election?   Register for an informational webinar Are you interested in becoming a member of the College Council? The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is pleased to announce that the call for applications is now open for interested registrants in Electoral District No. 3. On Friday, June 19,…

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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 information about the DVDRC review with registrants. Reminding registrants of their professional obligations to ensure risk assessment tools are…

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The College is pleased to invite registrants to participate in the following interactive events to support their practice: Join us for an informational session on the revised Practice Guidelines for Consent and Confidentiality with Children and Youth As mentioned in an eBulletin on December 3, 2025, the Practice Guidelines for Consent and Confidentiality with Children and Youth have been updated to reflect current practice and provide specific guidance to registrants. The revised Practice Guidelines can be accessed…

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Starting January 1, 2026, social workers already registered in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction who meet specific requirements and provide the required documentation to the College will receive notice from the College that they are deemed certified. This certification allows them to work in Ontario for a one-time six-month period. For more information, review this resource.

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Please note that the College will be closed as of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 and will reopen on Monday, January 5, 2026. Registrants may contact the College at info@ocswssw.org for assistance with the Online Portal and their annual renewal of registration. We wish everyone health and happiness this holiday season!

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