FAQs

As a social worker or social service worker, you are permitted to administer Naloxone. During a life-threatening emergency due to an opioid overdose, any individual can administer Naloxone.

If the administration of Naloxone is an expected part of your professional role, the College expects that you will have a formal delegation from a regulated health professional (e.g. a physician, nurse, pharmacist) in place before administering Naloxone. A formal delegation protects the public by ensuring that they receive Naloxone treatment from a competent and authorized professional.

You should ensure that you are up to date with the information and guidance around the administration of Naloxone and consult the Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.

The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:

• Practice Notes: Administration of Naloxone
• Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
• The ETHICS-A: Ethical Decision-Making Tool

As a social worker or social service worker, you are permitted to distribute Naloxone kits, also known as Narcan kits.

The College requires you to be aware of your level of competence and your professional scope of practice, as described in the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice before carrying out any task related to the distribution of medications. 

You should also ensure that you have reviewed the information and guidance around the administration of Naloxone included in the Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.

The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:

• Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices
• The ETHICS-A: Ethical Decision-Making Tool

If the administration of Naloxone is an expected part of your professional role, the College expects that you will have a formal delegation from a regulated health professional (e.g. a physician, nurse, pharmacist) in place before administering Naloxone. A formal delegation protects the public by ensuring that they receive Naloxone treatment from a competent and authorized professional.

A formal delegation can be a direct order or a medical directive created by any regulated health professional. You can find more information on formal delegations and how to establish them in the College’s Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.

The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:

• Practice Notes: Administration of Naloxone
• Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
• The ETHICS-A: Ethical Decision-Making Tool

College members may find themselves in situations where they are required to administer Naloxone in their workplace as part of their role (e.g. a supervised injection site). In these situations, the College expects that you will have a formal delegation from a regulated health professional (e.g. a physician, nurse, pharmacist) in place before administering Naloxone.

A formal delegation protects the public by ensuring that they receive Naloxone treatment from a competent and authorized professional. You can take steps to establish a formal delegation process with your employer by seeking input or consultation from your supervisor and taking into consideration the following:

• Do I have a role that would bring me into frequent contact with clients who may be experiencing an opioid overdose?
• Have I been provided with a Naloxone/Narcan kit by my organization?
• Have I received sufficient training on how to administer Naloxone and manage the outcome from my workplace?
• Am I competent to administer Naloxone?

You can find more information on formal delegations and how to establish them in the College’s Practice Guidelines for Medication Practices which includes an appendix on the administration of Naloxone.

The following College practice resources may also assist you in practising ethically and professionally:

• Practice Notes: Administration of Naloxone
• Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
• The ETHICS-A: Ethical Decision-Making Tool

Yes, with a few exceptions. The College conducts its investigations discreetly and does not comment to the public on the complaints that it receives. However, relevant information or documents you share with us may also be shared with the other party to the complaint to aid in any further response that may be required for the investigation. Although the College aims to maintain confidentiality in all its investigations, there are occasions when information or documents you provide to us may be disclosed to other people. For instance, information may need to be provided to an individual we contact in the course of the investigation so that we can get a statement or documentation from them. Should the matter be referred to the Discipline Committee, any documents or information obtained during the course of a complaint investigation may be referenced at a discipline hearing, which is generally open to the public.

The College only has jurisdiction to investigate written complaints relating to the conduct of a member of the College. In general, complaints must relate to conduct referable to when the person to whom the conduct relates was a member of the College. The College may, in exceptional circumstances, consider a complaint about a current College member concerning certain types of serious conduct that occurred before they became a member.

There is no time limit in which to make a complaint. However, delay in making a complaint may impact upon the College’s ability to meaningfully consider the complaint. For example, lengthy delay may cause relevant documents or witnesses to become unavailable and may impact on the investigation and consideration of the complaint. In addition, it is important not to file a complaint prematurely. For example, if you have raised these concerns with another body, you may wish to await the outcome before filing a complaint with the College.

If you have a concern regarding the practice or conduct of a social worker or social service worker, we suggest that you first attempt to address your concerns directly with the social worker or social service worker or with the agency/employer if applicable. This is usually the most direct way to address your concerns. If this is not possible or successful, you may wish to consider filing a complaint with the College by following these steps:

1. Check the College’s Online Register to confirm the person you wish to complain about is a College member. The College only has jurisdiction over College members.
2. Satisfy yourself that the complaints process is the best forum to address your concern by reviewing this Guide.
3. Complete the Complaint Form. Be concise, specific and clear.
   NOTE: Complaints may also be recorded on a tape, film, disk or other medium that is capable of being reduced to writing. If you are submitting your complaint via these formats, you must answer all of the questions contained in the Complaint Form.

If you have questions regarding the filing of your complaint, you may contact Complaints and Discipline staff at investigations@ocswssw.org or 416 972-9882, ext. 210 or 223, or toll free 1 (877) 828-9380, ext. 210 or 223.

The Complaints Committee makes decisions concerning complaints. The Committee is composed of experienced social workers and social service workers as well as members of the public.

All complaints against members are considered by the Complaints Committee, however not all complaints are investigated. The College’s governing legislation allows the Complaints Committee to refuse to investigate a complaint if in its opinion the complaint does not relate to professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity on the part of a member, or if the complaint is deemed to be frivolous, vexatious or an abuse of the College’s process.

A separate complaint must be filed in connection with the conduct or actions of each member of the College.

No. The College can not consider or investigate a complaint unless the member complained against has been provided an opportunity to fully respond to the complaint. This would include knowledge of the identity of the individual making the complaint.

Generally, once a complaint is received,

1. The individual who made the complaint (“the Complainant”) can expect to receive a letter from the College acknowledging receipt of the complaint and advising of the process that will follow. The College may ask for consent forms to be signed in order to access records pertaining to the complainant, or if the complaint is filed on behalf of an individual, to access the individual’s records.
2. The member complained against is notified in writing of the College’s receipt of a complaint and is provided with a copy of the complaint form or a written summary of the complaint and is given at least 35 days to provide the College with a written response to the complaint.
3. The College investigator will conduct an investigation into the matter. The role of the College investigator is to gather information about the issues raised in the complaint. In carrying out this role, the College investigator may, among other things, interview witnesses and compile documents related to the complaint, such as client records.
4. All of the information the investigator has gathered is put before the Complaints Committee who carefully reviews the information to determine the appropriate regulatory response which will be communicated to the parties in writing.
5. If the Complaints Committee decides to refer allegations to the Discipline Committee, the Discipline Committee will hold a public hearing. For more information on Discipline Hearings, please refer to the Discipline page on College’s website.

You may choose to obtain legal advice or representation, but it is not a requirement of the College.

No. Neither the individual who filed the complaint nor the member complained against is entitled to meet with the Complaints Committee.

• Take no action with respect to the complaint
• Require the member complained against to appear before the Complaints Committee to be cautioned
• Take any action the Complaints Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances that is consistent with the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, the regulations or the College bylaws for example, issue a letter of concern to the member
• Refer the matter to the Fitness to Practise Committee of the College
• Refer the matter to the Discipline Committee of the College

• Award money or damages or reimburse fees paid
• Require a member to do something; i.e. apologize, or stop doing something
• Require the member to alter a report written in respect of custody and access or other similar issues
• Substitute or alter the decision of a member made in the context of an arbitration or other proceeding

No. Section 50(6) of the Social Work and Social Service Work Act states that none of the information you receive in the course of the complaints process is admissible in any civil court proceeding outside of the College. This includes any responses from the College member and the decision of the Complaints Committee.

No.

The Social Work and Social Service Work Act requires the Complaints Committee to use its best efforts to dispose of a complaint within 120 days of the date on which the College received it. Although the College strives to dispose of complaints as quickly as possible, it is not always possible to do so within 120 days. However, there are some things that can be done to enable the complaints process to run as efficiently and smoothly as possible. This includes:

• Ensuring any documents submitted as part of your complaint are directly relevant to your concerns. For instance, if you are complaining about a report or assessment authored by the member, please include a copy with your complaint. This will eliminate time spent on trying to retrieve this information.
• Ensuring that only documents that are relevant to the specific concerns complained about are submitted. Receiving large volumes of documents that have no relevance to the complaint or the member’s actions, are not properly labelled or where the relevance of the documents has not been identified adds delay to the process. If further information is required as part of an investigation, the College will ask for it.
• Once a complaint is filed, please do not send additional information or raise new allegations. New allegations may require the need to file a separate complaint. The receipt of additional information, which has to be reviewed and assessed, can delay the College’s investigation.

No. There is no appeal process for complaints.

As part of its mandate to protect the public, the College maintains an Online Register of all registered social workers and registered social service workers in Ontario. The Online Register contains information regarding a member’s registration status, discipline history, if any, and their employer contact information. We strongly encourage the public to check the College’s Online Register to confirm the registration status of an individual.

While the College’s physical office remains closed to the public, the College has transitioned to a hybrid work model with some staff onsite while others work remotely and we continue to carry out our regulatory operations, including our complaints and discipline processes. Should you have a concern about a College member or wish to file a complaint, we encourage you to visit the Complaints and Discipline page of the College website for more information. We also encourage you to review the College’s Complaints Guide, which provides an overview of the College’s complaints process.

As the College continues to take its cues from government and public health authorities, the College recommends that members who intend to see clients in-person conduct client screening and monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms beforehand and avoid practising if they are feeling ill.

There are several factors to be considered in relation to the important decision of a member to see clients in-person or by electronic means, including client needs and/or preferences.

The College continues to provide recommendations that are intended to protect the health and well-being of both members and the Ontario public.

The Continuing Competence Program (CCP) is based on The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, Second Edition, 2008.

The CCP involves the following four steps:

• Review The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Handbook, Second Edition, 2008 and other documents every year.
• Complete the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT).
• Complete the Professional Development Plan (PDP).
• Complete the Declaration of Participation in the CCP as part of the annual renewal of registration process and retain your CCP Portfolio.

Although you are not required to submit your CCP materials to the College, you must retain your CCP Portfolio which contains the Standards of Practice Checklist, the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT), the Professional Development Plan (PDP), and documentation as proof of completion of your learning activities.

You must retain your CCP Portfolio for a minimum of seven years. Members must, at any time required by the College, provide evidence satisfactory to the College that they have completed the CCP.

In accordance with the Registration Regulation under the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998, registrants must provide evidence of continuing competence to practise social work or social service work.

As a regulated professional, you are expected to display a sound knowledge base, well-developed skills and sound judgment in carrying out your professional responsibilities. You are accountable for your actions and are expected to engage in activities to enhance your practice.

The fundamental responsibility for ensuring continuing competence rests with you.

The purpose of the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) is to promote high standards and quality assurance with respect to social work and social service work. In keeping with an adult education model, the program is based on the assumption that registrants have areas of strength, as well as areas in which they can further develop their knowledge and skills. The College is mandated to ensure that registrants are actively involved in the process of self-evaluation, goal setting and learning activities; however, it does not intend to “police” the practice of registrants. The ongoing responsibility to maintain competence, and the specifics of a registrant’s self-assessment, learning goals and professional development plan are the professional responsibility of the individual and not determined by the College. Registrants must, however, at any time required by the College, provide evidence satisfactory to the College that they have completed the CCP.

It is not necessary to collect neither credits nor hours as the Continuing Competence Program is not based on either of these criteria. However, it is expected that you maintain a record of your learning activities and experiences.

It is recommended that registrants spend a minimum of 25 hours a year on meeting their learning goal(s); however in many cases, registrants will devote far more time than this. The learning activities and experiences you identify will vary in time commitment. What is most important is that you take the necessary steps to meet your learning goal(s). While some goals will be met within a short period of time, others will require months or even years.

Professional development activities stem from the learning goals you’ve set for yourself through the self-assessment process. As long as a learning activity or experience clearly relates to a learning goal and the Standards of Practice, it is acceptable.

No. However, you do need to retain your CCP Portfolio for a minimum of ten years. You are also required to complete the Declaration of Participation in the Continuing Competence Program as part of your annual renewal of registration process. Registrants must, at any time required by the College, provide evidence satisfactory to the College that they have completed the CCP.

Learning is an ongoing process. By completing the self-assessment you will be able to assess your strengths and identify the areas that you can enhance. This will enable you to develop a learning plan based on your personal learning needs. By developing your own plan, you have a greater chance of attaining the goals you have set for yourself.

Participation in the Continuing Competence Program means, on an annual basis, completing the Standards of Practice Checklist, the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT), and the Professional Development Plan (PDP), and engaging in the learning activities identified in the PDP. As evidence of your participation, you are required to complete the Declaration of Participation in the Continuing Competence Program as part of your annual renewal of registration process.

According to the Registration Regulation made under the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998, providing evidence satisfactory to the College of continuing competence is a condition of a certificate of registration. The Registrar may suspend a registrant’s certificate of registration for failing to comply with this condition. If your certificate of registration is suspended, you will no longer be able to:

• Use the protected title “social worker”, “registered social worker”, “social service worker”, “registered social service worker” or their French equivalents
• Represent or hold out, expressly or by implication that you are a social worker, registered social worker, social service worker or registered social service worker.

It is an act of professional misconduct to engage in the practice of social work or social service work while your certificate of registration is suspended. In addition, a notation of the suspension and the reason for the suspension will be entered on the College’s Register. This information is available to the public. Not participating in the College’s CCP, not providing evidence of participation or providing false information about your participation in the program may also be grounds for professional misconduct. Registrants must, at any time required by the College, provide evidence satisfactory to the College that they have completed the CCP. The College will take appropriate steps to respond to such conduct, including referring the matter to a statutory committee of the College.

Depending on your learning plan, some learning activities may be completed quickly while others may be more long-term. You will be required, however, to complete the Standards of Practice Checklist, the SAT and the PDP on an annual basis. These activities will help you develop your learning plan and identify appropriate learning activities and experiences. Continuing competence is just that — continuing.

Yes. Learning continues throughout one’s career, regardless of years of experience.

As a regulated professional, you are expected to participate in the CCP, regardless of your work status. However you can ensure that your learning plan and the learning opportunities you’ve identified are flexible and accessible. Note that learning activities and experiences can include self-directed reading, online learning, and other informal learning activities.

The retired class of certificate of registration is intended for registrants who are no longer practising social work or social service work and do not intend to return to practice in Ontario or any other jurisdiction. Registrants in the retired class are not required to participate in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP).

Generally yes, but exceptions are possible, as described below:

You will be required to submit an annual declaration verifying that you are participating in the CCP according to the Guidelines for the Continuing Competence Program. Registrants must, at any time required by the College, produce their CCP Portfolio (which includes the Standards of Practice Checklist, Self-Assessment Tool, Professional Development Plan, and evidence of completion of your learning activities).

Generally, information provided to the College by a registrant in connection with the CCP will only be used by the Professional Practice Department, who administers the CCP on behalf of the College.

Registrants should understand, however, there may be circumstances where information obtained in connection with a registrant’s participation in the program or the registrant’s failure to participate in the program may be shared with other departments of the College. For example, a registrant’s failure to provide information regarding his or her participation in the program may raise a concern about whether a registrant has committed an act of professional misconduct. In addition, if there is a complaint made about you, the Complaints Committee may examine “all the information and documents that the College has that are relevant to the complaint.” The information regarding your participation in the CCP may be relevant to a complaint and shared with the Complaints Committee (and other departments of the College).

The College website has a “Resources” section which contains educational materials for registrants, such as Practice Notes, Practice Guidelines and informational articles.

In keeping with the adult education model, through the CCP, each registrant is expected to identify their own professional learning needs and activities. The College’s definition of learning activities is broad in order to allow registrants to fully participate in the program.

No. The CCP is self-directed and based on an adult education model and is not based on credits or hours.

No. The CCP uses a Self-Assessment Tool, based on the Standards of Practice, to help you to evaluate your own strengths and learning needs. An employer’s evaluation is more limited, focusing on your performance of workplace duties. These are different processes and documents. Certainly, your workplace performance appraisal may provide you with feedback suggesting practice areas in need of improvement, from which you may develop aspects of your learning plan and goals. Likewise, aspects of the CCP may complement your workplace performance appraisal. You may decide to retain a copy of your performance appraisal along with your CCP documents.

Yes. If you have indicated on your registration form that you prefer all correspondence in French, then automatically the material will be forwarded to you in French. The CCP materials are available in alternate format upon request. Please contact the Professional Practice Department.

If you have questions regarding the Continuing Competence Program, please contact the Professional Practice Department.

College members who are wondering whether they can provide services to clients who live outside Ontario are advised to contact the regulatory body of the province or jurisdiction where the client is located to determine the requirements of the regulatory body in that province or jurisdiction. Members in this situation are also advised to seek legal advice and contact their professional liability insurance provider before providing services.

Members of the College are permitted to practise in Ontario, whether or not they reside here. Practice may include direct or indirect, clinical or non-clinical care or services.

Members of the College may decide, as part of their assessment and/or treatment plan, that it would be helpful to contact family members or other individuals who live in another province and have obtained consent from their client to do so. Whether they need to register with the regulatory body in that province as well depends on the nature and purpose of the contact with such family members or other individuals and whether the family members or individuals would be considered to be collateral contacts or part of the client system.  Members are encouraged to contact the College’s Professional Practice Department and the regulatory body in the province in which these family members or individuals reside to discuss this question.

In these circumstances, both individuals are part of the client system.  Members of the College are permitted to provide care and services to clients who live in Ontario. However, since one of the clients lives outside Ontario, members are advised in these circumstances to contact the regulatory body where the other individual  resides in order to determine the requirements of the regulatory body in that province or jurisdiction. Members in this situation are also advised to seek legal advice and to contact their professional liability insurance provider before providing services.

Members of the College are permitted to practise with clients who live in Ontario, regardless of whether the client is in Ontario on a temporary or permanent basis. If the client continues to require services after returning to their home province or jurisdiction, members would need to consider the requirements in the College’s Standards of Practice for appropriate termination of services and/or referral. In some instances, members may determine that it is in the best interests of the client for them to continue to provide services; in these instances, members are advised to contact the regulatory body in the province or jurisdiction in question to determine the requirements of the regulatory body in that province or jurisdiction, and to seek legal advice and contact their professional liability insurance provider, before continuing to provide services

Throughout the strategic planning process, the College has carefully considered stakeholder feedback in order to ensure that the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan provides clarity with respect to the College’s direction and priorities moving forward. In terms of next steps, the College will implement and measure its progress toward each of the priorities and objectives set out in the Strategic Plan, including the strategic priority of increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. The Strategic Plan will be operationalized on an annual basis through the budget and work plan. Careful consideration will be given to the various approaches that will be undertaken to identify, respond to and operationalize each strategic priority and objective. Progress on the goals and activities described in the annual work plan will be reported on at each Council meeting and highlighted in the College’s Council meeting highlights, eBulletins, annual reports and other communications. All of these steps ensure that the Strategic Plan is a living document that provides the foundation and guidance for all College decisions over the next four years.

The College believes that profound societal, political and institutional changes are needed to address anti-Black racism and other forms of systemic oppression. Through its new Strategic Plan, Council has indicated its commitment to moving forward on the challenging and very important issues of diversity, equity and inclusion as they relate to the College’s regulatory role. This overarching priority encompasses anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, and other forms of systemic oppression which disproportionately affect racialized communities. We recognize that these critical issues directly impact the work of our registrants, and the College’s communications, resources and other materials will continue to support registrants in practising ethically and professionally and to reflect our public protection mandate.

The College is committed to developing partnerships with Indigenous communities to begin to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s calls to action within the regulatory context. In doing so, we recognize that we must proceed thoughtfully, avoid imposing our own assumptions and framework, and begin instead with truly listening to the experiences, ideas and needs of Indigenous people living in Canada. The TRC was established to contribute to truth, healing and reconciliation — and reconciliation, as the TRC noted, is an ongoing individual and collective process.

The College recognizes and shares concerns about incidents involving police use of force during mental health checks – incidents which have disproportionately affected Indigenous, Black and racialized communities served by our registrants, and had tragic outcomes.

With respect to mental health checks, as noted in the College’s July 15, 2020 eBulletin, registrants are advised to use their professional judgment to apply the College’s Standards of Practice in the best interests of the individuals, families and communities they serve. The Standards of Practice are meant to be applied to registrants’ practice in conjunction with any applicable legislation and with their professional judgment. It is important to note that the Standards of Practice do not explicitly require registrants to call the police in crisis situations, but rather require that they use their professional judgment to consider: their obligations with respect to privacy and other legislation; the best interests of the client; and the broad range of options available.

The College believes that requiring Children’s Aid Society (CAS) workers to be registered with the College would play an important role in increasing equity in Ontario. This is because all Ontarians – especially the vulnerable children and youth as well as Black, Indigenous and people of colour communities receiving vital services and supports from CAS workers – deserve the protection provided by College oversight.

As noted in its August 17, 2020 eBulletin regarding the changes to Ontario’s child welfare system, the College is disappointed that the Government of Ontario’s modernization strategy does not take into consideration any requirement for CAS workers to be registered with the College. The absence of such a requirement ignores the College’s important role in protecting the Ontario public from harm caused by incompetent, unqualified or unfit practitioners. It also further exacerbates existing inequities by denying vulnerable Ontarians the protection offered by the College.

Mandatory reporting alerts the College if there is a concern that a social worker or social service worker is not practising safely. The report allows the College to take action to protect the public.

A report does not constitute a finding of professional misconduct or incapacity against the member who is the subject of the report. Only the College’s Discipline Committee or Fitness to Practise Committee can make these determinations.

All members of the College have mandatory reporting obligations. This is legislated in the Social Work and Social Service Work Act.

1. Employers
Employers are required to report the termination of a social worker or social service worker’s employment for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity. An employer must also file a report if it intended to terminate the member’s employment, but the member resigned before it could do so. Even in situations where the employer agrees to accept the member’s resignation in lieu of termination, the legal obligation to report to the College remains the same.

By notifying the College of concerns about a member’s practice, employers assist the College in protecting the public. When a member’s employment is terminated or they resign before any outstanding issues can be addressed, the member’s practice and/or conduct is unmonitored and may pose a risk to the public. Once aware of the concerns, the College will assess the report for risk and determine the most appropriate regulatory response.

Reports must be made within 30 days of the termination or resignation of the member, and should be submitted on the College’s Reporting Form. Please fill in all relevant sections of the Reporting Form and then mail, email or fax the Reporting Form along with relevant supporting documentation to the College. (Note: To fill and sign the Reporting Form, please save and open as a PDF first.)

2. Social workers and social service workers
Social workers and social service workers are members of the College.  College members are required to file a report with the College if they have reasonable grounds to believe that another social worker or social service worker has sexually abused a client. Members are also required to file a self-report if they have been convicted of a criminal offence involving sexual conduct. Member reports must be made promptly, and should be submitted on the College’s Reporting Form. Please fill in all relevant sections of the Reporting Form and then mail, email or fax the Reporting Form along with relevant supporting documentation to the College. (Note: To fill and sign the Reporting Form, please save and open as a PDF first.)

Please note College members are required to disclose other information to the College as part of the annual renewal of their certificate of registration. These are different from the mandatory reporting obligations discussed in this guide. For more information about these requirements, please review section 6 the Registration Regulation to the Social Work and Social Service Work Act or contact the College’s Membership Department at info@ocswssw.org.

3. Health information custodians
The Personal Health Information Protection Act sets out the mandatory reporting obligations of health information custodians. A “health information custodian” (or “HIC”) is defined as anyone who is authorized to collect, use, retain and disclose personal health information.

HICs must file a report with the College when a social worker or social service worker who is employed by them is terminated, resigns, is suspended or subject to disciplinary action as a result of the unauthorized collection, use, disclosure, retention, or disposal of a client’s personal health information.

Reports must be made within 30 days of the termination, resignation, or disciplinary action, and should be submitted on the College’s Reporting Form. Please fill in all relevant sections of the Reporting Form and then mail, email or fax the Reporting Form along with relevant supporting documentation to the College. (Note: To fill and sign the Reporting Form, please save and open as a PDF first.)

If your report is made in good faith, the Social Work and Social Service Work Act provides that there can be no proceedings brought against you for making a report.

The College’s Registrar will review the report and its attachments as well as any information about the member that the College may have previously received. The Registrar will assess the level of risk to the public and determine the appropriate regulatory response.

Not every report the College receives results in a formal investigation or hearing. For instance, an investigation may not be necessary where the employer has engaged the member in remedial education, practice restrictions or ongoing supervision sufficient to protect the public.

If the College does open an investigation into a report, the member will be given an opportunity to provide a written response to the College’s Executive Committee. If, after a review of the entire investigation, the Committee is sufficiently concerned about risk to the public, it may refer the member to a hearing before the Discipline Committee or Fitness to Practise Committee. After a hearing in which the member is given a full and fair opportunity to participate, the relevant committee will make a formal determination of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.

A member who is found by the Discipline Committee to have committed professional misconduct may be required to attend for a reprimand, undertake practice monitoring, or engage in remedial education. They may also face a suspension of their certificate of registration for a period of time. In the most serious cases, the committee may revoke a member’s certificate of registration.

A member who is found by the Fitness to Practise Committee to be incapacitated may be required to undergo appropriate medical treatment prior to returning to practice. It is possible that the member may have restrictions placed on their practice and will require ongoing monitoring upon their return to practice.

The Social Work and Social Service Work Act requires that details of the report and information gathered by the College during an investigation remain confidential, including the decision and reasons of the Executive Committee. If a member of the College is referred to the Discipline Committee, or has restrictions placed on their practice, this information will appear on the Public Register.

1. Professional misconduct
The term “professional misconduct” is conduct that:

• contravenes the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, the regulations made under the Act or the College’s bylaws;
• contravenes an order of the College’s Discipline Committee, Complaints Committee, Council or Registrar;
• is defined as being professional misconduct in the regulations.

2. Incompetence
The term “incompetence” refers to a member of the College who has displayed, in their professional responsibilities, a lack of knowledge, skill or judgment, or disregard for the welfare of a person or persons of a nature or extent that demonstrates that the member is unfit to continue to carry out his or her professional responsibilities or that a certificate of registration held by the member should be made subject to terms, conditions or limitations.

3. Incapacity
The term “incapacity” refers to a member who is suffering from a physical or mental condition or disorder, such that the member is unfit to carry out his or her professional responsibilities or, the member’s certificate of registration should be made subject to terms, conditions or limitations.

4. Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse with respect to a client by a member of the College means:

• sexual intercourse or another form of physical sexual relations between the member and the client;
• touching, of a sexual nature, of the client by the member; or
• behaviour or remarks of a sexual nature by the member towards the client, other than behaviour or remarks of a clinical nature appropriate to the service provided.

• Payment must be received in full on or before December 31st.
• The College is not able to offer an instalment plan for payment of the annual or renewal fees at this time.
• The College will accept a post-dated cheque for payment before December 31st.

• As per bylaws of the College, the annual fee (also referred to as a renewal fee) for a year must be paid on or before December 31st of the previous year.
• A registrant who fails to pay the annual fee on or before January 31st shall pay a penalty of $50.
• The Registrar may suspend the certificate of registration of a registrant of the College for failure to pay the annual fee or penalty prescribed by the bylaws.
• The Registrar shall not suspend a registrant’s certificate of registration without first giving the registrant two months notice of the default and intention to suspend.

No. The cost of regulating a registrant of the College does not change as a result of hours worked or income.

If your certificate of registration is suspended, you will no longer be able to:

• Use the title of social service worker/registered social service worker or social worker/registered social worker or their French equivalents.
• Represent or hold out, expressly or by implication, that you are a social service worker/registered social service worker or social worker/registered social worker.
• In addition, it is an act of professional misconduct to engage in the practice of social work or social service work while your certificate is suspended.
• You will not be able to stand for election to Council, nor vote in the election of members to Council.
• A permanent suspension annotation will be placed on the Register of the College which is information that is available to the public.

For the removal of the suspension, you must pay a reinstatement fee of $150 plus applicable taxes, the penalty for failure to pay the annual fee of $50 and the annual fee of $400. The total cost for the suspension to be removed is $600.

Under the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998, the College has a broad range of responsibilities on behalf of the public and registrants, including:

• Registering members of the professions.
• Setting entry-to-practice requirements and standards of practice.
• Promoting quality assurance so that registrants maintain competence.
• Managing a thorough complaints and discipline process.

These fees are in line with the fees of similarly sized colleges in Ontario.

• The mandate of the College is to protect the public interest. The College is unlike a professional association whose mandate is to advocate and provide services for its members.
• However, benefits of registration in the College include: the ability to use the title “social worker”/”social service worker” or “registered social worker”/”registered social service worker”; eligibility to stand for election to Council, the opportunity to vote in the election of Councillors to Council; receipt of all College publications, for example, Practice Guidelines, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and Perspective Newsletters; practice consultations; online registrant services; and attendance at the Annual Meeting and Education Day.

Resignation/Cancellation
If you do not need to renew your registration (i.e. you no longer use the title “social worker” or “social service worker”, nor hold yourself out to be a social worker or social service worker) and you wish to avoid your certificate of registration being suspended, you can submit a notice of resignation through your profile on the Online Portal. 

Retirement
If you are no longer practising social work or social service work and do not intend to return to practice in Ontario or any other jurisdiction, you will have the option to apply for a retired class of certificate of registration. Registrants in the retired class will pay a $50 annual fee and will not be required to participate in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP).  Registrants in the retired class will not be able to move back into the general class unless they re-apply to the College and meet all of the registration requirements. Prior to moving into the retired class, registrants will be required to complete an application form, and indicate that they will comply with the requirements set out in the regulation and do not intend to return to practice in Ontario or any other jurisdiction.

Should you wish to re-apply for registration as a registrant of the College, you will be required to complete another application form, submit all of the required documentation, pay the prescribed fees and meet the requirements for registration as a registrant of the College prescribed by the bylaws, processes and regulations in existence at the time you re-apply.

NOTE: If you intend to return to practice in the future, you may wish to apply for a certificate of registration in the inactive class instead.

The College does not offer such discounts.

You may wish to seek advice from a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant with experience in corporations to provide you with the benefits. Generally some benefits may include Tax Deferral and favourable small business corporate tax rates.

No. A corporation cannot practise social work or social service work unless it holds a current Certificate of Authorization as noted in the College’s bylaw 46.

Registrants who intend to practise social work or social service work through a professional corporation, must complete the following steps before applying for a Certificate of Authorization with the College:

• Step One – Apply for a professional corporation name
• Step Two – Incorporate with the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (MPBSD)
• Step 3 – Apply for a Certificate of Authorization with the College 

The application fee for a Certificate of Authorization is $500. The College strongly recommends that applicants review all instructions found in the Certificate of Authorization Application Package before filing for incorporation.

The Certificate is valid for one year and must be renewed annually with the College.

The fee for an annual renewal of a Certificate of Authorization is $400.

The renewal date is on or before the anniversary date of the issuance of the Certificate of Authorization from the College.

To be issued a Certificate of Authorization, the following documents are required as part of the application form:

• Completed application for proposed name (if applicable)
• Undertaking signed by each shareholder
• Statutory declaration of director
• Certificate of status issued by the MPBSD
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation
• A copy of every certificate of the corporation endorsed under the Business Corporations Act on the day the application is submitted (i.e. articles of incorporation, articles of amendment, etc.)

The College strongly recommends that applicants review all instructions found in the Social Work Certificate of Authorization Application Package or the Social Service Work Certificate of Authorization Package before filing for incorporation.

College registrants must apply for a professional corporation name by strictly following the Business Corporations Act naming convention.

The name of the professional corporation must include the surname of one or more shareholders of the corporation as the surname is set out in the College’s Online Register, it may also include the shareholder’s given name, one or more of the shareholder’s initials or a combination of given name and initials. Please note that all shareholders must be registrants with the College.

The name must include “Social Work Professional Corporation” / “société professionelle de travail social” or “Social Service Work Professional Corporation”/ “société professionelle de techniques de travail social”. The College will confirm if it objects to the establishment of a professional corporation under the proposed name.

The College may issue a revised Certificate of Authorization to a professional corporation if the corporation changes its name after the certificate of authorization has been issued to it. The corporation shall, within thirty (30) days of such change, notify the Registrar in writing and give the Registrar copies of the documents evidencing such change.

• Undertaking signed by each shareholder (if not previously submitted by the shareholder).
• Declaration of director signed not more than 15 days before the application for renewal is submitted to the College.
• Certificate of Status issued by the Ministry of Government Services issued not more than 30 days before the application for renewal is submitted to the College.
• Copy of every certificate of the professional corporation that has been endorsed under the Business Corporations Act since the corporation’s most recent application for a certificate of authorization or for renewal of its certificate of authorization (if applicable).

For more information download the Social Work Renewal of Certificate of Authorization Package or the Social Service Work Renewal of Certificate of Authorization Package.

An administrative fee of $50 will be levied for each notice sent by the College to the director of the corporation for failure of the professional corporation to renew its Certificate of Authorization prior to the anniversary date of the issuance of its Certificate of Authorization.

If the professional corporation fails to renew the Certificate of Authorization on or before the anniversary date of the issuance of the Certificate of Authorization, the College may revoke the professional corporation’s Certificate of Authorization. The College shall revoke the professional corporation’s Certificate of Authorization 60 days after the date on which notice to do so is given.

Revocation can occur if:

• the professional corporation ceases to practice the profession with respect to which the certificate was issued;
• the professional corporation ceases to be eligible to hold a Certificate of Authorization;
• the professional corporation carries on business or activity that is not the practice of social work or social service work or activities related to or ancillary to the practice of such profession.

If a professional corporation’s Certificate of Authorization is revoked, a new Certificate of Authorization may be issued to the corporation only if the corporation is eligible to hold one and applies for a new certificate in accordance with the College’s bylaw 46. A Certificate of Authorization cannot be reinstated.

The professional corporation may, at any time, surrender its Certificate of Authorization by returning the original certificate to the College together with notice of the surrender thereof.  The College will acknowledge receipt of the notice of surrender and revoke the Certificate of Authorization. Please contact a qualified professional, such as a lawyer or an accountant for advice to dissolve your corporation.

Professional practice consultations are treated with discretion. Any information shared in professional practice consultations is subject to the College’s public protection mandate and should not be regarded as confidential.

Registrants and other stakeholders should be aware that Professional Practice inquiries/consultations will be documented by Professional Practice staff. Documentation from these contacts will be stored securely in the College database.

The Professional Practice Department offers a number of free services to registrants, employers, the public and other stakeholders across the province. This includes:

• Consultations: Registrants can consult with Professional Practice staff about an ethical or practice dilemma they are facing. Employers and the public can consult with Professional Practice staff regarding our registrants’ practice.

• Presentations: Professional Practice staff delivers free in-person and remote presentations across Ontario on topics including the role of the College, practice issues, the application of the Standards of Practice and ethical decision-making.

Some registrants call the Professional Practice Department for practice consultations with the expectation that they are going to be told exactly how to manage their practice dilemma. In the course of a practice call, Professional Practice staff cannot become completely familiar with the full context and details of a specific practice scenario. Using your professional judgment and knowledge base is part of being a regulated professional, and key in managing the many challenging situations which you face in your practice. The Professional Practice Department can help guide you with useful information and resources to aid in your decision-making process.

The Professional Practice Department is not in a position to provide crisis consultations to registrants. Urgent inquiries may be better addressed by consulting with colleagues, your supervisor or manager, or by seeking a legal opinion. At times, Professional Practice staff is able to respond quickly to practice inquiries; however, due to the volume of inquiries received, there are times when they cannot. You may wish to review the various practice resources, which can be found in the online Resource Room. These resources have been developed to assist registrants in understanding and applying the Standards of Practice to particular practice dilemmas.

Yes. One advantage of having professional liability insurance is that it provides access to free legal advice, over the phone. The Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 does not require registrants to obtain professional liability insurance, and the College does not offer it. The College nevertheless strongly advises registrants to discuss professional liability insurance provisions with their employer, and to obtain further coverage if necessary. The College does not recommend or require a specific amount of coverage.

The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (the “RHPA”) sets out the controlled act that relates to psychotherapy as follows:

“Treating, by means of psychotherapy technique, delivered through a therapeutic relationship, an individual’s serious disorder of thought, cognition, mood, emotional regulation, perception or memory that may seriously impair the individual’s judgement, insight, behavior, communication or social functioning.”

On December 30, 2017, the controlled act of psychotherapy was proclaimed in force, and became one of fourteen controlled acts defined in the RHPA. A controlled act is an activity thought to have the potential of posing a risk of serious harm to the client. Restricting the performance of controlled acts to certain regulated professionals who are legally authorized to perform them is the approach to protecting the public set out in the RHPA.

Yes. Members of the OCSWSSW are authorized to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy in compliance with the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 (the “SWSSWA”), its regulations and bylaws. Members must practise in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice , Second Edition, 2008 as revised from time to time, which have been approved by bylaw. In order to determine if they are competent to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy, members should also review the Practice Guidelines for Performing the Controlled Act of Psychotherapy, which were approved by Council in December 2017 and are available on the College website.

The guidelines are intended to assist members in applying the Standards of Practice and to alert them to the issues to consider when assessing their competence to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy. They cover issues pertaining to the practice of the controlled act of psychotherapy, including the need for ongoing education and training to maintain competence, and the importance of supervision and consultation. They also emphasize that psychotherapy is not an entry-to-practice competency.

Yes. A provision of the SWSSWA (s. 47.2) which was proclaimed in force on December 30, 2017 permits members of the OCSWSSW to use the title “psychotherapist” if the member complies with the following conditions, as applicable:

• When describing himself or herself orally as a psychotherapist, the member must also mention that they are a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, or identify themselves using the title restricted to them as a member of the College.
• When identifying themselves in writing as a psychotherapist on a name tag, business card or any document, the member must set out their full name, immediately followed by at least one of the following, followed in turn by “psychotherapist”.
  • i. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers,
  • ii. the title that the member may use under this Act.

Examples:

1. Your Name , MSW, RSW
   Social Worker, Psychotherapist
   OR
2. Your Name, MSW, RSW
   Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist
   OR
3. Your Name, MSW, RSW
   Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, Psychotherapist

The Psychotherapy Act restricts the use of the title “registered psychotherapist” and “registered mental health therapist” to members of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).

No. Provisions in the RHPA setting out the controlled act of psychotherapy and authorizing members of the OCSWSSW to perform it in compliance with the SWSSWA, its regulations and bylaws and the provision in the SWSSWA permitting members of the OCSWSSW who are authorized to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy to use the title “psychotherapist”, in compliance with certain conditions, were proclaimed in force on December 30, 2017. It is therefore not necessary for members of the OCSWSSW who wish to practise psychotherapy or use the title “psychotherapist” to register with CRPO.

As of January 1, 2018, in accordance with its governing legislation, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (“College”) requires applicants for certificates of registration to provide information about past or present physical or mental conditions or disorders that could affect their ability to practise in a safe manner.

This registration requirement protects the public. It allows the College to assure the public that members of the College are able to practise in a safe manner. The College’s authority to request this information from applicants is set out in the Registration Regulation, Ontario Regulation 383/00, made under the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998.

Applicants are responsible for providing answers to all questions in the application for registration accurately, completely, and truthfully.  Making a false or misleading statement, representation, or declaration in connection with your application for registration or supporting documents, whether by commission or omission, may result in a failure to satisfy the registration requirements, the rescission of any certificate that may be issued and/or revocation of any such certificate.

As of January 1, 2018, the Registration Regulation, Ontario Regulation 383/00, made under the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 was amended to revoke and replace clause (i) of paragraph 3 of subsection 5(2) with the following provision:

5(2) The following are registration requirements for a certificate of registration in any class:

…

3. The applicant’s past and present conduct must afford reasonable grounds for the belief that the applicant,
   • (i) – does not have any physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect his or her ability to practise social work or social service work, as the case may be, in a safe manner.

This registration requirement is consistent with the registration requirements of many other regulatory bodies in the province.

No, this is not a new requirement. It is an improvement to wording that existed in the Registration Regulation prior to January 1, 2018. Since it began operations in 2000, the College has had the authority to request information from applicants in order to ensure they were “mentally competent to practise social work or social service work.”  The amendment to the Registration Regulation now puts the emphasis on the ability to practise social work or social service work in a safe manner.

Please provide as much information as is necessary to explain the ways in which your physical or mental condition or disorder could affect your ability to practise in a safe manner.  This may include a description of functional limitations and restrictions.  You may wish to include steps that you are taking to ensure you will be able to practise in a safe manner and/or accommodation you may require in order to practise in a safe manner.

It depends.  You may be asked to provide relevant supporting documentation.  Relevant supporting documentation depends on the nature of the physical or mental condition or disorder and its impact on your ability to practise in a safe manner.

Examples of potentially relevant supporting documentation may include: an opinion from your health care provider as to whether the condition or disorder will impact your ability to practise safely; letters of reference; clinical evaluations; and/or evidence of rehabilitation/recovery.

Applicants are asked to provide the College with enough information to demonstrate that they can practise social work/social service work in a safe manner.

The College will review the information provided in the application and determine whether additional information is needed, whether the registration requirement is met and/or whether further steps are required.

The protection of your personal information is of paramount importance to the College. In this context, the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 provides for the confidentiality of information related to the administration of the Act.  In particular, subsection 50(1) of the Act provides as follows:

50. (1) Every person engaged in the administration of this Act, including an investigator appointed under section 32, shall preserve secrecy with respect to all information that comes to his or her knowledge in the course of his or her duties and shall not communicate any of those matters to any other person except,

(a) as may be required in connection with the administration of this Act and the regulations and by-laws or any proceeding under this Act or the regulations or by-laws;
(b) to his or her counsel;
(c) with the consent of the person to whom the information relates;
(d) to a police officer to aid an investigation undertaken with a view to a law enforcement proceeding or from which a law enforcement proceeding is likely to result; or
(e) to the extent that the information is available to the public under this Act.

The College takes its responsibilities with respect to confidentiality of personal information, including personal health information, very seriously. Among other things, the College adheres to strict record management practices with respect to the application process.

If you think that there is a possibility that your physical or mental condition or disorder could affect your ability to practise social work or social service work in a safe manner, it is preferable for you to answer “yes” to the question on the application form and provide the relevant information, so that the College may consider this.

In the event that the College later discovers that you answered “no” to the question on the application form when you did have a physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect your ability to practise social work and social service work, this may have serious consequences, similar to the consequences for misrepresenting information on your application.

Incomplete or missing information, similar to missing or insufficient fees, may result in the registration application being returned and a delay in the processing of your application.

If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be contacted by the College. You may be asked to provide more information and/or take steps that would allow you to meet the registration requirement.

In any event, if the Registrar proposes to refuse your application, you will be provided with notice, written reasons, an opportunity to request a review and an opportunity to provide written submissions.

It only applies to members of the College if a member is applying to move into specific membership classes, e.g. into the inactive class, or into the general class from the inactive class.

If you have any further questions or comments, please contact the College.

Your social worker or social service worker may have crossed professional boundaries if they:

• Put their needs and interests before your own;
• Ask that you keep secrets for them;
• Make inappropriate comments about your appearance;
• Text or call you outside of the times you have agreed to connect for professional services;
• Text or call you from their personal phone;
• Ask you out on a date; and/or
• Ask about your sexual preferences or interests in a way that is unrelated to professional services.

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, or ever feel embarrassed or uncomfortable discussing aspects of your social work or social service work services with close family and/or friends, it may indicate that professional boundaries have been crossed. If this is the case, you may wish to contact the College’s Professional Practice Department to discuss further at practice@ocswssw.org.

The term “sexual abuse” in the context of a College registrant and a client has a specific legal meaning under the College’s governing legislation. Sexual abuse of a client includes:

• Sexual intercourse or other forms of physical sexual relations between a College member and a client.
• Touching a client in a sexual manner (e.g., touching a client’s breasts or genitals).
• Behaviour of a sexual nature towards a client (e.g., touching a client’s hand unnecessarily and in a manner that implies a sexual interest in the client or displaying sexualized materials in an office for no clinical purpose).
• Remarks of a sexual nature towards a client (e.g., commenting on the size of a client’s breasts or genitals, asking a client out on a date or using words that are sexually suggestive).

Boundaries define the set of roles and expectations for College registrants and their clients. The relationship between a College registrant and a client is a professional one that is centred around the client receiving care from the College registrant.

The College registrant has a professional obligation to maintain professional boundaries and ensure that the needs of the client are paramount at all times. In short, professional boundaries require a registrant to only have a professional relationship with their client.  When a registrant engages in conduct with a client that falls outside what is required by the professional relationship, that is a violation of professional boundaries.

A College registrant will be found to have violated professional boundaries when they fail to keep the relationship with their client within the required roles and expectations defined in the College’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. A “blurring of the lines” between a registrant and client may lead to an increasingly unprofessional and inappropriate relationship.

Boundary violations occur when there is a failure to keep the relationship between a College member and a client within set roles and expectations, which can lead to the relationship becoming increasingly less professional (or less therapeutic in nature) and more personal and intimate. Sexual abuse of clients is one of the most serious and harmful forms of boundary violation.

Preventing the “slippery slope” of boundary violations is entirely the responsibility of the registrant, not the client.

There are a number of steps you can take if you, or someone you know, has been sexually abused:

• Request that the abuse stop immediately.
• If the College member works at an agency/facility, report the abuse to a manager or other person in authority.
• Report the abuse to the College.

The first step is to check the College’s Online Register to confirm that the individual is a College member. If they are, you can file a complaint or make a report against the person. Visit the College’s website to learn more about the difference between a complaint and a report and to file your complaint or report online.

If you would like to speak with the College before filing a complaint or report, you can reach us at 416-972-9882 ext. 223 /Toll-Free: 1-877-828-9380 ext. 223 or investigations@ocswssw.org. College staff will listen to your concerns and explain the College’s investigations process and available resources. You do not have to give your name to staff at this time if you are not comfortable doing so. If you choose to file a complaint or make a report,, your name will be required so that the College member  can respond to the investigation. Please note that, in some instances, a College investigation may still be initiated even if you choose not to participate in the investigation process

Every person who reports sexual abuse to the College has their own reasons for doing so. Some individuals, such as other social workers and social service workers, are required to report abuse. Some clients who have experienced sexual abuse are immediately clear about their decision to report their experience to the College; others find the decision very difficult. The College recognizes and respects each person’s choice.

Most reports of sexual abuse come from clients themselves. This is important because the College depends on clients to let us know when they have serious concerns about the behaviour of a social worker or social service worker. This in turn helps the College protect the public interest.

Incidents of sexual abuse rarely happen in isolation. By reporting your experience to the College, you may help others. Also, some clients who have reported to the College feel that their participation in the process has assisted them in coming to terms with their experience and seeking closure.

All information provided to the College is carefully reviewed. Each investigation is assigned to an investigator who is experienced in conducting sensitive investigations. They will explain the investigation process to you, answer any questions you might have, and keep you updated on the status of the investigation. The investigator will often interview you and other witnesses, as well as gather relevant documents.

Once the investigation is complete, the investigation will be reviewed by either the College’s Complaints Committee or Executive Committee and that committee will make a decision. One of the decisions the committee can make is to refer the matter to the College’s Discipline Committee to hold a disciplinary hearing, which is similar to a court proceeding. You may be asked to testify at the hearing. If that is the case, College staff will review this with you and answer any questions you might have.

Yes, with a few exceptions. In order for the College to initiate an investigation into your concerns, you must provide your name and contact information. The social worker or social service worker you reported will be sent a copy of your report, which includes your name, so that they might respond to the investigation.

For more information about the College’s discipline process, please refer to our general Discipline Information page and our Testifying at a Discipline Hearing: A Guide for Witnesses.

We understand that the decision to file a report of sexual abuse with the College may be complicated, personal and perhaps intimidating. This is why we offer a Support Person Program — to assist individuals who have experienced sexual abuse by a social worker or social service worker. The Support Person Program is provided by a regulated health professional with expertise in sexual abuse matters and College processes. For more information about the program, please click here.

You may also want to contact the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres for additional supports and services.

Information related to free legal resources may be found below:

• The Law Society of Ontario Lawyer Referral Service can provide individuals with the name of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who can provide a free consultation of up to 30 minutes to help you determine your rights and options.
• Pro Bono Ontario offers a free legal advice hotline at 1-855-255-7256 (toll-free).
• Legal Aid Ontario– 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) or at 416-979-1446 if you are calling from Toronto or the GTA.