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On December 18, 1998, the Social Work and Social Service Work Act received Royal Assent in the Ontario Legislature. In the 10 years since the Act was passed, the professions have grown to 12,500 social workers and social service workers. The College is honoured to have been granted the privilege to regulate the professions in the public interest and to govern its members.
Below are quotes taken directly from the Ontario Debates (Hansard) on December 16, 1998, two days before the Act was passed. These quotes signify the importance of this legislation for Ontarians and the wide support it received from Members of Provincial Parliament.
"The profession of social worker and social service worker is one that deserves recognition as a profession, is capable of monitoring and governing itself, and with the passage of this bill, we will have given them that right."
"The underlying rationale for introducing this legislation is public protection. Social workers and social service workers deliver a wide variety of human service programs that benefit many thousands of citizens every year."
The College is pleased to celebrate this milestone and we would like to thank those who played a role in bringing this legislation to fruition. It was through a great deal of hard work and perseverance that we attained public accountability through this formal recognition of the professions.
