In order to help the College serve and protect the public, members must ensure that they keep their information up to date. Such information – including a member’s name and employer – ensures the integrity of the College’s Public Register.
The Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998 (the “Act”) requires that the College maintain a public register. The College’s Public Register can be accessed from the College website and lists all registered social workers and registered social service workers in Ontario.
If you change your name, you must advise the College of both your former name(s) and your new name(s) in writing – within 30 days of the effective date of the change – and include a copy of the change of name certificate, marriage certificate, driver’s licence or passport for our records. This information can be sent:
- by fax to 416-972-1512;
- by email with attachment(s) to info@ocswssw.org; or
- by mail to 250 Bloor Street East, Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1E6, to the attention of the Membership Department.
Please be aware that the name listed on the Public Register must be the name that you are using in the course of practising the profession. It is an act of professional misconduct to use a name in the course of practising the profession other than the name set out in the Public Register.
If you change employers or move, you must advise the College online or in writing within 30 days. The College is required to make the current business name and business address of members available to the public on the Public Register.
Registration with the College demonstrates to employers and the public that you are professional, ethical, qualified and accountable. When a member of the public or an employer is searching the Public Register, ensure the membership information they access is up to date!
Please note that members can only change their name on the Public Register by first contacting the College. For more information on membership, please contact Paul Cucci, Membership Manager, at pcucci@ocswssw.org.