Are you an employer who is in the process of hiring a social worker or social service worker? If you are, please remember to check the College’s Online Register!
The College maintains an Online Register of social workers and social service workers as part of its public protection mandate. This easy-to-use tool contains information regarding a registrant’s registration status, discipline history – if any – and employer contact information.
An employer’s role
As an employer, it is your responsibility to do your due diligence when hiring a social worker or social service worker. The College regularly receives notices of individuals being hired to work with vulnerable populations as social workers or social service workers, only to find that these individuals are not registered with the College. The College also receives notices of individuals using false names during and after the hiring process. Many of these serious issues could have been detected if the employer in question checked the Online Register and, if applicable, flagged the job applicant to the College.
An individual who is not registered with the College is not permitted to use the protected titles “social worker” and “social service worker” and their equivalents and acronyms or to hold themself out as a social worker or social service worker, either expressly or by implication. To do so is illegal; it also puts the public at risk and creates a reputational risk and the potential for other serious consequences for your organization.
Learn more
Employers can learn more about the registration status of a social worker or social service worker by checking the Online Register. If you are aware of any individual who may be illegally using a protected title and/or holding themselves out as a social worker or social service worker, report this information to the College at titleprotection@ocswssw.org.