News

What Are Professional Boundaries?

The term “professional boundaries” is used to define the set of roles and expectations required of a College registrant in relation to their client. 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…

Read More

What Employers Need to Know About Reporting Sexual Abuse to the College

As an employer you have a responsibility to report sexual abuse, or suspected sexual abuse, committed by your employees to the College. 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 – which includes sexual abuse. An employer must also file a report if it intended to terminate the registrant’s employment, but the registrant resigned before it could do so.…

Read More

Invitation to Share Your Feedback: Draft Revisions to the Standards of Practice

Over the past year, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) has been conducting a comprehensive review of its Standards of Practice. The draft revisions to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are now ready and we invite you to share your input! Once approved by Council, the revised Standards of Practice will impact every social worker and social service worker in Ontario, regardless of their area of…

Read More

OCSWSSW Invites Employers in Thunder Bay and Dryden to its Virtual Employer Roundtable

ATTENTION EMPLOYERS IN THUNDER BAY AND DRYDEN On March 2, 2023, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) is hosting a virtual event for employers in Thunder Bay and Dryden. We invite your organization to participate in this virtual Employer Roundtable, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 2. The event will provide employers of social workers and social service workers with an interactive opportunity…

Read More

ASWB Seeks Registered Social Workers to Join a Community Conversation to Share Experiences in Their Social Work Journeys

The following message is sent on behalf of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). The ASWB is a non-profit organization composed of and owned by the social worker regulatory boards and colleges of all 50 U.S. states and all 10 Canadian provinces, including the College. Message from the ASWB The ASWB is seeking registered social workers to join an online community conversation on Thursday, April 20, 2023, 6:00-9:00 p.m. EDT. As part of the ASWB’s ongoing efforts to listen…

Read More

Message from the OCSWSSW Council Chair – Announcement of the Registrar and CEO’s Retirement

Dear College stakeholder: It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that Lise Betteridge, the College’s Registrar and CEO, has informed College Council of her decision to retire at the end of July 2023. Lise was appointed Registrar and CEO of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers in 2015, after serving previously as Director of Professional Practice, Deputy Registrar and Acting Registrar. Prior to joining the College in 2010,…

Read More

2023 Council Election – Call for Nominations

On Thursday, May 25, 2023, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) will hold an election for registered social workers and registered social service workers in Electoral District No. 3. The College invites all registrants eligible to vote in Electoral District No. 3 to put their names forward as candidates for election to the College Council. The due date for receipt of completed and signed nomination forms is 5 p.m. (EST)…

Read More

Council Member Podcast Series – John Fleming, Public Member

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers was pleased to interview John Fleming for its Council podcast series. John is a public member of Council, who was appointed by the Government of Ontario to Council in 2020. He currently serves as Council Chair, a position he was elected to by his fellow Council members. Podcast transcript OCSWSSW: The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers is pleased to interview John…

Read More

Invitation: Inclusivity Assessment Consultations

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) is working in collaboration with AndHumanity, an inclusive marketing agency, to assess our overall communication initiatives. Your insights will help inform and support us in identifying opportunities and actions to be more inclusive of both service users and registrants. We recognize that all of our registrants bring different lenses, perspectives, and lived experiences. At this time, we are specifically seeking feedback from Indigenous…

Read More

Names Registrants Must Use While Practising

The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (the College) has received a number of inquiries about registrants practising under a name that is different from the one they used to register with the College. The following information is intended to clarify what name a registrant must practise under, and how registrants can change or update their name(s) with the College. Requirement to practise using the name you used to register with the…

Read More

Council Highlights for December 1, 2022

John Fleming, Council Chair, provided his report to Council. Lise Betteridge, RSW, Registrar and CEO, and Denitha Breau, Deputy Registrar, presented their report to Council. The report provided updates under each strategic priority in the College’s Strategic Plan and included information about the following: registrant-base data including a breakdown of registrants; registration stats over the last year as compared to previous years; an update on the College’s CRM software upgrade; the Professional Practice Department’s continued…

Read More