Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Encyclopedia
The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) is a regulatory body whose primary duty is to serve and protect the public interest. The College’s mandate is to regulate the practice of social work
and social service work and to govern its members.
The College was created when the province of Ontario
fully proclaimed the Social Work and Social Service Work Act (1998) on August 15, 2000. College membership is required for any person in Ontario who wishes to use the title “social worker” or “social service worker” and/or “registered social worker” or “registered social service worker”. College
membership is required if a person represents or holds out expressly or by implication that he or she is a social worker or a social service worker or a registered social worker or a registered social service worker.
The College is accountable to the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
from unqualified, incompetent or unfit practitioners.
Regulation brings credibility
to the profession. Practitioners of a regulated profession are subject to a code of ethics and standards of practice.
Self-regulation
allows a profession to act as an agent of the government in regulating its members because the government acknowledges that the profession has the special knowledge required to set standards and judge the conduct of its members through peer review
.
- Regulates the practice of social work and the practice of social service work and governs its members.
- Develops, establishes and maintains qualifications for membership in the College.
- Approves ongoing education programs for the purpose of continuing education
for members of the College.
- Provides for the ongoing education of members of the College.
- Issues certificates of registration to members of the College and renews, amends, suspends, cancels, revokes and reinstates those certificates.
- Receives and investigates complaints against members of the College and deals with the issues of discipline, professional misconduct, incompetence and incapacity.
- Promotes high standards and quality assurance
with respect to social work and social service work and communicates with the public on behalf of the members.
that manages and administers College affairs. The Council is composed of:
- seven social workers who are members of the College and who are elected by the members of the College in accordance with the bylaws;
- seven social service workers who are members of the College and who are elected by the members of the College in accordance with the bylaws; and
- seven persons who are appointed by the Ontario Government.
The College’s primary duty is to serve and protect the public interest while promoting high standards of practice for the professions. At the same time the College encourages a robust interactive relationship with members, stakeholder
s and the public. To steer and guide these processes, Council’s primary governance function is policy development. The policies developed by Council provide direction to the College and to staff.
Council meetings are open to the public. Dates are announced on this website and highlights from each meeting are published on the website and in our Perspective newsletter.
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
and social service work and to govern its members.
The College was created when the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
fully proclaimed the Social Work and Social Service Work Act (1998) on August 15, 2000. College membership is required for any person in Ontario who wishes to use the title “social worker” or “social service worker” and/or “registered social worker” or “registered social service worker”. College
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
membership is required if a person represents or holds out expressly or by implication that he or she is a social worker or a social service worker or a registered social worker or a registered social service worker.
The College is accountable to the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Why regulate?
Regulation of a profession defines the practice of the profession and describes the boundaries within which it operates, including the requirements and qualifications to practise the profession. The primary mandate of any regulatory college is to protect the public interestPublic interest
The public interest refers to the "common well-being" or "general welfare." The public interest is central to policy debates, politics, democracy and the nature of government itself...
from unqualified, incompetent or unfit practitioners.
Regulation brings credibility
Credibility
Credibility refers to the objective and subjective components of the believability of a source or message.Traditionally, modern, credibility has two key components: trustworthiness and expertise, which both have objective and subjective components. Trustworthiness is based more on subjective...
to the profession. Practitioners of a regulated profession are subject to a code of ethics and standards of practice.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation
The term self-regulation can signify:*Autoregulation*Homeostasis, in systems theory*Self-control, in sociology / psychology*Self-regulated learning, in educational psychology*Self-regulation theory , a system of conscious personal health management...
allows a profession to act as an agent of the government in regulating its members because the government acknowledges that the profession has the special knowledge required to set standards and judge the conduct of its members through peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
.
What does the OCSWSSW do to protect the public interest?
The College:- Regulates the practice of social work and the practice of social service work and governs its members.
- Develops, establishes and maintains qualifications for membership in the College.
- Approves ongoing education programs for the purpose of continuing education
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
for members of the College.
- Provides for the ongoing education of members of the College.
- Issues certificates of registration to members of the College and renews, amends, suspends, cancels, revokes and reinstates those certificates.
- Receives and investigates complaints against members of the College and deals with the issues of discipline, professional misconduct, incompetence and incapacity.
- Promotes high standards and quality assurance
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance, or QA for short, is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to maximize the probability that minimum standards of quality are being attained by the production process...
with respect to social work and social service work and communicates with the public on behalf of the members.
How is the College administered?
A 21-member Council representing equally social workers, social service workers and the public governs the College. The Registrar is hired by, and reports to, the Council. The Registrar hires staff to fulfill the objects of the College as set out in the legislation.Council Information
The Council is the 21-member governing body and board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
that manages and administers College affairs. The Council is composed of:
- seven social workers who are members of the College and who are elected by the members of the College in accordance with the bylaws;
- seven social service workers who are members of the College and who are elected by the members of the College in accordance with the bylaws; and
- seven persons who are appointed by the Ontario Government.
The College’s primary duty is to serve and protect the public interest while promoting high standards of practice for the professions. At the same time the College encourages a robust interactive relationship with members, stakeholder
Stakeholder
The term stakeholder, as traditionally used in the English language in law and notably gambling, is a third party who temporarily holds money or property while its owner is still being determined....
s and the public. To steer and guide these processes, Council’s primary governance function is policy development. The policies developed by Council provide direction to the College and to staff.
Council meetings are open to the public. Dates are announced on this website and highlights from each meeting are published on the website and in our Perspective newsletter.