In the months since my last column in the Spring 2011 CollegeConversation, the Board focussed on the task of finding areplacement for our retiring Registrar, Susan Irwin. We formed aHiring Committee comprised of the members of the ExecutiveCommittee (Susan Hogman, Gary Mavis, and myself) and theBoard's long-standing public member, Bruce Hallsor. We recruited,hired and oriented our new Registrar, John Mayr, at the beginningof July.

The members of the Board are pleased to welcomeJohn to the College. He brings with him an impressivebackground in regulatory issues, connections withgovernment, knowledge of administrative law, and aknack for technology. He introduces himself on page 4of this newsletter. The Board has asked John to reviewmany of our administrative processes and to reportback with a view to streamlining what we do. He hasalready proven his worth in his collaborative spirit andinquiring mind as well as his gentle challengesencouraging us to be a more effective and efficientregulatory body.

The Board has also been working hard on other prioritiesfor the College. These include a multi-stakeholdersubgroup on the health care exemptions and formulatingstrategies to deal with some of the other exemptions.Accordingly, we were thrilled to receive US$25,000from the Association of Social Work Boards, of whichwe are a member, to undertake an exploratory study

about the exemptions in the Social Workers Act withregard to Aboriginal peoples. In partnership with theUniversity of British Columbia’s School of Social Work,the University of Northern British Columbia’s School ofSocial Work, Thompson Rivers University’s Faculty ofHuman, Social and Educational Development, and theFederation of Aboriginal Foster Parents, the College will hire a project coordinator (you can find more details about this position on page 11 and on theCollege's website) to manage the province-wideproject. We have two years to complete this study.

The terms of seven of the Board’s members end onDecember 31, 2011. Susan Hogman, Glen Schmidt,Susan Noakes and myself are the elected memberswhose terms are concluding while public membersBruce Hallsor, Lorna Dittmar and Geraldine Manson are also completing their appointments. I extend myappreciation to Lorna, Glen and Geraldine who have allindicated that they will not be returning to the Board.

Holiday ClosingThe office will close on December 23, 2011

and reopen on January 3, 2012.

ContentsQuality Assurance Committee 2

Board Responsibilities and Eligibility 3

Registrar’s Report 4

Meet Your New Registrar 5

2011 Annual General Meeting 6

Social Networking and Social Work 7

Dialogue Between a Registrant and the Registrar 8

Should You Be Insured? 9

Registration Matters 10

Obligation to Report Another Professional 11

BCCSW At a Glance 11

Issue 7, Fall 2011

The Newsletter of the British Columbia College of Social Workers

Report from the ChairElizabeth (Liz) Jones, RSW

(Continues on page 2.)

2 BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011

I would also like to thank all the membersof the Board as they have contributed somuch to the development of the firstCollege of Social Workers Board. We welcome a new public member, Doris Darvasi, who has been appointedby the government for a two-year term.

The election results are announced onpage 7 of this newsletter. The new Boardwill take office on January 1, 2012. Itsinitial focus will be a strategic planningsession (to be held in January 2012) that will develop a clear consensus on the evolution of the College’s prioritiesand how we operationalize them. Wewelcome any ideas from registrants in this regard -please contact any current Board member or theRegistrar, John Mayr.

This year, as part of our Annual General Meeting, we offereda free professional development opportunity for the social

work community called “Social(Net)Work:Boundaries and Best Practices in OnlineSocial Networking” with Susan Mankita,MSW, LCSW. For those who were unableto attend, we have a report on her workshopon page 7. We again planned our AGM theday before the BC Association of SocialWorkers’ conference so that registrants andmembers could take advantage of theofferings by both organizations.

This is an exciting time for the Collegefor a number of reasons. There arenational and international initiatives thatwe are involved in. We have a voice atthe government table to deal with

exemptions. And we also are working hard to improveour internal organizational processes to ensurecontinued effectiveness.

Development of a ContinuingCompetence Program

For the past several years the Quality AssuranceCommittee (QAC) has focussed on exploring continuingcompetence for social workers in BC. The Committee’sprimary responsibility is to oversee the quality of socialwork practice by developing Standards of Practice and byencouraging members to strive for excellence andenhance their practice in an ongoing way. To this endthe Bylaws of the College provide for the QAC toestablish and maintain a continuing competenceprogram for its registrants.

In September 2010 the Board requested the QAC todevelop a draft proposal for a continuing competenceprogram, along with policies and procedures, for Boardconsideration and approval. The QAC has focussed onthis work throughout 2011, guided by the underlyingprinciple that the program should be meaningful,feasible, accessible, cost-effective and relevant.

Models Reviewed

The QAC began its work with a review of the relevantliterature and an analysis of various theoreticalapproaches to a number of quality assurance programs.The Committee researched continuing competencymodels from other professions including psychology,

occupational therapy, nursing, and physical therapy, aswell as programs from other Canadian jurisdictions.The Committee also referred to a previous continuingcompetence research project completed by theUniversity of Northern British Columbia’s GerardBellefeuille and Glen Schmidt in 2006 and an analysisundertaken by Susan Noakes in 2010.

Valid continuing competence programs requireregistrants to track learning activities throughout theyear and indicate to the College that they are meetingprogram requirements. The goal of the program is tosupport and encourage registrants in their professionaldevelopment and growth. It is also a way for the Collegeto assure the public that social workers are criticallyanalyzing their practice and remaining current. This isone way in which the College fulfills its mandate ofprotecting the public.

There are probably as many different pathways toprofessional continued competence as there areprofessionals. However, the most common approachconsists of completing a number of required continuingeducational units, ranging from 10 - 40 hours each peryear. The Committee is planning a program that is userfriendly, is relevant to social work culture, and takes intoconsideration the wide range of learning experiencesavailable to social workers.

Report from the Chair – (Continued from page 1.)

This is an excitingtime for the Collegefor a number ofreasons. We have anew Registrar. There are national and internationalinitiatives that weare involved in.

Committee Reports

QualityAssurance ProgramUpdate

BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011 3

Each election gives the College an opportunity to remindregistrants of the role of the Board and to encourage membersto participate by running in future elections, serving oncommittees or both. At its Annual General Meeting inNovember, the BC College of Social Workers announced theresults of its second Board election. The Board has twelvemembers, eight of whom are elected by the College’sregistrants and four appointed by the Government of BritishColumbia. This year four social work members were elected tothe Board (see page 7). The BC government is appointing orreappointing three new public members.

The Social Workers Act gives the College the authorityto register and regulate social workers, establishstandards for social work practice and, when necessary,attend to matters involving professional misconduct,incompetence and incapacity. The College's registrantshave the ability to participate in the governance of theirprofession by serving on the Board, serving asmembers of standing or ad hoc committees, and being involved in other volunteer activities that relate to the College's mandate.

The Board is the College’s policy and governing body. Itsmain responsibility is to assist registrants in carrying outtheir own mandate of public protection and maintainingthe public’s trust in the social work profession.

Who Is Eligible to Sit on the Board?

If you are a Registered Social Worker in the BCCSW’sfull or clinical classes, you are eligible to run for electionto the Board if you meet the following criteria:

• are currently registered and in good standingwith the BCCSW

• have been actively engaged in the practice ofsocial work for at least one of the last five years

• have at least three years of experience in thepractice of social work

• have paid all fees or other moneys that you oweto the College

• have not been the subject of a finding ofprofessional misconduct, incompetence orincapacity in the last two years for any reasonother than the non-payment of fees

• do not have any terms, conditions or limitationson your registration as a result of a complaint.

Participating on the Board or a committee will give youan opportunity to gain knowledge about the breadthand complexity of social work practice in the provinceand can help to enrich your understanding of theprofession. The College will benefit from theparticipation of a diverse group of registrants withdiffering experiences and contributions. You cancontact the Registrar, John Mayr, at any time to expressyour interest in participating in the College.

On August 3, 2011, the Government of British Columbia appointed Doris Darvasi to be a public member of theBoard. Ms. Darvasi is the Owner and Manager of Artistic Dental Ceramic Ltd. Previously, she was a legal secretarywith two Vancouver law firms. She has a Commerce and Marketing degree from a business college in Zurich,Switzerland, an Administration Management Diploma from the BC Institute of Technology, and a Liberal Artsdegree in Communications from Trinity Western University. Ms. Darvasi’s term ends on September 30, 2013.

Your Board: Its Members and Their Responsibilities

Where We Are Now

A preliminary continuing competence program is nowin draft form. The Board has requested further work bedone on the model to the point of making it ready forregistrant feedback. Once the Committee completes thisstage, the College will undertake a consultation with allits registrants. This is an important part of the

development process and the Committee looks forwardto registrants’ input. In the coming months you will be hearing more about the continuing competenceprogram and we will be keeping you up to date on its progress.

New Public Member of the Board

Board News

4 BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011

A Registrar never stands alone. It may seem that way at times but, in reality, behind every Registrar is a Board composed of a dedicated and committedgroup of professionals and appointed public members who volunteer their time. As the new kid on the block, I amgratified to see the mix of experienceon the Board. Many people,recognizable from their work with the Board of Registration for SocialWorkers, continue to be involved.They work with newly electedmembers and all bring a passion andcommitment to ensuring that we buildon the best of the past in creating apositive future for the College of SocialWorkers. I would be remiss in not alsoincluding the staff of the College whosupport the committees and functionsof the College.

There is another organizationsupporting the profession - the BritishColumbia Association of SocialWorkers. Professions benefit fromhaving strong bodies that advocate forand support their members. They are fundamentallydifferent from regulators in having this advocacy role. By the terms of our governing statute, the College must not only act, but be seen to be acting, in the public interest. This precludes any form ofprofessional advocacy.

The College recognizes the value and importance ofthe role of the BCASW and we will continue tocollaborate with the Association as appropriate giventhe different mandates of our organizations. We send

Linda Korbin, the BCASW’s retiringExecutive Director, all the best ofwishes in her retirement.

The past has been filled with challengeand change, both of which remainconstants for today’s College. I don’tthink that it is a stretch to say that theywill also fill our agenda in the future.To be successful, the College needs tocontinue to approach challenge andchange with both courage andthought. It is no small task to balancethe concept of public interest and thepractice of social work with the variedfabric of society. Making this situationeven more complex, many individualswho practise social work are exemptfrom regulation by the College.

This reality is brought into focus by thenumber of unfortunate incidents thatwill affect our future. A week rarely

seems to pass without yet another media exposé of anunwelcome occurrence that affects individual socialworkers and the profession. A child dies, a counselloris charged with assault, a family dissolves in acrimonyand violence, a homeless child is arrested. These are all

It’s been said that an organization can’t really know where it is goinguntil it understands where it came from. In this, my first report toregistrants and others, I want to pay homage to the immensework that the College has accomplished so far, survey the middle

ground, and scope out a bit of a road map moving forward.

Since taking office in July, I have made a point of getting out and meeting with a broadrange of individuals. A theme that I’ve heard time and again is the foundation ofsound work from which the College now benefits. In the last newsletter, Susan Irwinwrote about her years as Registrar and those years were influential. Susan achievedmuch as Registrar and close to the top of the list is the collaborative relationship shedeveloped with the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The value of thisrelationship cannot be underestimated because it reflects not only where we have comefrom but where we currently are.

Looking back, looking forwardChallenge and change - the only things that stay the same

John Mayr, RegistrarBritish Columbia College of Social Workers

The past has been filledwith challenge andchange, both of whichremain constants fortoday’s College. I don’tthink that it is a stretchto say that they will alsofill our agenda in thefuture. To be successful,the College needs tocontinue to approachchallenge and changewith both courage andthought.

BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011 5

circumstances and situations in which social workersfind themselves and managing the ramifications isbecoming increasingly complex.

The College is approaching this intertwined future witha strong vision for social work and social work practice.We started in 2008 when the BC Government reaffirmedthat social work is a profession by enacting the SocialWorkers Act. In so doing the government acknowledgedthat clients receiving the services of a social worker maybe at risk of harm, that minimum standards of socialwork practice are required to ensure public safety, andthat a Board with a majority of social workers wouldsuperintend the practice of social work.

In accordance with this mandate, early in 2012, theCollege’s Board will conduct a planning session to

identify strategic goals and develop an organizationalwork and service plan. We anticipate that one of theexemptions, for the province’s health authorities, will beremoved and we look forward to welcoming the manysocial workers from that practice environment. TheCollege will continue to advocate for a comprehensiveregulatory framework for social workers because westrongly believe that to be in the public interest. Finally,I will work with the staff and Board to continue todevelop regulatory practices based on increasedaccountability, transparency and fairness.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to inviteregistrants of the College to contact me with comments,concerns, praise and/or criticism. I look forward to apositive future.

Meet the New RegistrarJohn Mayr was appointed as Registrar and ChiefExecutive Officer of the College on July 1, 2011.

John has an extensive background in professionalregulation and administrative law. He was theRegistrar of the BC College of Denturists and BCCollege of Licensed Practical Nurses over the past15 years. Currently he is also a candidate for aMaster in Laws Degree (LLM) from Osgoode Hall,Toronto, specializing in administrative law.

John brings to this position a comprehensiveunderstanding of social justice, social programs,and the challenges facing regulated professionals.He has worked extensively with government andregulatory stakeholders. He well understands thework the College wants to accomplish over thenext few years, in particular building capacity andfocussing on the elimination of exemptions toachieve a full regulatory framework for all socialworkers in British Columbia.

We know you will welcome him to this importantrole in our work of protecting the public.

6 BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011

The Third Annual General Meeting of the College of Social Workers was held onThursday, November 10, 2011 at the Renaissance Hotel in Vancouver. This year’smeeting was, once again, held in conjunction with the BC Association of SocialWorkers Conference. For the first time in its history, the College offered an educationalsession prior to the AGM.

Pre-AGM education session (see next page)

Susan Mankita, LCSW (Florida) delivered an engagingpresentation on issues related to ethics and socialmedia. With approximately 80 people in attendance,Susan talked about the use of Facebook, Twitter andother social media sites such as LinkedIn. She outlinedsome of the advantages and disadvantages of usingsocial media as individuals and as professionals. Herlecture highlighted the need for professionals to usesound judgement and consider the broad implicationsof online actions and postings. A networking receptionfollowed the afternoon education session.

Call to Order, Preliminaries and Introductions

The Chair of the Board, Elizabeth (Liz) Jones, called the meeting to order at 6.00 p.m. A count of registrantsestablished that the quorum as set out in the Bylawswas present. Registrants were provided with copies ofthe draft agenda, summary committee reports, andfinancial statements. The draft agenda was approved as presented. The Chair introduced the members of theBoard and College staff.

Special Guest

Leah Bailey from the Ministry of Children and FamilyDevelopment brought greetings from the HonourableMary McNeil, Minister of Children and FamilyDevelopment. The Minister appreciates the efforts andvaluable services of social workers in working withfamilies and individuals in BC.

Chair’s Report

Liz Jones reported on the activities of the College. She spoke of the work of Susan Irwin, the previousRegistrar of the College, and members of the Board in their dedication and commitment to the regulation of profession of social work in the public interest. A highlight of activities included:

• hosting the Association of Social Work Boards'meeting in the spring

• the retirement and recruitment of Registrars

• the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators’work on the social work competency profile

• removing the exemption for social workers inhealth authorities

• the successful application for a research grant toexamine the relationship between Aboriginalorganizations and the College.

The Chair thanked Lorna Dittmar, Geraldine Mansonand Glen Schmidt, RCSW, who are all leaving theBoard, for their contributions. She welcomed DorisDarvasi, the recently appointed public member.

Registrar’s Report

John Mayr spoke of the privilege and opportunity that social workers and the College enjoy. The Collegehas a solid foundation to build on thanks to much good work done by many people. He encouragedregistrants to be keen and interested in not only theirprofession but also the College. While the College’smandate is to act in the public interest, the publicinterest is also in the profession’s interest. A recurringtheme in his report was the importance of meaningfuland respectful dialogue.

Committee Reports

All Committees have had busy and productive yearsand each reported on its activities.

• The Quality Assurance Committee has developed a continuing competence program for socialworkers. A consultation process will be undertakenshortly. (A more detailed report on the QualityAssurance Committee’s work appears on page 2 of the newsletter.)

• The Inquiry Committee completed investigationsinto 25 complaints. The Committee took no actionin 13 of these and resolved matters in 9; 3 continueto be active.

• The Discipline Committee still has one citation fora hearing remaining active.

• The Registration Committee has not received anyappeal of a decision made by the Registrar so far in2011. (Registration statistics are reported on page10 in this newsletter.)

2011 Annual General Meeting

BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011 7

• The Registration Appeal Committee conducted onehearing on the basis of good character and upheldthe decision of the Registration Committee to denyregistration to an applicant.

• The Finance Committee reported that the College,year to date, is on target to meet its budget. TheBoard has approved the proposed budget for 2012.

General Discussion

The Board entertained an assortment of questions from the assembly.

Keynote Address

The meeting closed with a keynote address from Ms. Mankita on social media and the concerns ofregulators, (see summary below).

Adjournment

The general meeting adjourned at 8.15 p.m.

Boundaries and Best Practices for Social Networking

Susan Mankita, an expert on social networking as it applies to the practice of socialwork, addressed registrants on this important issue. We present here a brief summaryof her talk. The College looks forward to developing guidelines on the use of socialnetworking with registrants to better inform their online presence.

The internet has fundamentally changed society andhow we, and in particular young people, relate to oneanother. This new reality creates both opportunity andchallenge, none more so than for professionalsnavigating the digital age. Are you a digital migrant or a digital citizen?

Social media is about relationships, sharing ideas andthoughts, and creating and exchanging information in a dynamic and fluid environment. It’s been said thatpostings to social media sites are the tattoos of thegeneration and are just as difficult to remove. So whatis a social worker to do?

The College’s Code of Ethics says that a RegisteredSocial Worker shall maintain the best interest of theclient as the primary obligation. In the digital age, this presents a number of ethical dilemmas:

•What is our responsibility to clients who seemunconcerned about protecting their own privacy?

•What should we do if clients try to engage usclinically through social media?

• Should a social worker accept clients as friends onFacebook and other similar sites?

The benefits of social media include access to a broadrange of connections, access to people, support andinformation, and a new type of environment to explorerelationships and boundaries with clients. Thosebenefits must be balanced against:

• the blurring of boundaries between professionaland personal worlds

• the changing nature of communication and therelationship with clients

• privacy.

In this context, it is important to build a new set of bestpractices that include starting from where the clientsare, opportunities for collaboration and support, andincreasing access to trusted social circles. Regulatorybodies are turning their attention towards the use ofsocial media by professionals. Until there areguidelines, social workers are advised to proceed withcaution when using social media to ensure that they actethically, ensure professional competence, protectclients, and uphold the values of the profession.

2011 Election for the Board of the BC College of Social Workers

The Registrar, John Mayr, announced the results of theelection for Board members at the 2011 Annual GeneralMeeting. There were seven nominations for fourvacancies. The College mailed ballots to all registrants(about 2500 at the time). There were 331 ballotsreturned and none were spoiled.

Declared elected to the Board were (in alphabeticalorder) Edward Berry, Susan Hogman, Elizabeth (Liz) Jones and Susan Noakes. Their terms are January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014.

8 BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011

The College recently received an e-mail from a registrant, Vanessa Bramhill, MSW, RSW,that raised some interesting questions about the College and the profession. We'vetaken some of the important points Ms. Bramhill makes and put them in a question-and-answer format between the registrant and the Registrar, John Mayr.

A Registrant’s Concerns About the College’s Direction

Vanessa Bramhill, RSWDear John:

Unfortunately I will be unable to make the meeting of

the BCCSW in Vancouver this November. However, I

would like to express to you my concern that the

College is not doing enough to ensure that being a

Registered Social Worker is a meaningful designation.

John MayrMy sense, after being in this position for approximatelythree months, is that yours is a commonly held belief andone that will take some time and dialogue to overcome. Itis interesting because there are two polarized camps(and many along the spectrum between). One believesthat social work cannot and should not be regulated andthe other precisely the opposite.

Highly relevant to this discussion is the fact thatgovernments in each of the provinces and one territory,all of the United States, and in many other jurisdictionsaround the world have implemented regulatoryframeworks for social workers. This would indicate thatlegislatures believe there is risk of harm to the publicfrom the practice of social work. I believe that, we - theCollege and the profession - do need to better engageourselves in respectful, open, and honest dialogue aboutthe profession and the regulation of the profession. It isnot a question of “if social work should” or “if socialwork can” be regulated because legislatures havealready made that decision.

Vanessa Bramhill, RSWFor example, compared to professions such as nursing, our

requirements are so minimal i.e. no exam or requirement

for ongoing education. Registered Nurses enjoy the status

they do today because they have fought long and hard for

recognition. Nurses have also had to work hard to meet the

requirements of registration - why can’t we do something

similar? I know of social workers who will not bother with

registration because they don’t see it as meaningful.

John MayrYou are correct that many of the other professions havemore registration requirements that include examinationsand continuing education/competence programs. Theissue of exams and competence is highly relevant to allprofessions including social work. To the best of my

knowledge, social work is one of the last regulatedprofessions without an entry-to-practice or competencyexam of some type.

As you may know, regulators from across the country aredeveloping an entry-to-practice competency profile. Thisis a hotly debated project across the country. I am goingto go back to my comment above about the need forrespectful, open and honest dialogue because that isreally what is needed. Overlay this with the currentexemptions in the Social Workers Regulation and acomplex picture starts to emerge.

That being said, the College’s Board has considered anexam in the past and tabled the discussion until 2012. (Ofcourse, there already is an exam for Registered ClinicalSocial Workers and the Association of Social Work Boardscurrently offers an exam for initial registration.) The Boardhas not yet made any decisions with respect toimplementing an exam and there will be a need for a lot ofanalysis prior to any decision being made.

Vanessa Bramhill, RSWAnother point I wanted to mention is that I have heard that

there are members of the Board of the College who do not

hold social work degrees. What is the rationale behind this?

This seems to suggest that the College views social work

education as not being critical. In my view it also waters

down our credibility. [Editorial note: All elected members of the current Board are Registered Social Workers orRegistered Clinical Social Workers while the publicmembers are appointed by the provincial government.]

John MayrThere are two types of members of the Board. There areeight elected from the registrants of the College and fourappointed by the Government of British Columbia. Thefour persons appointed generally do not have social workdegrees. Any Registered Social Worker in good standingis eligible for nomination and election to one of the eightoffices. The composition of the Board is a function of thelegislation and the College’s electoral process.

BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011 9

Is Your Private Practice Insured?Many social workers appreciate the flexibility and challenge that full- or part-time privatepractice provides. But with these attributes also comes a greater degree of responsibility.The College is currently conducting a review of several issues related to registrantsin private practice and will be collecting relevant information during registration andrenewals for 2012.

Definition of Private Practice

In the social work profession, private practice is defined as:

A social worker that engages in one’s profession as an independent provider rather than as an employee.

orPrivate practitioners are social workers who, wholly or in part, practise social work outside agovernmental or duly incorporated voluntaryagency, who have responsibility for their ownpractice and set up conditions of exchange withtheir clients, and identify themselves as social work practitioners in offering services.

(National Association of Social Workers [USA])

The Need to Have Insurance

One of the issues that all social workers in privatepractice need to be aware of is the requirement to haveliability insurance. Section 68 of the College’s Bylawsstates that all registrants in private practice and theiremployees must be insured against liability fornegligence. The requirement for members in the clinicalclass is different and can be found in Section 42(2)(h)(vii).

The College’s Obligation

The College’s mandate is to act in the public interestand ensuring that registrants obtain the requiredinsurance is a part of that mandate. This year’s renewal

forms will provide an opportunity for registrants toadvise the College if they are in full- or part-time privatepractice. Note that, generally, insurance provided to asocial worker as an employee will not cover that socialworker if he or she also maintains a private practice.

Obtaining Appropriate Insurance Coverage

One of the benefits of membership in the BCAssociation of Social Workers is the ability to accesssuitable liability insurance with an insurer. The Collegewill, in the near future, be having discussions with theAssociation about establishing a streamlined reportingprocess to check that all registrants in private practicewho are Association members carry the appropriateinsurance coverage.

If you are in private practice, you are encouraged to makesuitable arrangements with an insurer well in advance ofthe renewal period. Providing evidence of having liabilityinsurance is common for other regulated professionalsworking in an independent capacity.

We welcome your questions, comments, or concernson this matter.

Vanessa Bramhill, RSWAlthough I am a very busy person (I sit on a number of

boards/committees in addition to having a full-time job

and family commitments), I would like to see the

BCCSW evolve so that the designation of RSW means a

whole lot more than it currently does. And I would

personally be willing to assist with this process.

John MayrThank you for the offer because we, that is the Collegeand the profession, need to involve a variety and diversityof people. I will definitely keep you in mind whenopportunities arise.

Vanessa Bramhill, RSWPlease let me know your thoughts and if you are in support

of the fact that the College needs to do more. As well, let

me know what - if anything - I personally can do to get

change happening on this issue.

John MayrThe College is part of a group currently working on havingthe exemption for social workers in regional healthauthorities removed. As part of this process, I anticipatethat there will be individual social workers in healthauthorities who will express similar thoughts and feelingsto yours. I’d like to ask you to advocate for regulation andthe further professionalization of social work. Please doencourage other social workers to contact the College ifthey have questions and to become informed.

Registration Statistics

The College continues to grow with an average of 30 new registrantseach month. On September 31, 2011, there were 2,562 registrants:2,302 in the Full class, 124 in Clinical and 134 in Non-practising.

10 BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011

Registration MattersSheila Begg, RSW, Director, Registration

Registration Statistics 2011

Applications Registered Registered Registered Registered Total NewReceived Full Clinical New Grad Non-practising Registrants

Jan 22 13 – 6 – 19Feb 28 7 – 13 – 20March 35 22 – 6 – 28April 26 23 1 4 – 28May 44 17 1 6 – 25June 24 19 1 5 1 25July 35 16 – 6 – 22Aug 37 25 – 22 – 47Sept 30 32 1 12 – 45Oct – – – – 0Nov – – – – 0Dec – – – – 0

Total 281 174 4 80 1 259

Registration by Class 2011

Full Clinical Non-practising Total

Jan – – – –Feb – – – –March 2105 121 130 2356April 2148 122 133 2403May 2172 122 135 2429June 2196 123 135 2454July 2218 123 135 2476Aug 2264 123 135 2522Sept 2304 124 134 2562Oct – – – –Nov – – – –Dec – – – –

Clinical Registration

Applications for clinical registration continue to roll inslowly. When approved by the College to take theclinical exam, candidates contact the Association ofSocial Work Boards directly to make an appointment towrite the exam on a day that suits them at one of thetwo BC locations (Burnaby and Victoria). This newprocedure is working smoothly and requires much lessof the College’s time since we are no longer organizingten candidates for one sitting.

Clinical Supervision

One of the most frequent questions staff field aboutclinical registration requirements relates to establishingthe 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social workexperience - who is an acceptable supervisor?

Section 42 (2)(c) of the College’s Bylaws does notspecify the qualifications of a supervisor; however,applicants have to keep in mind that they are alsorequired to submit two clinical references from eligiblereferees who are familiar with applicants’ clinicalpractice. Only Registered Social Workers, Psychiatrists,other Physicians, or Registered Psychologists areeligible to provide such references.

If the supervisor is not in one of these professionalgroups, applicants are advised to establish a supervisoryrelationship with an eligible referee while also beingmindful of employer policy and requirements and theCollege’s Standards of Practice around informedconsent and the need to maintain confidentiality.Questions on this topic may be directed to Sheila Begg,Director, Registration.

Criminal Record Check – Five-Year Reviews

Registrants who have received a letter from the Collegeindicating that they must consent to a criminal record checkby December 31, 2011 are urged to sign the “Consent to aCriminal Record Check” form and submit it to the Collegeas soon as possible. As provided in the Criminal RecordsReview Act, the College is responsible for ensuring thatregistrants comply with this legislated requirement. Non-compliance can have serious consequences for theregistrant. It also creates needless additional work forCollege staff, the Inquiry Committee and, ultimately, thenon-compliant registrant.

It’s Almost Time to Renew Last year was the first time that theCollege offered registrants the abilityto complete the renewal processonline. It was a huge success with over60 per cent of our registrants choosingto use the online system! As weapproach the renewal season, wewant to take the opportunity toexplain some of the benefits ofonline renewal processing.

Renewing online reduces the College’scarbon footprint, reduces paper wasteand reduces direct mailing costs.Choosing online renewal processinghelps the College keep registrationfees low which is a direct benefit toall registrants. It is also moreconvenient - there’s no need to fillout forms or worry about whetheryour documents have been receivedby the College. Rest assured that theCollege uses a secure third-partycredit card processing system andyour credit card information is notkept or stored.

If you have activated your onlineaccount with the College, you are allset. If you have yet to activate youronline account, contact the Collegeat info@bccsw.ca for your activationcode. We anticipate that the onlinerenewal system will be open in

December. The deadline for renewalsis January 31, 2012. Reinstatementfees apply after that date.

Use of TitleRegistrants are reminded that it is important that they identifythemselves as Registered SocialWorkers (RSW) or RegisteredClinical Social Workers (RCSW) inprofessional correspondence and inadvertising and marketing materials.

Project Coordinator WantedTowards the development of a

respectful relationship:

Aboriginal organizations and

the BC College of Social Workers

The College, in collaboration withthree post-secondary institutionsand the Federation of AboriginalFoster Parents, is seeking to open a dialogue with Aboriginalorganizations to understand theremoval of the exemption for theregistration of social workers in relationto those organizations and to developa collaborative and respectful planto address the exemptions.

We have received a grant from theAssociation of Social Work Boards toundertake this important projectwhich is expected to take two years.We are looking for a qualified and

experienced person, preferably aRegistered Social Worker, tocoordinate this work. The fee, subjectto negotiation, for this contract will beabout $15,000 per year. Full detailsare posted on the College’s website.

Your Social Work Story Wanted“In your career as a social worker, hasanyone ever said this to you: ‘I couldn’tdo your job!’ Our work can be verychallenging and very rewarding. It takescertain types of people to do this job -people like us.

My name is Derek Owen and I am aRegistered Social Worker in Edmonton,Alberta. I am editing a projectedanthology of stories written by front-linesocial workers. I am looking forsubmissions that range from happy tosad, life affirming to angst-ridden,humorous to tragic. Stories that coverthe entire spectrum of our workexperiences. Stories that speak to theday-to-day realities of our work - whatmakes social work so great andsometimes not so great

Whether or not you like to write, if youare interested in sharing a story, I want tohear from you. Please contact me atcouldntdoyourjob@gmail.comfor moreinformation. Thank you.”

Experiences, dilemmas and solutions from the practice of social work in British Columbia

A Social Worker’s Reporting Obligationto Report Another Professional

Bonnie White, RSW, Practice Consultant

BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011 11

BCCSW at a glanceBCCSW at a glance

A clinical social worker wasproviding counselling servicesto a professional woman whowas regulated by a College

under the Health Professions Act. At some point, thesocial worker felt the client’s mental health was so fragilethat she was no longer capable of carrying out her dutiesand there was a risk of serious consequences.

The Bylaws of the College provide for social workers toreport to the College if, in the course of their practice,they have reasonable grounds to believe that aRegistered Social Worker is exposing a member of thepublic to physical, sexual or emotional harm. Unlike theprofessionals regulated under the Health ProfessionsAct, registrants of the BC College of Social Workers donot have a mandatory reporting obligation in regard toprofessionals regulated under another College.

(Continues on page 12.)

12 BCCSW College Conversation Fall 2011

College Conversation is the twice-yearly newsletter publishedby the British Columbia College of Social Workers.

©British Columbia College of Social Workers, 2011. Otherpublications may republish parts of this newsletter without formalpermission but we ask that youacknowledge College Conversationand the British Columbia College of Social Workers when doing so.

302-1765 West 8th Ave. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6J 5C6Tel: 604.737.4916 Fax: 604.737.6809E-mail: info@bccsw.ca

www.bccollegeofsocialworkers.ca

Staff

John Mayr

RegistrarJohn.Mayr@bccsw.ca

Sheila Begg, RSW

Director, Registration Sheila.Begg@bccsw.ca

Nicole Abram

Registration Coordinatorregistration@bccsw.ca

Kirsten Dowd

Office Coordinatoroffice.assistant@bccsw.ca

Consultant

Bonnie White, RSW

Practice ConsultantBonnie.White@bccsw.ca

Board to December 31, 2011

ChairElizabeth (Liz) Jones, RSW

Vice-ChairSusan Hogman, RSW

Public MembersDoris Darvasi

Lorna Dittmar

Bruce Hallsor

Geraldine Manson

Social Work MembersCurtis Magnuson, RSW

Gary Mavis, RSW (Treasurer)

Susan Noakes, RSW

Bruce Northey, RSW

Glen Schmidt, RCSW

Chi Ying Wong, RCSW

Writers Elizabeth (Liz) Jones, RSW;

John Mayr; Bonnie White, RSW;

Sheila Begg, RSW

Editor Mark Budgen

Design Ian Bateson, Baseline Type & Graphics

In the circumstance described above,the social worker struggled with thedilemma of the obligation ofmaintaining confidentiality and fear ofthe harm that could occur if the clientcontinued in her current workenvironment. What was her ethicalresponsibility to report to the otherprofessional’s licensing body?

Confidentiality is an underlyingprinciple of social work and must berigorously maintained except in certaincircumstances. Principle 5 of theStandards of Practice - Confidentiality5.5(b) outlines one of these exceptions:

[Social workers do not makedisclosures unless] the social

worker has reasonable grounds tobelieve that the disclosure isnecessary to prevent seriousbodily harm to an identifiableperson or group of persons, andin such circumstances, the socialworker shall disclose only suchinformation as is necessary toprevent the prospective harm.

It is always best to consult with theCollege, speak to a colleague, or obtainsupervision when faced with a dilemmalike this that causes you to be unsure ofwhich principle takes precedence. Inaddition to practice consultations, theCollege can also provide resources andother information.

A Social Worker’s Reporting Obligation to Report Another Professional – (Continued from page 11.)

The Bylaws of theCollege provide for social workers toreport to the College if,in the course of theirpractice, they havereasonable grounds to believe that aRegistered SocialWorker is exposing amember of the publicto physical, sexual oremotional harm.