Developing structured support

A message from the Chair of the Board of Examiners

The Board of Examiners has been exceptionally busy this past year, with a surge of applications for private practice and the introduction of new tele-practice procedures. Despite this mounting workload, the Board is thrilled to announce that our College has achieved an impressive 85% compliance rate with the Candidacy Mentorship Program requirements. Our diligent staff and dedicated Board members have remained committed to upholding the standards of good regulation, as outlined by the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network. As experts in our field, we take pride in delivering services ensuring that applicants and professionals alike have a thorough understanding of the requirements and expectations of our profession.

The Board of Examiners is dedicated to recruiting new members who represent a diverse cross-section of social work practice.

Intersectional identities are at the forefront of our priorities, and we strive to ensure that members from a variety of cultural backgrounds and geographical regions are represented. Our goal is to make certain that all sectors of social work are reflected, including child welfare, mental health, medical social work, community sector, and private practice. This helps ensure that social work expertise is always available when decisions that impact public safety need to be made. We believe that our board represents the best of social work practice, and we are honoured to serve the public interest.

Electronic social work practice has become increasingly popular this year, especially in times where access to mental health care is hard to achieve. However, it’s important to note that these practices are regulated by the Social Workers Act and Regulations in Nova Scotia. Social workers from other parts of Canada who wish to engage in electronic social work practice with clients in Nova Scotia can now apply to NSCSW with a simple verification process and a reduced fee. This ensures that clients in Nova Scotia receive safe, ethical, and high-quality services from professionals who meet the standards set by the province. As social work continues to evolve, it’s important to keep in mind the regulations and guidelines that protect both clients and practitioners.

Three years ago, the NSCSW found itself in a difficult position with our candidacy standards. Compliance was under 50%, indicating a need for improvement. However, since then, we have made significant strides and are proud to say that we have achieved an impressive 85% compliance rate. This turnaround did not happen by chance. We made it a priority to communicate with candidates and provide them with the necessary resources to help them begin their mentorship process, which is crucial to their professional growth as social workers. We are thrilled to see such a major improvement in compliance rates, and we look forward to continuing our efforts to engage our candidates.

The NSCSW’s implementation of the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network sets a high standard for good practice within healthcare profession regulation. Maintaining accurate public information about registrants, requirements, guidance, processes, and decisions is critical in ensuring transparency and accountability. We have made updates to our website and registry to ensure this. The importance of antiracism policy within regulation is also acknowledged, with efforts made to minimize any barriers faced by racialized applicants and the public. This year we continued the work on a framework for anti-racist regulation with the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulation. Consultation with stakeholders is valued as it helps identify and manage risks related to registrants, ensuring that client care and safety are always prioritized. We continue to engage with the community on core issues of social work practice, including child welfare, mental health and issues related to poverty. We have a commitment to reporting on performance and concerns and demonstrating good governance practices. We outline risks or decisions being made in our bi-weekly newsletter and blog, as well as this annual report.

By providing guidance and clarifying the professional development requirements this year, the board’s intention with this new policy is to see growth in quality practice amongst social workers, while ensuring that there were enough professional development opportunities to meet the requirements. Overall, the standards set out by the NS Regulated Health Professions Network place a high value on accountability, transparency, and above all, the safety and care of clients. We have continued to strive to bring transparent and objectively fair processes for registration and believe that these are essential to ensure the integrity of a profession.

As a regulatory board, our top priority is ensuring the safety of the public. We understand that every applicant operates within a unique context, and therefore, we strive to apply minimum standards for safe practice in a way that is appropriate to their situation. Our approach to risk assessment is meticulous and thoughtful so that we can be sure to implement the right regulations based on the level of risk posed to the public. We believe in the principle of right-touch regulation – taking the time to fully understand the problem before jumping to a solution. In doing so, we ensure that the level of regulation is proportionate to the level of risk, and never excessive. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good regulation, with the added element of agility to help us stay nimble and responsive to the ever-changing needs of our province.

The NSCSW’s commitment to the safety and care of clients has been unwavering. We have continued to strive for transparent, objectively fair processes for registration that ensure the integrity of a profession as well as minimum standards for safe practice. With our approach to risk assessment being meticulous and thoughtful, we can implement regulations based on the level of risk posed while keeping right-touch regulation at heart. Our efforts this past year have led us towards achieving an impressive 85% compliance with the Candidacy Mentorship Program which is a testament to our dedication to providing guidance and support. Our focus on professional development with quality practice amongst social workers is always kept a top priority for the Board. We look forward to continuing these efforts into 2023 so that the NSCSW remains a leader in healthcare regulation.

BY JACK LANDREVILLE, BOARD OF EXAMINERS CHAIR

BOARD OF EXAMINERS MEMBERS:

NSCSW members: Dennis Adams, Afolake Awoyiga, Jaqi Allan, Lynn Cheek, Joline Comeau (outgoing), Jeff Karabanow (outgoing), Jey Benoit, Cassandra Hanrahan, Jack Landreville (chair), Angela Penny, Shireen Singer

Public appointees : Lianne Chang, Jason Cooke, Lisandra Naranjo Hernandez