NSCSW 2023 Annual Report: Charting Our Course

Nova Scotia College of Social Worker’s 2023 Annual Report

Your Council

Executive Officers

President: Lynn Brogan

Vice-President: Michelle Ward

Treasurer: Kate Matheson

Secretary: Laurie Ehler

Past President : Ezra Wexler

To connect with the President of Council, please email: President@NSCSW.org

Board of Examiners

Chair: Jack Landreville

Regional Representatives

Northern: Crystal Hill, April Munro-Wood

Eastern: Catherine Kehoe, Claire Sampson-MacDonald

Central: Donna LeMoine, vacant

Western: Iain Ford, Laura Rodriguez

Other Representatives

CASW Board Member: Debbie Reimer

Dalhousie University School of Social Work Faculty: Judy MacDonald

Dalhousie University School of Social Work Student: vacant

Universite Sainte Anne Faculty: Veronique Brideau-Cormier

Universite Sainte Anne Student: vacant

Nova Scotia Association of Black Social Workers: Jasmine Hochman

Indigenous Member: Holly Meuse

Changing Direction

A message from the outgoing NSCSW Council President

It is with immense pride and a touch of nostalgia that I deliver my final report as President of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers. Reflecting on the past four years, it’s been an honour and privilege to serve this vibrant community. I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to our staff, council and committee members, and all members of the College for their dedication and exceptional service to the most vulnerable in our province and to the College itself.

Under the stewardship of the Governance team, we’ve made remarkable strides towards realizing the objectives outlined in our strategic plan. While we’ve met many of our goals, it’s clear that our overarching ambitions— fostering trust among our members and the public, committing to truth and reconciliation, and championing measures against antiBlack racism—have seen significant forward movement. Yet, we acknowledge that shaping the professional identity of social workers is an ongoing challenge. Nonetheless, I am especially proud of our successes in several core areas:

ENHANCED REGULATORY OUTCOMES

Our efforts to improve regulatory functions have borne fruit, with regulatory actions reflecting our commitment to high standards and 68% of surveyed members acknowledging our progress towards strategic objectives. Innovations like our new database system have streamlined registration and renewal processes, and updates to policies have been met with approval.

STRONG ADVOCACY & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Our advocacy has been impactful, particularly highlighted by the establishment of the Social Policy Framework and advancements in child welfare. The consistent presence of our Executive Director/Registrar in public forums underscores our dedication to embodying our profession’s essential values.

Our collaborative endeavors have led to significant achievements, such as the creation of an Office for Children and Youth, development of a practice framework for child welfare, implementation of the Family Stability Support Program, and assurances for a mental health and addictions strategy that prioritizes social determinants of health. Our

relationships with entities like the Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Canadian Mental Health Association Nova Scotia Division, and the Nova Scotia Action Coalition for Community WellBeing have been instrumental in propelling policy and advocacy efforts forward.

EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

The overwhelmingly positive feedback we have received from our members regarding our professional development initiatives has been a source of great encouragement. These initiatives, which highlight our dedication to principles of justice and equity, have successfully seen many of our members integrate their learnings into their practice, appreciating both their relevance and quality. 2023 was particularly notable, as our events drew an impressive attendance of 2800 individuals, showcasing the profound interest and engagement in what we offer. This significant level of participation is a clear indication of our members’ commitment to their professional growth and highlights the impact of our efforts to provide meaningful, high-quality professional development opportunities.

Additionally, our initiatives and events have garnered international attention, attracting participants from South Africa, the UK, and across Canada, underscoring the global relevance of our work. Following the establishment and subsequent reorganization of our YouTube channel in 2021 to better reflect our strategic priorities, we have witnessed a

LYNN BROGAN, MSW RSW NSCSW COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Together, we’ve set a strong foundation for the future—a future where the NSCSW continues to lead with integrity, compassion, and an unrelenting dedication to those we serve.

significant uptick in engagement. The content, particularly focusing on topics mandatory for all NSCSW registrants, has not only been popular among our members but also attracted a wider audience, including social workers from other jurisdictions, demonstrating the broad appeal and impact of our content.

These achievements are a testament to our continuous commitment to elevating the profession of social work, fostering a strong collective voice among our members, and promoting professional development that resonates with and benefits both our members and the broader community we aim to serve.

CANDIDACY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM (CMP)

The CMP has proven to be an invaluable asset for social workers transitioning from academic settings into professional practice. It has enhanced professional identities, encouraged ethical practices, and supported the development of strategies to manage moral distress. Participation in the program correlates with a lower incidence of complaints, showcasing its efficacy in safeguarding public safety and enhancing accountability.

LOOKING FORWARD

As we transition to our next strategic plan, I am filled with optimism for the future of our profession and the communities we serve. I am honoured to continue contributing to our College’s vision and mission as Past President, confident in the knowledge that our collective efforts will continue to foster a safer, more inclusive, and equitable society.

In closing, I want to reiterate my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of this journey. Your hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment have been the keystones of our accomplishments. Together, we’ve set a strong foundation for the future—a future where the NSCSW continues to lead with integrity, compassion, and an unrelenting dedication to those we serve. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President. Here’s to continuing our important work together, with the same spirit of collaboration, innovation, and excellence that has brought us this far.

Striding Ahead

A message from the NSCSW Executive Director/Registrar

I am excited for what lies ahead and confident that, together, we will continue to make strides in realizing our goals and shaping a brighter future for social work in Nova Scotia.

Our collective efforts aim at advancing the goals of the NSCSW towards fostering a safer ethical social work practice. This mandate not only involves advocating for social change and adjustments in social policy but also ensures that the social work profession can thrive while the most vulnerable in our society experience enhanced well-being. As the Executive Director and Registrar of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, I am profoundly privileged to serve in this capacity and am deeply grateful for the support from our members, partners, and the broader community.

It is with immense appreciation that I extend my heartfelt thanks to all the staff at NSCSW. Their dedication, passion, and tireless commitment to the profession of social work and its potential to effect change are nothing short of remarkable.

In 2023, our staff demonstrated remarkable productivity across a variety of crucial areas:

ADVANCING & EVALUATING THE CANDIDACY PROGRAM

Our team evaluated and enhanced the candidacy program to ensure it aligns with the rigorous expectations for professional development in social work. Our initial review revealed that the Candidacy Mentorship program supports the integration of Standards and Ethics into practice, cultivates the professional identity of social workers, equips them with tools for increased resilience, and lowers the risk of complaints.

TRAINING & UPDATING POLICY FOR REGULATORY COMMITTEES

We have made significant strides in training and updating policies that guide our regulatory committees, ensuring that our practices remain current and reflective of best practices.

ALIGNING & ADVANCING OUR ADVOCACY FOR HEALTH & WELL-BEING

We’ve campaigned to transform mental health and substance use services by integrating a bio-psycho-social approach that considers both biological factors and social determinants like economic status and education. This approach aims for holistic, inclusive health services. Key to this campaign’s success are our partnerships with the Canadian Mental Health Association Nova Scotia Division and first voice groups, enhancing our advocacy for a more empathetic service framework.

A significant achievement is the We Have Power advocacy guide developed with the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia, equipping professionals to effectively drive change. Our collective efforts have not only advanced the profession but also built a strong network for systemic change, working towards more responsive, equitable health systems. This united approach emphasizes our commitment to addressing underlying issues, moving towards a future where everyone has access to comprehensive care and support, bridging biological and social health aspects.

ALEC STRATFORD, MSW RSW NSCSW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/REGISTRAR

CHILD & FAMILY WELL-BEING ADVOCACY

The College completed and launched a major report with Wisdom 2 Action that illuminated critical areas such as the disproportionate representation of Black and Indigenous families in foster care due to discriminatory policies, the negative impacts of the 2017 Children and Family Services Act amendments on marginalized communities, and the failure of service delivery transformation efforts by the Department of Community Services to improve outcomes for affected individuals. Criticisms extend to the system’s lack of regulation, accountability, punitive policies, outdated values, and insufficient resources, all contributing to social work’s diminishing value and challenges in recruitment and retention. The report underscores an urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of governance and practice approaches to safeguard the well-being and rights of children and families. Ongoing advocacy efforts with the government and opposition parties continue in pursuit of these critical reforms.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The staff has taken a proactive approach in creating professional development content, aiming to ensure that social workers have access to material that is not only relevant but instrumental in advancing their practice knowledge and skills. This initiative specifically targets core issues such as ethics, reconciliation, and unconscious bias, with a pronounced emphasis on anti-Black racism, vicarious trauma, and social justice. Through this effort, the staff demonstrates a commitment to addressing these critical areas, equipping social workers with the tools and understanding necessary to foster a

more inclusive, effective, and compassionate practice. This dedication to enhancing professional growth and competency directly contributes to the broader goal of achieving equity and justice within communities and the social work profession at large.

HOUSING & POVERTY

We continue to strengthen our core partnerships with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Nova Scotia Action Coalition for Community Well-Being to address the structural issues that social workers encounter in delivering services to clients. Among these challenges, housing emerges as the predominant concern for social workers across various fields. This issue comes as no surprise and underscores the urgency of our advocacy efforts. We are committed to pushing forward policy ideas and advocating for significant changes in how housing is provided, including limiting the use of fixed-term leases. By collaborating with our partners, we aim to tackle these systemic barriers, ensuring that social workers have the necessary support and resources to effectively serve their communities and advocate for the well-being of their clients.

CLINICAL SPECIALIZATION

The year marked significant progress in continuing to advance the framework for clinical social work. New guidelines were crafted, laying a foundation for enhancing the quality and consistency of practice within the field. Efforts were concentrated on bringing to life the phase of clinical specialization in private practice. This initiative represents a pivotal step towards ensuring that clinical

social workers are equipped with the most up-to-date standards and practices, enabling them to provide the highest level of care to their clients. By focusing on the development and implementation of these new guidelines, we are setting a benchmark for excellence in clinical social work, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and professional growth. These efforts underscore our commitment to the advancement of the profession and the well-being of the communities we serve.

The work undertaken this year underscores our collective commitment to not just meeting but exceeding the expectations and needs of our community. It reflects our ongoing dedication to social work’s core values and our pursuit of bringing these core values to life.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to building on these achievements, continually seeking new ways to innovate, advocate, and support the social work profession and those it serves. Our vision is clear — to cultivate an environment where social workers are empowered to bring about significant social change, and the most vulnerable among us can achieve greater well-being.

I am excited for what lies ahead and confident that, together, we will continue to make strides in realizing our goals and shaping a brighter future for social work in Nova Scotia.

Protecting the Public Interest A message from the Chair of the Board of Examiners

I am pleased to present our annual report, reflecting on a year of sustained effort and progress toward operationalizing the standards of good regulation. Our commitment to these standards is unwavering, as we continue to enhance our regulatory framework, advocate for diversity, manage regulatory risks effectively, and maintain high standards of practice. Below is an overview of our progress and key developments over the past year.

ADVANCEMENTS IN INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY

We have continued to make significant progress in updating our website and registry to provide comprehensive and easily accessible information about our registrants, regulatory requirements, guidance, processes, and decisions. This step ensures transparency and facilitates better understanding and compliance among social workers and the public alike, changes were through bylaws on information that appears in the registrySection 28 – Used Name in Registry.

Many registries still rely on legal names instead of those used by individuals, which can be exclusionary to a vulnerable population.

The adoption of a by-law amendment to update the registry ensures the representation of the names that our members actually use, an essential step towards aligning with the protection of 2SLGBTQIA+ charter rights.

ADVOCACY FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

The regulator has actively promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion across multiple channels, such as our website, newsletters, and public announcements. We have specified concrete steps for anti-racist regulation, reconciliation, and governance. A key initiative introduced was the compulsory training for all social workers on truth and reconciliation, anti-racism, and bias, showcasing our dedication to creating an inclusive professional setting. This training was successfully completed for the first time in 2023. Subsequently, a professional development report and a quality assurance report demonstrating thorough integration of this learning into practice were presented to the Board.

REGULATORY RISK MANAGEMENT

To effectively manage regulatory risks, the NSCSW has introduced specific measures targeting areas such as trauma-specific therapy, sexual misconduct, fitness to practice, guidelines for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), continuous education, and redevelopment of the quality assurance program. These actions are integral to our

comprehensive strategy to oversee clinical social work practices and address broader systemic issues affecting care delivery, achieved through collaboration with government, employers, and the wider community.

This year, the Board also conducted numerous interviews with applicants identified as having potential risks to the public. The Board diligently worked to mitigate these risks by implementing measures to ensure they could effectively monitor compliance. Such measures included provisions for positions under supportive supervision, all of which are detailed in the registry.

PERFORMANCE REPORTING & STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

This year, the college completed a significant report on the impacts of the candidacy program, highlighting its pivotal role in fostering critical reflection among new social workers on privilege, values, and ethics. The program provides a structured opportunity for mentees to deeply explore issues of power, privilege, and unintended consequences outside the pressures of daily practice. This reflective process is crucial for developing the competence needed to understand how personal biases and social location influence professional practice, thereby enhancing ethical decision-making.

A key component of the program is its focus on applied ethics, addressing complex issues such as confidentiality, consent, and boundary setting. Feedback from participants indicates that discussing real-life ethical dilemmas with mentors demystifies the process of navigating these challenges, which is invaluable given that confidentiality issues are among the top complaints faced by social workers.

The mentorship provided through the program strengthens new social workers’ ability to manage these ethical challenges effectively.

Additionally, the report on the program identified progress in supporting mentees in developing a strong professional identity and skill set that aligns with their specific interests within the diverse field of social work. Through sharing expertise and experiences, mentors help candidates overcome self-doubt and build confidence in their abilities. The report also addresses the significant stresses inherent to social work and highlights how the Candidacy Mentorship Program (CMP) educates new social workers on recognizing and managing occupational stress injuries, emphasizing the importance of a supportive community of care.

The report demonstrates that CMP plays a complex role in social work regulation, addressing not only the potential for increased complaints among less experienced workers but also the broader challenges new entrants face in the profession. While it helps protect both the public and the candidates by ensuring competency and providing a supportive learning environment, the report acknowledges that CMP alone cannot address all factors leading to complaints. A holistic approach that includes CMP, alongside considerations for organizational culture, workload, and support systems, is essential for the comprehensive development and protection of social worker candidates and the communities they serve.

STANDARDS REVIEW & DEVELOPMENT

This year, a major project was initiated to adopt the CASW Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. In November, consultations took place with employers, social workers, and core partners to start the process of adopting a new code of ethics and standards that

reflect the current practice of social work. This includes addressing the expectations around anti-Black racism, reconciliation, unconscious bias, and more. In partnership with our clinical committee, we have been advancing clinical standards of practice that will be additional for social workers who practice in a clinical setting.

The values embodied in the new code and standards include:

1. Respecting the Dignity and Worth of All People, 2. Promoting Social Justice, 3. Pursuing Truth and Reconciliation, 4. Valuing Human Relationships, 5. Preserving Integrity in Professional Practice, 6. Maintaining Privacy and Confidentiality, and 7. Providing Competent Professional Services.

These underline the importance of providing guidance principles, practice context, and standards of practice that are essential for the ethical and effective delivery of social work services.

This endeavor represents a significant step forward in ensuring that our profession remains responsive and relevant to the evolving needs and challenges of society, while upholding the highest ethical standards. Through these updated codes and practices, we aim to reinforce our commitment to social justice, dignity, and excellence in social work practice.

MANAGING RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-REGISTRANTS

The NSCSW actively addresses the risks posed by individuals who use protected titles or practice without proper licensing.

BY JACK LANDREVILLE, BOARD OF EXAMINERS CHAIR

On our discipline page, we highlight examples of how we have taken action to enforce our standards, following complaints we’ve received. This year, there have been several instances where our registrar proactively contacted individuals who were practicing without required registration and successfully resolved these issues informally. Furthermore, during the renewal period, we reviewed job descriptions for members who believed they no longer needed to be registered. In two specific cases, after careful assessment, we decided to deny the request for resignation, and the individuals were required to maintain their registration.

In conclusion, our efforts this past year underscore our dedication to upholding the highest standards of regulatory practice, advancing our profession, and protecting the public interest. We look forward to building on this foundation in the coming year, guided by our strategic objectives and committed to excellence in all aspects of our work.

BOARD OF EXAMINERS MEMBERS: NSCSW members: Dennis Adams, Afolake Awoyiga, Jey Benoit, Bernadette Fraser, Cassandra Hanrahan, Teresa Johnson, Jack Landreville (chair), Katie MacEachern, Angela Penny

Public appointees: Lianne Chang, Jason Cooke, Lisandra Naranjo

Learning from Complaints

BY LISANDRA NARANJO, JD, COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE CHAIR

The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers exists to serve and protect Nova Scotians by effectively regulating the profession of social work. The NSCSW establishes, maintains, and regulates standards of professional practice. Our role is to ensure that Nova Scotians receive the services of skilled and competent social workers who are knowledgeable, ethical, qualified, and accountable to the people who receive social work services.

The NSCSW believes the people of Nova Scotia are entitled to receive the highest caliber of care from their social workers. The College achieves its mandate, in part, through its legislated power to address complaints involving allegations of professional misconduct, conduct unbecoming the profession, incompetency, and/or a breach of the Code of Ethics.

The process of receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints is the ongoing work of the complaints committee which is a subcommittee of the Board of Examiners. The complaints committee is obligated to investigate every complaint made that is within the College’s jurisdiction. The complaints made each year vary in complexity. Some are simple to resolve, while others have more complex issues such as fitness-to-practice issues, documentation practices, confidentiality breaches, and professional boundaries violations. The powers and duties associated with processing complaints is not assumed lightly and the resources required to carry out these responsibilities effectively are considerable.

The College continues to examine ways to enhance the quality of care delivered by social workers through our ethical mapping project and continued collaboration with employers such as the Department of Community Services.

2023 COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Dennis Adams BSW RSW, Jack Landreville MSW RSW, Lisandra Naranjo JD (chair), Angela Penney BSW RSW

Staff support : Genevieve Coughlan, Valerie Heard, RSW

The number of complaints received and processed by this

remain

In all, there were 74 complaint matters processed by NSCSW staff in 2023. Of these, 16 were open complaint matters carried over from 2022. The remaining 58 were new complaints received in 2023; 31 matters required investigation (compared to 28 in 2022 and 21 in 2021) and the other 27 were not opened because they were outside NSCSW jurisdiction.

Of the 47 complaint matters investigated by the committee in 2023, 22 were carried over into 2024, 2 were withdrawn, and the complaints committee rendered 24 final decisions.

A look at 2023 Complaints

Reorienting Clinical Regulation

A report from the Clinical Committee

In April 2024, the initial phase of clinical regulations was enacted in Nova Scotia, introducing two fundamental changes. Firstly, deregulation of private practice was established, allowing social workers and social work candidates to offer non-clinical services without needing authorization from the Board of Examiners. Secondly, the new framework shifted to regulate clinical social work within a private setting.

These changes were made possible because of the significant strides we made in advancing clinical regulation throughout 2023.

UNDERSTANDING CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK

Clinical social work represents a specialized discipline within the broader field of social work, characterized by:

• The provision of mental health, addiction, trauma, grief/loss/illness, and crisis assessments, contextualizing individuals within their unique social environments.

• The employment of research-based therapy methods aligned with bio-psycho-socialspiritual principles that are culturally relevant.

• Direct engagement with individuals, couples, families, and groups to address complex issues impacting individual and family functioning.

• Guidance by overarching social work concepts such as human rights and social justice.

• The initiation and implementation of intervention plans alongside clients to meet their goals.

GUIDELINES FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK SPECIALISTS 2024

Throughout 2023, the committee engaged with a diverse range of practitioners and communities to develop a set of guidelines. These guidelines complement the draft Standards of Clinical Practice. The NSCSW has adopted this comprehensive set of guidelines, which are specifically tailored for clinical social work specialists and will take effect in 2024. These guidelines are designed to achieve multiple objectives:

• To act as a vital resource for clinical specialists in achieving and maintaining professional standards.

• To inform the public about the expectations they should have when engaging with clinical specialists.

• To ensure that clinical specialists adhere to these guidelines, which complement the broader clinical standards of practice.

The aim is to ensure that clinical social work specialists practicing within Nova Scotia have the tools they need to bring to life the NSCSW’s Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, Standards of Clinical Practice, and the Nova Scotia Social Workers Act and Regulations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT & COMMITMENT TO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Throughout 2023, the committee engaged with a diverse range of practitioners and communities The NSCSW recognizes the historical and ongoing role of social work in defining and regulating clinical services, particularly within economically and racially marginalized communities. It acknowledges the persistence of systems utilizing oppressive language and policies and the reality that members may operate within systems not yet reflective of our values.

Committed to a path of restorative justice and reconciliation, the NSCSW emphasizes addressing intersectional biases and is dedicated to anti-oppressive, trauma and violence-informed, anti-colonial, and anti-racist practices. Given the profession’s colonial and racist legacies, the commitment to anti-racist and anti-colonial methodologies and reconciliation efforts is paramount. These guidelines underscore the importance of fostering a more just, inclusive, and compassionate approach to social work practice in Nova Scotia.

SUMMARY OF GUIDELINES

The clinical guidelines developed for clinical social work specialists encompass a comprehensive framework designed to ensure compassionate, competent, and holistic care across diverse populations. These guidelines emphasize the importance of continuous professional development and cultural attentiveness, aiming to equip specialists with the necessary skills and knowledge for effective practice.

KEY COMPONENTS OF THE GUIDELINES

• DSM-5 Utilization: Specialists are expected to proficiently use the DSM-5 for initial client assessments, requiring a thorough understanding of its application within clinical settings.

• Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Assessments: Advocating for a holistic approach, these assessments cover the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of clients, emphasizing collaborative engagement.

• Documentation and Competence: Accurate documentation of a specialist’s skills and experiences is vital, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care that meets established clinical standards.

• Self-Assessment and Continuous Learning: Specialists are required to conduct selfassessments and seek further training as needed, ensuring they are prepared to meet the diverse needs of their clients effectively.

• Trauma-Specific Therapy: The guidelines stress the importance of understanding trauma dynamics and incorporating essential knowledge, practical steps, and ethical principles in therapy.

CULTURAL ATTENTIVENESS & WORKING WITH DIVERSE POPULATIONS

• Indigenous Service Users: Specialists are encouraged to incorporate the strengths of Indigenous cultures into their practice, offer culturally sensitive services, and actively combat oppression and discrimination. Critical self-reflection and an understanding of historical injustices are deemed essential.

• African Ancestry Service Users in Nova Scotia: Recognizing the historical contributions and legacy of African Nova Scotians is crucial. Specialists must address anti-Black racism in mental health care, advocating for a care model that respects unique historical and cultural contexts.

• Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ Service Users: Specialists are urged to provide safe and affirming practices for 2SLGBTQIA+ service users, recognizing this as both an ethical imperative and a necessity for fostering healing. Education in this area is encouraged to enable practitioners to offer affirmative, trauma-informed, and culturally attentive care. The guidelines also highlight the importance of understanding the harms associated with conversion therapy, which is prohibited under Canadian law, particularly emphasizing the need for a practice that supports the dignity, rights, and well-being of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

By adhering to these guidelines, clinical social work specialists commit to a practice that respects and actively supports the well-being of all service users, promoting an environment where healing and empowerment are paramount

2023 COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Jacquelyn Allan, James Dubé, Robyn Hazard, Jim Morton, Andrea Shaheen (chair), Alec Stratford (staff), Errin Williams

Our diverse committees sometimes work individually, but increasingly in collaboration with one another and in consultation with the communities that we seek to serve.

Moving Together Towards Safe(R) Praxis

A report from the College’s public interest committees

The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers relies upon the wisdom and input of its members. Dozens of members volunteer on our public interest committees, including social workers who are actively employed and retired, experienced practitioners and candidates, and even social work students, each bringing their diverse personal and professional experiences.

Together these volunteers ensure that our different committees’ deliberations are grounded in the needs and concerns of our members, as we seek to implement our profession’s Code of Ethics and our commitments to truth and reconciliation, as well as integrating the findings of recent reports highlighting our need to advocate for antiracist and anti-oppressive lenses to ensure safe(R) social work practice.

Our guidelines and policies, programming and advocacy, activities and events are all guided by diverse perspectives, with input from external subject matter experts, including those with lived experiences.

Our diverse committees sometimes work individually, but increasingly in collaboration with one another and in consultation with the communities that we seek to serve. We are especially grateful for the wisdom and support of Elder Ella Paul of Millbrook First Nation for sharing her time with us in 2023.

Public interest committees meet once or twice a month, and also in small work group project teams. Some members have joined other committees to provide additional support and assist with integrating the ideas from one group to another. Committee chairs and co-chairs also met several times over the year to discuss and align their efforts, and to support the growing collaborative efforts of these diverse committees. And we held our first virtual committee retreat in the fall of 2023, to help guide our future efforts.

2023 Committee Members & Community Consultants

We are grateful for the participation and consultation of the following individuals who either served on one of our committees, or joined some of these meetings to provide consultation and share their expertise or unique point of view.

Serena Ali

Nelda Armour

Moseline Atangana

Gail Baikie

Sandra Pickrell Baker

Jacklyn Barclay

Kristen Basque

Jey Benoit

Kelsey Benoit

Craig Besaw

Haley Boone

Debra Bourque

Monica Boyd

Dominic Boyd

Veronique Brideau

Suzanne Brooks

Robyn Buote

Debra Burke

Eva Burrill

Jodi Butler

Gary Carey

Brooke Collicutt

Joline Comeau

Mary Cripton

Emily Crosby

Lisa Dauphinee

Kevin Delahunty

Shane Esarik

Sophie Gallant

Trusha Gordon

Raquel Griffin

Mobina Hasan

Deb Hickling

Crystal Hill

Kelly Hunt

Holly Johnson

Louise Jones

Haley Keeping

Niveditha Krishnan

Danielle Laurie

Stephanie LeBlanc

Melissa LeBlanc

Polly Leonard

Terrence Lewis

Héloïse Lhorte

Tamsyn Loat

Josey Lovett

Helen Luedee-Boone

Lynn Mac Donald

Brennagh MacDonald

Catie Mace

Lana Maclean

Jessica MacLean

Heather MacNeill

Lauren Matheson

Sheri McConnell

Erin McDonald

Laurette McGaughey

Tanya McHarg

Holly Meuse

Dermot Monaghan

Ax Montasser

Colin Morrison

Jim Morton

April Munro-Wood

Meaghan Norris

Olivia O’Shea

Juanita Paris

Elder Ella Paul

Rohith Perike

Michelle Peters

Deb Philpitt

Philippa Pictou

Amy Pinnell

Anne Pirie

Shane Pope

Janet Pothier

Josh Purdy

Ellen Reid

Laara Richardson

Mario Rolle

Rene Schofield

Diane Scott

Dawn Sherry

Dani Sherwood

Rachel Smith

Heather Smith

Mario Spiler

Patricia Stephens-Brown

Curtis Stevens

Shataya Stevenson

Hannah Stewart

Maggie Stewart

Michelle Stonehouse

Joanne Sulman

Ann Sylliboy

Joanna Thompson

Jubanti Toppo

Jason Tucker

Jennifer van Kessel

Emelia Visca

Chloe Walls

Tara Webb

Marie Sharon Westhaver

Robert Wright

Dr. Suzanne Zinck

Wilson Zvomuy

Connections Committee

The connections committee completed its final printed edition of Connection magazine in 2023 and began to reimagine how it can continue to evolve in its commitment to telling the stories that connect our membership with one another and with the broader community we serve. We are grateful to our chair, Rachel Smith, RSW, for all that she has done to support our small but mighty committee during these significant changes.

The final issue of 2023 focused upon the decolonization of the social work profession and highlighted the incredible work that Mi’kmaq and Indigenous social workers are doing. We featured the first Mi’kmaq social worker who was registered as a private practice clinician, Michelle Peters, RSW, PP, and published articles intended to support our members as we work to decolonize ourselves and our profession, in solidarity with our Indigenous members and the Mi’kmaq communities and Elders upon whose land we live and work.

We are especially proud of our article on land acknowledgment praxis, which interwove the knowledge of multiple social workers of both Indigenous and settler descent. Many non-profits and others in our communities have shared with us how transformational this article was for their understanding of how to be better treaty partners and how to demonstrate that commitment in their own land acknowledgments.

This committee’s focus in 2023 was to reimagine what this magazine might look like in a new format, where the stories we tell can be shared in a more flexible way. In particular, given the changing ways that our world consumes media, our College has decided to shift our magazine to an online format.

The committee has spent a significant amount of time reflecting upon the best ways to adapt to this change and to find new ways of telling our stories and sharing our values.

Connection Magazine began as a newsletter back in 1966 when the College (then Association) was just three years old, and later transformed into a full-colour magazine that was shared widely across the province. Each phase of Connection has reflected the College’s evolution as we continue to regulate the profession while working in solidarity with Nova Scotians to advocate for improvement to social policies and programs. We are excited for this new chapter.

The committee also supports a quarterly series of Communities of Practice events, which offer an opportunity for social workers to meet virtually over lunch and just talk. The idea behind this series is to create a safe space for social workers to connect amongst themselves and discuss issues of concern, share ideas and resources, brainstorm strategies for advocacy and be inspired and nourished by their colleagues.

Given that many social workers are not connected to other social workers on a daily basis in their work activities or environments, these gatherings hold space for our members to build professional relationships and develop a cohesive network that will also help us to be more effective in mobilizing for future advocacy needs.

The connections committee has sought to center the voices, concerns and ideas of our members in its storytelling, and has restructured itself so that it can meet in alignment with these conversations. As the College prepares to embark upon its next strategic plan, the committee looks forward to reimagining how it will continue evolving in how it shares stories that inspire us to continue the incredible work that we do across our province. We invite you to join us in this adventure.

The committee has spent a significant amount of time reflecting upon the best ways to adapt to this change and to find new ways of telling our stories and sharing our values

Social Justice Committee

Social justice is a core value to the social work profession and at the heart of our code of ethics. It informs everything that we do and is the foundation of every committee and every decision. Nevertheless, this committee was created to provide opportunities for our members to address the larger structural context within which we work, that we may reduce the moral distress and ethical concerns of our members that our research has demonstrated to be significant obstacles in the delivery of safe(R) social work services across Nova Scotia.

This committee is grateful to the leadership of co-chairs Janet Pothier, RSW and Deb Philpitt, RSW, whose creative and visionary approach to leadership helped the committee transition to a new decentralized model of committee work in order to encourage new voices and perspectives. The committee expanded its numbers and undertook multiple projects, joining together with other committees to provide input and feedback into the next strategic plan of the College.

Multiple important conversations were held as members reflected on the unique challenges and opportunities of working to decolonize ourselves and our practice, advocating for social justice while continuing to work in systems that do not yet reflect our ethical mandate of antiracist and anti-discriminatory practice. These conversations have impacted the College in profound and transformational ways, as we seek to find ways of integrating our social justice values and ethics into everything that we do.

Central to this committee’s purpose is its commitment to advocating for the recommendations outlined in the College’s research and reports. We developed a Social Policy Framework in 2020 in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ NS office; the framework identifies guiding principles for social policy, and has since formed the foundation of the NSCSW’s social justice efforts. In 2021 we published a mental health paper with social work researchers at Dalhousie, Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health in Nova Scotia, and a child welfare paper in 2023 with Wisdom 2 Action, Building an Ecosystem to Realize Children’s Rights and Support Family Well-Being in Nova Scotia

We are also guided by the recommendations of essential public inquiry reports such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, Reclaiming Power and Place, Journey to Light, and Turning the Tide Together

Reflecting these commitments, the Social Justice Committee oversaw multiple projects to advance this vision and commitment. These included several Big Ideas in Mental Health panels, on issues such as the safety and well-being of 2SLGBTQIA+ children in Nova Scotia, to the lack of a coordinated approach to death and dying across the province to addressing the issue of weight bias in our health care system.

Creating opportunities for social workers to enter into dialogue with researchers and those with lived experiences ensures a broader understanding of the complex issues that impact the delivery of safe(R) social work services. This commitment to bringing together diverse voices and perspectives not only informs the creation of the Big Ideas in Mental Health panels, which were organized this year in collaboration with the Professional Development Committee but also the new Collaborative Care Professional Development Series which seeks to bring together multiple health care professions out of our shared commitment to decolonize health care more broadly.

The social work profession recognizes that every individual is affected by multiple overlapping systems and influences; addressing them effectively requires advocacy for multi-systemic intervention.

This knowledge is reflected in our code of ethics, which mandates a commitment to social justice, and in our professional development standards, which require every social worker in Nova Scotia to complete annual training or activities related to the pursuit of social justice.

The social justice committee has focused its efforts on ways to support our members in completing this requirement in creative and collaborative ways. Our annual Advocacy Day in March has been held in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association Nova Scotia Division (CMHA-NS), to advocate for increased funding for mental health, along with the other recommendations of the Repositioning report. The 2024 Advocacy Day built upon the success of the committee’s work in the summer of 2023, with its historic interprofessional letter advocating for the safety of 2SLGBTQIA+ children and updated educational guidelines. The committee was instrumental in envisioning the We Have Power advocacy toolkit developed in partnership with the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia; this guide was launched at our March 2023 Advocacy Day, and expanded and improved during the year so that it could be further integrated into the 2024 event. This resource was designed to ensure Nova Scotians have robust tools to support them in advocating for the psychosocial, spiritual and structural determinants of their own well-being. The committee has also worked to develop guidelines for social workers to consider how to integrate advocacy into their practice.

Back in 2021, the Repositioning report identified that nearly all social workers providing mental health services experienced severe moral distress because the policies and practices where they work emphasized a biologicalmedical model of care that disregarded social, structural and ecological determinants of care. By providing social workers with tools that they can share with service users who identify structural factors that are affecting their mental health, the NSCSW seeks to empower both social workers and the communities they serve to join together to advocate for the healing conditions that will make safety and well-being possible.

Given the underlying structural factors that may influence a person’s decision to seek out medical assistance in dying (MAiD), the NSCSW has partnered together with the Nova Scotia Health Ethics Network (NSHEN) to begin to outline trends of requests and concerns related to this issue. The trends identified can help shape the order of priorities regarding advocacy related to the structural determinants of mental health and well-being, particularly as MAiD criteria may expand in the coming years to include people suffering solely from chronic mental illness.

All of these activities reflect the courageous and visionary leadership and thoughtful reflections and deliberations of our social justice committee members as they have sought to support the College in effective and ethically necessary advocacy alongside the communities we serve.

Celebrating Courage seeks to create spaces for social workers to gather together and restore faith in themselves and the transformative potential of their practice.

Professional Development Committee

This committee has worked to integrate its activities with the social justice and decolonizing committees to support the alignment of its work to promote safe(R) social work practice in Nova Scotia. This work has thrived under the dedicated and visionary leadership team of Catie Mace, RSW and Monica Boyd, SWC.

The preparation for each year’s conference begins the prior year. Thus in 2023 we delivered a virtual conference exploring The Ethics of Allyship that was well received by participants, and then began planning for 2024’s conference: Celebrating Courage. The committee has also begun to reflect on ways to update the NSCSW’s professional development policies to align with our profession’s new code of ethics.

A significant issue that emerged in consultation and through the feedback from our last few conferences has been how to address the issue of unconscious bias in the practice of social work. Members have shared incidents of lateral violence, workplace discrimination and other challenges that have highlighted this issue. This also reflects the urgent priority of working to ensure antiracist and anti-discriminatory social work practice that can advance our ethical mandate to shift from the illusion of neutrality to one that works to actively dismantle systemic bias, in order to foster social work praxis that reflects an anti-oppressive lens.

As a result, the committee has focused upon what it means to not only learn, but also begin to unlearn. We strive to unlearn our assumptions and unconscious bias, to cede our reliance upon colonial constructs that teach us that some voices or perspectives are more important than others, and to challenge the idea that professional development learning activities are separate from self-reflection, support for selfcare, or advocacy to make safer the structural/ community contexts we practice within.

The construction of the 2024 conference intentionally integrates all of these goals while embedding them in community and relationship. This reflects the NSCSW’s commitment to reclaiming the social work group method as part of its decolonizing our institution and our profession, and will help social workers in each region of the province develop collaborative relationships to support education and a dvocacy in the future.

The Committee has focused its efforts on planning a new type of conference that can celebrate courage and authenticity, foster community and connection, and help social workers decolonize themselves and their practice to ensure safer outcomes for themselves, for the people they work with, and for their communities.

The title of the 2024 conference reflects the courage that is needed to face our truths, speak our truths, and create truthful praxis. Our twopart theme also reflects a decolonizing shift to ensure safer social work practice by reducing burnout and dismantling unconscious or colonial bias.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE:

• The conference seeks to decolonize and help attendees unlearn the colonial myth of individuality which contributes to burnout and unsafe practice. Together, we can create the conditions to begin to heal ourselves and each other.

WE ARE ALL CONNECTED:

• An Indigenized approach to social work invites us to align social work practice in this region of unceded Mi’kma’ki with land-based Mi’kmaq values as part of our treaty responsibilities and our commitment to reconciliation. Msit No’kmaq means all my relations and refers to the traditional understanding that everything in the universe is interconnected. Everyone and everything has a purpose and is worthy of respect.

• An Africentric approach to social work can also invite us to align our praxis with Ubuntu principles and philosophy: I am because you are; I am because we are

The Mi’kmaq word Mlkna literally means the state of having a fearless heart. By decentring

our conference and learning to hear the voices that have been marginalized, erased or silenced (both externally in the world, and internally, due to the ways we have absorbed colonial violence through unconscious bias and through trauma), we seek to empower ourselves to step into a place of courage and authenticity that aligns with the Seven Grandfather Teachings: Nsituo’qn/Wisdom; Kesaltultimk/ Love; Kepmite’teken/Respect; Mlkna/Bravery; Koqaja’teken/Honesty; Wanqwajite’teken/ Humility; Tetpaqa’q/Truth.

Celebrating Courage seeks to create spaces for social workers to gather together and restore faith in themselves and the transformative potential of their practice. The conversations that will emerge during this conference will then guide the committee in how to best update the new NSCSW Professional Development Policy to better align with the College’s new Code of Ethics when it is published in 2024.

We hope to support practitioners in developing deep and nuanced understanding of how their positionality affects the work they do, and create opportunities to learn from those with lived experiences of intersectional marginalization and oppression. Our goal is to build community for our members and to help us learn from one another, even as we work to liberate ourselves. We will be celebrating the courageous voices of our members and learning from them, as we learn how to decolonize our practice, as part of our commitment to safer social work.

The Mi’kmaq word ‘Mlkna’ literally means the state of having a fearless heart

Being a social worker is complex and often involves trying to sort through complex and confusing situations to help people navigate difficult and sometimes uncharted waters. Professional standards, guidelines and ethics consultations are important ways to provide guidance to our members. This committee seeks to ensure that regulatory concerns are integrated into our learning and resources to support our members and reduce risk.

The committee underwent a leadership change. The visionary leadership of Lauren Matheson, RSW helped the committee develop a new ethics consultation process in consultation with the Nova Scotia Health Ethics Network (NSHEN) and with the social justice committee. Matheson was succeeded by new co-chair Eva Burill, RSW who has joined Erin McDonald, RSW in promoting safer social work practice.

Frequently, when members seek ethics consultation, their concerns arise from the larger systemic and structural influences affecting the services that they can provide. Sometimes, social workers are unable to access the services or resources that they know are needed, because social conditions in our province have manufactured scarcity. In such cases, members are encouraged to join the NSCSW’s social justice committee or other community organizations working to advocate for the resources needed to ensure safer social work outcomes for those they serve.

Professional Standards & Ethics Committee

Sometimes, social workers struggle to determine how to provide safe social work practices because of a lack of clarity in their organization

or a difference of interpretation in ethical practices between themselves and their colleagues. In such situations, NSHEN can serve as a valuable resource to ensure that health care providers of varied disciplines, including social work, but also including medicine, psychology, clinical spiritual care, occupational therapy and others, can join together with ethicists to ensure safer outcomes for the patients and service users that they provide.

The NSCSW is especially grateful to Dr. Marika Warren at NSHEN, for her commitment to collaborating with us on several projects, including our quarterly Ethics Café series which seeks to provide opportunities for practitioners to gather and discuss various issues of ethical concern. This past year, these have especially focused on issues related to the potential expansion of medical assistance in dying to individuals with mental health challenges. Our panel discussions have sought to align education with advocacy, as we have also partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association – Nova Scotia Division, in our advocacy for universal mental health as part of our annual Advocacy Day.

In addition to working to address ethical concerns and to provide input on the adaptation of the new CASW Code of Ethics to the Nova Scotian context, this committee has focused on developing practice resources for social workers. In 2023 they developed and published

documentation guidelines to ensure traumainformed and consistent approaches to recordings. They are continuing to work on guidelines related to assessing child well-being in order to align with new divorce legislation; this project has required a significant amount of consultation and deliberation in order to ensure that these guidelines align with an antioppressive lens.

The professional standards and ethics committee looks forward to continuing its efforts in this arena and to the input of its members over the coming year in order to make safer outcomes possible for everyone receiving social work services in Nova Scotia.

We are grateful to all of our members who dedicate their time and share their wisdom and expertise to support the important work of this committee as we seek to create practice guidelines that integrate social work research, social work values, and the diverse experiences of first voice advocates and practitioners themselves.

Decolonizing & Indigenizing Social Work Committee

This committee’s co-chairs are Michelle Peters, RSW, PP, and Crystal Hill, RSW, come together with other Indigenous social workers — Mi’kmaw, First Nations and Inuit — and community leaders to reflect upon how to support and guide the NSCSW and its members in the necessary labour of reconciliation

Our profession has a unique responsibility to understand what was done and do what we can to work toward decolonization.

In its statement of apology and commitment to reconciliation, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) acknowledged its role in supporting the implementation of residential schools, and in affirming the approach to child welfare that led to the 60s scoop through the promotion of discriminatory policies. The underlying motivation in the development of these policies was to dispossess Indigenous peoples from their land.

The CASW has apologized for contributing to the injustices imposed on Indigenous peoples and, in this statement, seeks to highlight some of the ways in which CASW was – and in many ways still is – implicated in the systemic denial and inequality that has been apparent in the field of social work. As such, it has begun to reach out to Indigenous communities across Canada, to partner with them in beginning the work of decolonization and reconciliation.

NSCSW joined with the CASW in this apology and has affirmed its commitment to do the

necessary work in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and the calls to justice clearly identified by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

In particular, the NSCSW acknowledges our role in the violent colonization of Indigenous communities through the ways in which social workers have worked on behalf of colonial systems to implement policies that have contributed to the destruction of Indigenous communities and perpetuated the racist ideology implicit in those actions.

This recognition is done within a larger context where the NSCSW joins the CASW in re-examining our historical and continued role in colonization of indigenous people and lands as part of our commitment to decolonize social work. We also continue working to address the multiple intersectional forms of racism, heteronormativity, prejudice and oppression that have accompanied the dominant lens of the colonizer and embedded themselves in policy and practice.

Specifically, the NSCSW council, committee and staff are committed to undertaking this journey toward decolonization. As stated in the CASW apology: acknowledging the truth is hard, but the work of reconciliation is harder. This work requires that the paternalistic and racist

foundations of our policies be rejected, and that new policies and guidelines be developed in partnership with Indigenous communities.

This past year, this restructured itself to continue to explore the ways in can best reflect the diversity of Indigenous voices and perspectives that must guide this work, while also considering the importance of ensuring the indigenization of the social work profession in unceded Mi’kma’ki. The Committee provided valuable insight and consultation in the College’s development of the new clinical guidelines and the new CASW Code of Ethics.

This committee’s recommendations and input also led to the NSCSW entering into dialogue with the leadership of the Maw-Kleyu’kik Knijannaq (MKK) Child Welfare Initiative, which is working on a project to exercise complete jurisdiction and governance over child welfare and to establish a Mi’kmaw child and family services body governed by Mi’kmaw law and policy.

We are committed to doing everything that we can to continue to learn and unlearn, in our quest to ensure safer social work practice in Nova Scotia, and are grateful for this committee’s guidance and wisdom in doing so.

Voice of Social Work

As part of our work towards the strategic goals of our College, we continue to be active in public discourse about issues that matter to Nova Scotians. Here’s a small sample of what we were up to in 2023:

Alec Stratford … said the current guidelines are no longer useful because of social, political and legislative changes that have happened over the past 10 years. “We have new human rights laws, we have laws banning conversion therapy, we also are seeing heightened political rhetoric towards LGBTQSIA groups and youth in particular, all which warrant a stronger response to uphold and protect the rights of the most vulnerable in our society.”

N.S. poised to change guidance for teachers on supporting gender-diverse students

Taryn Grant, CBC News, December 14, 2023

Family income is an especially powerful factor in dictating development, as is access to supportive services for children and families. If we want child and family well-being, as this province indicated, we must invest in kids and their families.

The hidden costs of Nova Scotia’s budget Op-ed by Alec Stratford, in The Chronicle Herald March 28, 2023

The report points out that gender-based violence is incredibly underreported; many affected do not reach out to authorities for help due to a multitude of reasons, including systemic barriers, interactions among legal regimes and the inability of our systems to take women’s experiences into account.

April 13, 2023

Perhaps it is fitting that this attempt to grieve the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia began with such dissonance, but the unfortunate juxtaposition of this requested moment of quiet reflection with a daily glorification of military violence illustrates the blind spots that enable the regular retraumatization of thousands by a practice that ought to have ended long ago.

Echoes of cannon fire linger from Halifax’s noon gun

Op-ed by Naj Siritsky, in The Chronicle Herald May 4, 2023

Alec Stratford, the executive director of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, said the delay to date shows there is often “a lack of understanding of the amount of hurt and grief and pain that exists” after such tragedy.

Stratford said there needs to be a recognition that “grief comes in waves, it comes in different points in time.”

‘Help us heal’: Pleas for mental health support 3 years after N.S. mass shooting

Rebecca Lau & Callum Smith, Global News April 19, 2023

The logic behind it was that we could be more preventative if we were intervening earlier. The problem is that’s not really how prevention works,” [Alec Stratford] said. He wants to see the province focus more on the reasons why children are removed from their homes in the first place, such as inadequate food, clothing and shelter.

Shortage of child welfare staff keeps some parents and children separated

Emma Smith, CBC News January 26, 2023

Youth cannot wait, children cannot wait while government sorts this out,” says Alec Stratford, the executive director and registrar of the college.

Nova Scotia advocate continues push for Child and Youth Commission

Callum Smith, Global News October 10, 2023

Turning the tide on gender-based violence Op-ed by Alec Stratford, in The Chronicle Herald

Social Work Employment Trends & The Future of Caregiving

Workforce Analysis

CHILD WELFARE CHALLENGES

The CASW Child Welfare Report highlights severe issues affecting social workers in child protection, including:

• Unmanageable workloads

• Increased administrative duties and expectations

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

To support working caregivers and enhance the recruitment and retention of social workers, we recommend:

• Flexible scheduling: Empower caregivers with control over their schedules to balance professional and family responsibilities.

The social work profession continues to experience significant growth, particularly in healthcare sectors focused on mental health care. A noteworthy trend is the pivot towards private sector opportunities and private practices, indicating a diversifying field with varied career paths. However, persistent vacancies in the Department of Community Services and Nova Scotia Health, especially within mental health and addictions, underscore ongoing challenges in recruitment and retention.

KEY FINDINGS

• Growth in mental health & healthcare: There’s a strong demand for social workers within healthcare settings, with an emphasis on mental health services. This growth reflects a broader recognition of the critical role social workers play in these sectors.

• Shift towards private sector: More social workers are moving into private practice and the private sector, seeking autonomy and the ability to leverage their full scope of practice, and set their own hours.

• Persistent vacancies: Major vacancies persist, notably within child welfare, attributed to various factors that impact job satisfaction and worker retention.

• Interference with personal and family life

• Emotional toll and exposure to violence

• Insufficient mental health support for staff

• Lack of community services for clients’ complex needs

These factors contribute to a trend toward de-professionalism within child welfare, suggesting a need for systemic reform to address these challenges.

MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS

A study on social work in mental health highlighted low job satisfaction among participants, largely due to the dominance of the medical model and restrictions on practicing a holistic bio-psycho-social approach. This indicates a crucial need for integrating social work perspectives fully into mental health and addiction services.

THE WORKING CAREGIVER

With 85% of social workers identifying as women and a demographic trend towards younger workers, there’s a pressing need to adapt workforce strategies to support working caregivers better. Recognizing the dual roles many social workers play, policies must evolve to mitigate burnout and promote equity.

• Childcare support: Implement on-site childcare or subsidize childcare services to alleviate one of the primary stressors for working parents.

• Paternity leave: Encourage equitable parental leave policies to support gender equality and reduce workplace biases.

• Paid leave for caregiving: Ensure comprehensive paid leave policies for illness and caregiving duties.

• Anti-caregiver bias elimination: Shift focus from office presence to productivity and outcomes.

• Re-entry programs: Offer mentorship and returnships for those re-entering the workforce post-caregiving.

• Mental health support: Prioritize the mental wellbeing of workers through supportive policies and resources.

CONCLUSION

The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers is committed to collaborating with governmental and non-profit sectors to reshape our work environments. By prioritizing recruitment and retention strategies that address the unique challenges faced by social workers, particularly those balancing caregiving responsibilities, we can ensure a robust, resilient, and diverse workforce ready to meet the complex needs of our communities.

Proportion

of Membership Over the Last Five Years

Proportion of Membership Classification

Spotlight on Our Membership

A look at our Members

Social Workers by Designation

433

Private Practitioners

1,351 Registered Social Workers

221 Registered Social Workers (Telepractice)

492

Social Worker Candidates (Active)

101 Associates

44 Retired Associates

197 Students

2,842

Total

New Internati onal Applications by Country

New Applications by Province

Where We Work

We asked our members where they practice. Here’s a snapshot of where you might find Nova Scotian social workers at work.

Telepractice 212 members

Outside of Province 19 members

Indigenous Organizations 22 members

Long-Term Care 25 members

Other Government 36 members

Post-secondary 41 members

IWK: Other 42 members

Nova Scotia HealthContinuing Care – 47 members

DCS: Other 12 members

IWK: Community Mental Health & Addictions – 52 members

School Social Worker 97 members

Child Welfare - Mi’kmaw Family Services - 73 members

Private Practice & Community Mental Health – 230 members

Community Not for Profit 133 members

Nova Scotia Health: Other 236 members

Nova Scotia Health: Mental Health & Addictions – 333 members

Senator of Canada 1 member

Justice 32 members

Canada Armed Forces, Supports & Veterans Affairs – 49 members

DCS: Disability Support Program – 67 members

Other (Unspecified) – 192 members

DCS: Child Welfare 432 members

BY KATE MATHESON PREST, NSCSW TREASURER

Striking a balance

A report from the NSCSW Council Treasurer

The College continues to demonstrate financial resilience and strength, reporting a healthy surplus for the fiscal year 2023. This outcome is the result of prudent management and strategic oversight by the Council, which has undertaken several key projects this year. These include a strategic evaluation, a wellness campaign, and a significant report on child welfare. The Council has been committed to learning and improving how we work with consultants to maximize our use of resources efficiently.

In 2023, the addition of a new administrative support position significantly enhanced the functioning of the Regulatory and Candidacy Manager’s role, especially in handling the administration of complaints. This position was introduced as a necessary response to alleviate some of the workload challenges faced by the existing staff, ensuring that complaints could be processed both timely and fairly. Additionally, the creation of this role allowed the existing administrative support staff to focus more on member services, including professional development and outreach activities. This strategic staffing adjustment has contributed to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our regulatory operations, while also enhancing the support provided to our members.

This was managed because Council has a policy related to fee increases that mandates gradual adjustments each year, aiming to prevent the need for substantial hikes in the future. It is crucial to understand that even when the College does not increase fees at the rate of inflation, it effectively amounts to a reduction in fees in real economic terms. Since implementing this policy, the College has consistently kept fee increases

below the rate of inflation, showing restraint where possible in expenditures and maintaining the budget for core services that are essential, despite being unavoidably expensive.

Despite our solid financial footing, like all organizations, the College faces increasing financial pressures. Operating costs have been rising due to inflation, with expenses related to databases, computer services, and insurance all trending upwards. Additionally, changes to the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) fee structure were implemented to ensure fiscal integrity, allowing social work to maintain a voice at the national level.

LOOKING AHEAD: THE PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET

The proposed 2025 budget incorporates several important adjustments to respond to the current economic environment and our strategic goals. One of the notable proposals is a 3.5% fee increase, which is below the 2023 cost-of-living increase of 3.9%. This decision was taken to balance the need for organizational funding with the affordability concerns of our members. Additionally, the CASW has decided to continue its progression strategy with a $2 increase this year, included in the overall 3.5% fee adjustment.

STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS

In 2025, we are planning a significant role transformation within our structure—changing the Application and Renewal Administrator position to that of an Associate Registrar, specifically filled by a qualified social worker. This shift aligns with the NSCSW’s new strategic plan, aiming to redistribute some of the

This change is designed to enhance our operational efficiency and ensure that these critical areas are managed by someone with direct social work experience and knowledge.

workload currently managed by the Registrar more effectively. Not only will this new position take on responsibilities in candidacy and professional standards, but it will also play a crucial role in managing assessments related to the newly introduced clinical specialization.

This change is designed to enhance our operational efficiency and ensure that these critical areas are managed by someone with direct social work experience and knowledge. By doing so, we aim to improve our service in maintaining high standards of practice across the board. This adjustment is essential for keeping pace with the evolving needs of the social work profession and the growing complexity of our regulatory responsibilities.

BUDGET ALLOCATION

The budget carefully manages expenses while making allowances for inflationary pressures in certain areas, ensuring our operations continue without disruption. A significant aspect of this year’s budget is the adjustment of the baseline fee to $465.00, resulting in an annual increase of $16.00. This adjustment is more substantial than in previous years but is crucial for supporting the NSCSW’s strategic and operational objectives as we commence a new strategic plan. This plan necessitates additional resources for its successful implementation.

Our experience with the last strategic plan taught us that dedicating ourselves to our goals, persisting through challenges, and properly resourcing our initiatives can lead to significant achievements. This increase, although larger, is an investment in the future of the NSCSW and its members. It empowers us to bring our strategic vision to life, ensuring we continue to provide high-quality service without compromise.

CONCLUSION

The proposed 2025 budget represents a careful effort to strike a balance between financial sustainability and sensitivity to the economic challenges faced by our members and staff. Through strategic fee adjustments and targeted staffing changes, the NSCSW is poised to continue offering outstanding support and services to the social work community. Our goal is to ensure the College remains financially healthy, responsive, and ready for future growth and challenges, reflecting our commitment to excellence in serving our profession.

Our total assets as of December 31, 2023, were $1,692,047

Where your membership fees go

The College is a member-driven organization. Our revenue is generated through annual membership fees, and our financial decisions are made on that basis.

Any organization depends on the involvement and strength of its members. A thriving organization also requires the necessary funding to fulfill its mandate and realize its goals. In addition to fulfilling our mandated regulatory responsibilities that protect the public, our strategic goals are founded in our members’ collective vision for the future of our profession in this province.

Our Budget

Independent Auditor’s Report

To the members of Nova Scotia College of Social Workers

Qualified Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (the “College”), which comprise the statement of financial position as at December 31, 2023, and the statements of revenues and expenses, changes in net assets and cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the College as at December 31, 2023, and the results of its operations and cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations (ASNPO).

Basis for Qualified Opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the College in accordance with ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statement

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with ASNPO, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible

for assessing the College’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the College or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so. Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the College’s financial reporting process.

Auditor’s Responsibility

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the College’s internal control.

• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.

• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the College’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the College to cease to continue as a going concern.

• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA

APRIL 25, 2024

Statement of Financial Position

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023

Statement of Operating Revenue & Expenses

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023