Safe(R) social work framework

The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) is deeply committed to proactive, progressive regulation that reflects its unique responsibility. This responsibility involves not only regulating the social work profession to ensure accountability and integrity but also advocating for policies that promote social justice. By aligning safe and ethical practices with the broader aim of equity and justice, the NSCSW safeguards public wellbeing while advancing the values of the social work profession.

A framework for safe(r) social work practice

The NSCSW’s regulatory approach is guided by a strong commitment to accountability, transparency, and adaptability in addressing emerging challenges in the field. The College has developed a comprehensive framework to define and strengthen both policies and practices. This framework supports the safe and ethical delivery of social work services, prioritizing Nova Scotia’s most structurally vulnerable populations.

Key elements of this framework include assessing areas where practices and policies can be enhanced while employing a right-touch regulatory strategy informed by a post-structural philosophy. Together, these elements create a balanced, thoughtful approach to maintaining high standards of public safety and professional integrity.

The Framework’s Role in Regulation

The framework focuses on supporting and enhancing ethical, effective social work practices. Its key functions include:

• Identifying Areas for Improvement: Highlighting areas and aspects of social work delivery that need enhancement to strengthen overall practice.
• Assessing the Impact of Interventions: Evaluating where initiatives are needed to contribute to safer and more effective practices, allowing for informed prioritization.
• Guiding Strategic Actions: Developing and implementing strategies that optimize positive outcomes and elevate professional standards.
• Monitoring Practice Development: Conducting regular reviews and assessments to stay adaptive to evolving challenges and professional needs.
• Promoting Transparency and Accountability: Recording actions and decisions to build trust in the profession and promote safer, more ethical social work practices.

This structured approach ensures continuous growth within the profession while maintaining public confidence and upholding the values central to social work.

Post-structural approach

The post-structural philosophy embraced by the NSCSW allows the College to remain flexible and inclusive in its regulatory practices. By rejecting rigid, prescriptive frameworks focused solely on individual practice, this approach recognizes the complexities of social work practice and the diverse realities faced by individuals and communities who receive social work services.

Through a post-structural lens, the College integrates individual, community, and societal perspectives to craft regulatory approach’s that is both effective and equitable. By addressing systemic challenges alongside individual safety, the NSCSW strikes a critical balance that fosters meaningful advocacy and impactful regulation.

Right-touch approach

The NSCSW also takes a right-touch regulatory approach, aligning with the Standards for Good Regulation developed by the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network. This model ensures regulation is proportional and minimally intrusive while maintaining high public trust. Key principles include:

• Focused Intervention: Avoiding undue interference while enabling professional growth.
• Adaptability: Designing solutions that are responsive to the sector’s evolving needs.
• Exploration of Alternatives: Identifying creative, effective strategies to impact safety

This strategy ensures that public safety remains the priority without stifling innovation or imposing unnecessary burdens on practitioners or the profession.

Tackling structural challenges in social work

Social workers frequently encounter systemic barriers that hinder their ability to provide safe, effective services. These challenges include high workloads, limited funding, moral distress, and structural inequities that devalue the profession. The NSCSW recognizes that ensuring safer practices requires addressing these issues through strong advocacy and systemic change.

Key focus areas include:

• Advocating for policies that address systemic inequities and uphold social justice principles
• Securing increased investment in the social services sector to provide necessary resources and support

By tackling these structural barriers, the NSCSW ensures that social workers can deliver accountable, ethical, and impactful care.

Grounding strategy in critical reports

To guide its ongoing efforts, the NSCSW draws on insights from pivotal reports and reviews that highlight areas for systemic reform, including:

• The Inquiry into the Home for Coloured Children • Turning the Tide: The Mass Casualty Commission’s Final Report • Building the Future We All Deserve; A Social Policy Framework • Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health in Nova Scotia • Building an Ecosystem for Family and Community Well-being
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada; Calls to Action: These 94 calls to action provide a roadmap for reconciliation via transformative changes in all aspects of Canadian society, including social work.
• Reclaiming Power and Place; The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: This report provides critical insight into systemic issues affecting Indigenous women and girls, which is crucial for developing culturally sensitive social work practices.
• Journey to Light; A Different Way Forward: The final report from the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children Restorative Inquiry highlights the need for systemic change within institutions and the importance of addressing racial discrimination and trauma-informed care in social work.
• Turning the Tide Together; The Final Report of the Mass Casualty Commission: This report provides key recommendations on public safety, mental health support, and community resilience that should be integrated into regulatory and social work practices.
• Creating the future we all deserve: A social policy framework for Nova Scotia: This framework outlines the essential components of a fair and equitable society, providing a guide for social workers to advocate for social justice and policy change.
• Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health in Nova Scotia: This report underscores the vital role of social workers in mental health services and the need for a shift towards more holistic, client-centered approaches.
• Building an Ecosystem to Realize Children’s Rights and Support Family Well-Being in Nova Scotia: This report emphasizes the importance of fostering strong, resilient communities and the role of social workers in facilitating this process.

Further insights from the College’s Complaints Committee decisions and Candidacy Review further shape its strategic priorities and goals.

By integrating these findings into its Safer Social Work Framework, the NSCSW consistently seeks to advance safer, ethical practices while promoting the values of equity, justice, and community wellbeing.