FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2026

KJIPUKTUK (HALIFAX, NS) – In June 2022, the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) received letters of complaint regarding the conduct of registrant Philip Patey, of Halifax Nova Scotia, registration #2335.

During the investigative process for these complaints, the College imposed interim restrictions on Mr. Patey’s registration. When the investigation was complete, The College held a discipline hearing on February 9, 2026 and accepted a settlement agreement proposed by Mr. Patey. As a result of this settlement agreement, Mr. Patey’s social work registration has been suspended.

A decision summary has been published on the NSCSW website and is available to the public:
https://nscsw.org/discipline-decisions-outcomes

NSCSW is responsible for ensuring that Nova Scotians receive the services of proficient and competent social workers of high ethical standards. The College’s complaints and discipline processes are intended to protect the public from persons who are not qualified to practice social work, or whose competence or professional conduct as a social worker is in question.

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About us: 

The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers serves and protects Nova Scotians by effectively regulating the profession of social work. The regulator’s role is to ensure that the public is supported by professional, ethical, qualified and accountable social work practitioners.

For more information or to request interviews, contact: Rebecca Faria, Communication Coordinator for the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (902-429-7799 ext. 227, [email protected]).

The College shares discipline decision information not only to meet the legislative requirements of the Social Workers Act, but to serve and protect the public interest. Information about reprimands, restrictions and license revocations is attached to the member profiles of individuals in the searchable registry, and the College has created a dedicated web page that shares all decision findings.

We encourage our members to review decision information, to gain insight into the reasons for decisions and the College’s discipline process. It is important for all social workers in Nova Scotia to understand the College’s role in ensuring that Nova Scotians can rely on professional, ethical social work practice.

PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA

CITY OF HALIFAX

IN THE MATTER OF:             The Social Workers Act, SNS 1993, c 12

-and-

IN THE MATTER OF:             Philip Patey, RSW #2335

ACCEPTANCE OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

A Settlement Agreement reached between Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (“NSCSW”) and Philip Patey was recommended for acceptance by the Complaints Committee and referred to the Discipline Committee for consideration pursuant to section 29A of the Social Workers Act (the “Act”).

Pursuant to section 29A(5) of the Act, if the Discipline Committee accepts a proposed settlement agreement it shall confirm acceptance by written decision that incorporates the settlement agreement.

On February 9, 2026, the Discipline Committee accepted a Settlement Agreement between NSCSW and Philip Patey with reasons to follow. The reasons for acceptance of the Settlement Agreement are set out in this written decision. The Settlement Agreement is attached as Tab A to this decision.

COMPLAINT BACKGROUND

NSCSW received letters of complaint against Philip Patey alleging Mr. Patey violated professional boundaries with a Former Client, who was a vulnerable child in care. At the time of the complaint and allegations, the Former Client was no longer a child in care. While the Former Client was no longer a client at the material time, professional boundaries still applied to Mr. Patey’s conduct.

FACTS

At all times relevant to the complaint, Philip Patey was a member of NSCSW. Mr. Patey had no prior complaints or discipline history.

Philip Patey was the Former Client’s social worker for a period of approximately 8 years while she was in foster care, until she was approximately 16 years old. Due to a change in his employment position, Philip Patey stopped being the Former Client’s social worker in 2016.

On April 30, 2022, Philip Patey drove to meet the Former Client and picked her up with the intent of taking her to lunch.

Shortly after Philip Patey picked her up on April 30, the Former Client inquired about seeing Philip Patey’s dogs. Philip Patey then agreed to bring the Former Client to his home. Philip Patey proceeded to drive the Former Client to his residence.

Philip Patey and the Former Client were the only individuals present at his home during this encounter. The Former Client had not been inside Philip Patey’s home previously.

The Former Client played with Philip Patey’s dogs. She then asked to use the washroom.

While using the washroom, Philip Patey prepared a meal for the Former Client, which the Former Client requested and then proceeded to eat.

While at his residence, Philip Patey gave the Former Client a tour of his home and offered a bag of clothing that he intended to donate. The Former Client took a small bag of clothing.

During this encounter, Philip Patey told the Former Client he had once considered the possibility of adopting her.

The Former Client asked Philip Patey if he thought she could ever come live with him at his house, to which he responded that he did not think it would be possible, but that if it was something the Client was serious about that he would have to discuss it with his wife and that this could be a short term living arrangement to get her back on her feet. This did not come up again in any discussion between the Former Client and Philip Patey, but if it had, Philip Patey intended to be firmer with his answer that it was not something he could entertain.

When driving the Former Client back, Philip Patey and the Former Client, at her request, stopped at a pharmacy. As requested by the Former Client, Philip Patey purchased shampoo and conditioner for the Former Client.

Philip Patey suggested that he and the Former Client could meet again for lunch, but this did not happen, and the Client did not communicate with him again after May 25 or May 26, 2022.

Philip Patey denies having any inappropriate feelings towards the Former Client.

ADMISSIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mr. Patey admitted the facts in the above section along with the following allegations:

1. Philip Patey engaged in professional misconduct, conduct unbecoming, and/or a breach of the Standards of Practice or Code of Ethics with respect to the following:
   1. Philip Patey failed to maintain appropriate boundaries by entering into and engaging in a personal relationship with a vulnerable child in care, the Former Client, contrary to NSCSW Code of Ethics Value 4 and NSCSW Standards of Practice 2.2.1, 2.2.5, 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.5.1, 3.5.2, 3.5.4, and 3.8.4, the particulars of which include:
      1. in or around April 30, 2022, inviting the Former Client to attend his personal residence for non-therapeutic reasons;
      2. in or around April 30, 2022, picking up the Former Client and driving her to his personal residence in his personal vehicle;
      3. in or around April 30, 2022, hosting the Former Client at his personal residence when no one else was present;
      4. in or around April 30, 2022, preparing food for the Former Client at his personal residence;
      5. in or around April 30, 2022, gifting used clothing to the Former Client; and
      6. in or around April 30, 2022, purchasing shampoo and conditioner for the Client.
   2. In or around April 30, 2022, Philip Patey failed to refer the Former Client to another professional when professional boundaries were initially crossed, contrary to NSCSW Standards of Practice 2.2.3, 2.5.1, 2.5.3 and 2.6.2.

Mr. Patey also acknowledged that the allegations constituted professional misconduct as defined in the Social Worker Regulations.

DISPOSITION

The Settlement Agreement provided for the following disposition:

1. Philip Patey is reprimanded for engaging in professional misconduct;
2. prior to returning to the practice of social work:
   1. Philip Patey’s registration shall be suspended for a period of two months;
   2. Philip Patey shall, at his own expense, successfully complete either:
      • the ProBE: Ethics and Boundaries program, with an unconditional pass; or
      • the Boundary Setting in Clinical Practice: The Best Ethical Practices course offered through PESI.

      Philip Patey shall arrange for the administrator of the program to provide proof of successful completion to NSCSW;

   3. Philip Patey shall submit a reflective essay to NSCSW of no less than 1,000 words, acceptable to the NSCSW Professional Conduct Manager, in which he will report and self-reflect upon:
      1. his learnings from these incidents and the above education;
      2. how he will incorporate his learnings into his practice; and
      3. specific actions he will take to prevent future boundary violations, including details on how he will identify and address ethical risks in professional relationships;
   4. Philip Patey shall be restricted from practising as a self-employed social worker for a period of one year;
3. for a period of one year upon his return to practice, Philip Patey will immediately advise NSCSW in writing when he accepts any offers of employment as a social worker. NSCSW will then provide a summary of this Settlement Agreement to Philip Patey’s intended manager; and
4. for a period of six months following his return to practice, Philip Patey shall undergo indirect supervision by a NSCSW appointed supervisor. Supervision shall be at Philip Patey’s expense. Supervision shall consist of:
   1. monthly supervision meetings between Philip Patey and his supervisor; and
   2. quarterly written progress reports submitted to NSCSW by his supervisor addressing remedial topics, including, but not limited to professional boundaries and ethical decision making, ethical use of power in client relationships, and risk management and professional accountability.

COSTS

Mr. Patey shall pay costs in the amount of $5,000.00 as a contribution toward the College’s costs incurred in this matter, which are payable to the College in equal monthly instalments over three years, within 30 days of the date the Discipline Committee accepts the Settlement Agreement.

REASONS

The Discipline Committee provided the following reasons, in part, in accepting the Settlement Agreement:

The Discipline Committee recognizes the careful consideration given to the Settlement Agreement by NSCSW and Mr. Patey in accepting the Settlement Agreement. We accept the submission of NSCSW, as expressed in paragraph 37(a) of the Settlement Agreement, that Mr. Patey provided an opportunity to consult independent legal counsel prior to executing the Settlement Agreement. This was confirmed by Mr. Patey’s legal counsel at the hearing.

ln considering the disposition overall, the Discipline Committee is satisfied that it is in the public interest to accept the position set out in the Settlement Agreement. The Discipline Committee is also satisfied that the common law factors to be considered when accepting a settlement agreement have been met in this case. The disposition provides for both specific and general deterrence and denunciation of Mr. Patey’s conduct. The Panel also believes the disposition is sufficient to maintain public confidence in the profession’s ability to self-regulate.

Drummers from the Wabanaki Two Spirit Alliance in the 2022 Halifax Pride Parade. Photo by Jan Budomo on Unsplash.

Advocating for Pride matters

June is International Pride Month and NSCSW recognizes the importance of supporting and advocating for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms. What does this mean at a time of rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate and violence? Since 2016 reported hate motivated crimes against 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada has risen by 388% (Egale, 2024). “In recent years, Canada witnessed an increase in anti-trans policies and policy proposals from municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.” (Egale, 2024). We are watching in real time the erosion of protections for queer people and growing social polarization, especially related to transgender identity & expression. The world is becoming less safe for queer and trans people. You only need to look at comments under International Pride month posts on social media to see how real and present the hate is. Social workers have a role to play in creating safer, affirming, and joyful spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and communities

Social work ethics & 2SLGBTQIA+ rights

In our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, Nova Scotian social workers are called to respect the dignity and worth of all people and promote and advocate for social justice, including:

• advocating for the rights and freedoms of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities to express their gender identity
• recognizing the diversity that exists in Nova Scotian communities, including 2SLGBTQIA+ Nova Scotians, both service users and social workers

Social workers advocate for the rights of all individuals, families, groups, and communities to be free from oppression, exclusion, and discrimination. Social workers cannot be passive in addressing the rise of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate. They have a duty to call out injustice wherever they see it, especially in their places of work and in community.

Challenging neutrality & heteronormativity

Many of the anti-2SLGBTQIA+ policies and practices being implemented across the country are rooted in white supremacist and colonial assumptions and beliefs related to neutrality. There is a dominant belief that heteronormative beliefs are the norm. It is common to hear people talk about the need for protecting children and young people from 2SLGBTQIA+ ideologies, without accounting for the dominance of heteronormative values and beliefs throughout society. Social workers in Nova Scotia in health, private practice, government, education, and community development must resist this way of thinking and challenge their peers and community to do better.

Centring queer joy in practice

NSCSW takes an active role in supporting safe(r), affirming, and joyful spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ social workers and service users. In April we kicked off our closed communities of practice space for 2SLGBTQIA+ social workers, and asked social workers, “How are you fostering/experiencing queer joy in your social work practice?” Social workers responded by saying:

• “I love that I can create space for young people to see so many different representations of queerness and then they can find who they are and feel good and strong. Helping them to understand that it’s not one size fits all and just because you don’t “look queer” doesn’t mean you aren’t part of this community,”
• “While my work isn’t queer in and off itself, I do get to BE queer in these spaces, which helps me.”
• “I enjoy celebrating queer experiences. Not simply focusing on the traumatizing experiences, but also the strength of the community. I find that I feel most proud and hopeful when I listen to queer youth and get to encourage their art work!” 

Imagining the future of Queer Joy

When the participants were asked, “What is your future vision for Queer Joy in social work practice,” participants responded by saying:

• “My future vision for Queer joy involves acting as active collaborators rather than having a position of a gatekeeper involving resources. I want to be a bridge or a teammate rather than an expert in someone else’s experience.”
• “Continuing to have queer-focused events and spaces in social work that focus on both us as queer social workers and on positive aspects of queerness for our clients. I’ve seen studies on queer community and how queer spaces can help connect people to care in ways that aren’t the most feasible in bigger systems (e.g. ballroom culture in Montreal).”
• “Policies and systems that are focused on liberation and joy. more active stances against queerphobia and transphobia.”

Upcoming events: An invitation

NSCSW has two upcoming sessions taking place in July which centre 2SLGBTQIA+ voices:

1. Check me out – Sexual Health in NS on Monday July 13 at 12:00 p.m. offers an overview of the Check Me Out tool and resources for 2SLGBTQIA+ sexual health.
2. Connections: Queering social work takes place on Thursday July 16 at 12:00 p.m. This is our second closed communities of practice session for 2SLGBTQIA+ social workers this year; this series seeks to hold space for 2SLGBTQIA+ social workers to discuss ethics, practice issues, and build connections for safe(r) social work practice.

Nearly every week of the summer has a Pride celebration happening somewhere in Nova Scotia. If you’re planning an event that gives social workers an opportunity to learn, connect, and become better advocates, please leave a comment on this page or submit a listing for our member newsletter.

A call to advocate for justice and joy

Despite the rise of growing anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate, queerness is an invitation to see beyond the dominance present within our systems, policies, and practices. Queerness pushes against heteronormative ideas and assumptions, recognizing and acknowledging diversities of gender identities and sexual orientation.

This International Pride Month, NSCSW calls on social workers to advocate for and promote social justice and joy for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and social workers. It is not only ethically and morally right, it is essential for working against dominant forces that oppress not just 2SLGBTQIA+ people, but all of us.

As we transition under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), we are updating our policies to align with new provincial standards. Under the RHPA, all regulatory colleges must enforce a strict duty-to-report obligation regarding sexual misconduct.

The NSCSW is required to implement this specific amendment within six months of the RHPA’s proclamation.

Identifying the Gap

When reviewing our current Standards of Practice, we identified a gap in our existing standards. While Guiding Principle 5.3 and its associated standards outline our broader ethical responsibilities to colleagues and the workplace, this section does not currently contain an explicit mandate requiring social workers to report known sexual misconduct. When it comes to client safety, we need to leave no room for misunderstanding.

Proposed Solution: New Standards

To address this gap and strengthen safer practice, we are proposing the addition of two new standards, 5.3.15 & 5.3.16. The proposed wording is as follows:

• 5.3.15: A registrant who has reasonable grounds to believe that another registrant has engaged in sexual misconduct must report that information to the Registrar.
• 5.3.16: A registrant who has reasonable grounds to believe that a member of another regulated health profession has engaged in sexual misconduct must report that information to the appropriate regulatory body of that profession.

Please take a few moments to review this draft and share your thoughts with us. You can comment below or email Alec directly ([email protected]) by August 30, 2026.

The College’s Council is looking for a member who practices in child welfare to appoint to the Board of Examiners (BOE). This social worker may be employed by Mi’kmaw Family and Children’s Services of Nova Scotia, or the child and family well-being division of the Department of Opportunities and Social Development.

The BOE oversees the application of regulatory policy, approves social work applicants, and makes all decision regarding the complaints and discipline matters brought before the College. This work is vital to the College’s mandate to protect the public.

Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) transition

This will likely be the last time we recruit for the Board of Examiners. Under the RHPA, a single unified Board will be established to take the place of our current Council and BOE. Members of the current Board of Examiners will likely serve as the first Board of the new regulatory body once it is formed next year.

Under the RHPA, the future Board will:

• Set fees for applicants and registrants
• Decide pay and expense reimbursement for board and committee members
• Oversee budgets and approve audited financial statements
• Appoint the auditor
• Set professional liability insurance requirements for registrants
• Establish governance policies under the Act
• Review the Act and recommend improvements

Eligibility

We’re looking for members who:

• are an active Registered Social Worker;
• are in good standing with the College;
• have a firm grasp of the social work values, Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice; and
• are seeking a social work leadership role.

There is a particular need for members from equity-seeking groups.

Competencies required

1. Regulatory Knowledge: Understanding of regulatory governance models, laws, and standards applicable to the profession.
2. Judgment & Decision Making: Ability to analyze complex issues, weigh evidence, make fair and impartial decisions.
3. Ethics & Integrity: Commitment to uphold high ethical standards and act with integrity.
4. Communication Skills: Ability to articulate views clearly, listen actively, and engage in constructive dialogue.
5. Leadership & Teamwork: Experience in leadership roles and ability to work effectively as part of a team.

Commitments & benefits

The BOE meets eleven times a year. These meetings are typically the third Wednesday of each month, for two hours in the evening. Board members are reimbursed for travel expenses, and meeting hours are eligible to be included in their annual inventory of professional development activities as volunteer service. There will be a month off every summer.

BOE members have the option to serve on the complaints or discipline committees when seats become available. The complaints committee generally convenes on the third Saturday of the month, usually for five hours. The discipline subcommittee convenes as needed; hearings can last several days if contested. Members of these committees receive a stipend to acknowledge the dedication and significant time commitment required for this important contribution.

Application

Interested? Please send your letter of intent and current CV to the College’s Registrar/Executive Director Alec Stratford [email protected]. 

Marking National Indigenous History Month & National Indigenous Peoples Day

June is here, and with it comes the ninth National Indigenous History Month. It’s a time to honour the rich history, traditions, and lived experiences of Mi’kmaq, other First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Canada and right here in Nova Scotia. Indigenous Peoples have lived on this land since time immemorial, and that presence continues to shape our province, our country, and the work we do as social workers every single day.

This month invites us to pause and reflect. Not just to celebrate, but to recognize the ongoing impacts of colonization and to look honestly at the unique role we hold in reconciliation and in decolonizing our own practice. You can learn more and find resources through the official National Indigenous History Month website. We’d encourage you to explore it, share it with your team, and use it as a starting point for reflection this month.

A New Year, New Standards

2026 marks the first year social workers in Nova Scotia practise under our new Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. This isn’t a small update. It reshapes how we understand our responsibilities, especially when it comes to Indigenous Peoples.

Central to these new standards is Value 3: Pursuing Truth and Reconciliation. Under this value, we’re bound to a respectful understanding of Mi’kmaq and other Indigenous Peoples of Nova Scotia and Canada, including their treaty, constitutional, legal, and self-governance rights. Reconciliation, the standards remind us, is a reciprocal learning process. It’s built on respect, engagement, relationship-building, and an authentic commitment to meaningful change.

That means we’re each called to commit to decolonizing our practice and our profession.

Understanding Our History (Even the Hard Parts)

Our standards are clear: we need to learn the history of Mi’kmaq and other Indigenous Peoples, the reality of colonization, the impact of residential schools, and the enduring intergenerational trauma carried by individuals, families, and communities.

That includes looking honestly at our own profession. Social work has played a historical and ongoing role in colonization across the justice system, healthcare, and child and family well-being. The processes that contributed to the genocide of Indigenous Peoples didn’t simply disappear. They still live in our structures today.

As social workers, it’s our obligation to keep learning about these systems, unpack what they mean, and then advocate for significant change. This is where Value 2 (Promoting Social Justice) gives us concrete direction. Standard 2.2.1 calls us to advocate for changes to organizational policies that eliminate oppression and racism, while honouring Mi’kmaq and Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Standard 2.2.2 pushes us further toward broader systems change in policy, social programs, and legislation.

This isn’t about guilt. It’s about accountability. And accountability, done well, makes our practice safer for the people we serve.

What This Looks Like in Real Practice

Big ideas like reconciliation can feel abstract until we connect them to the daily decisions we make. Here are a few practical ways these standards show up in the work.

Documentation and power

How we view and use documentation carries real power. Who controls the record? Who gets to define the story? Bridging and sharing that power with Indigenous services, so they have genuine control and informed consent, is a meaningful act of respect. It’s a small shift in mindset that protects dignity and builds trust.

Elders and traditional knowledge

In healthcare, particularly in palliative and grief care, advocating for the involvement of Elders and traditional knowledge becomes essential. Culturally responsive care at the end of life isn’t a nice extra. It’s a core part of meeting people where they are.

Housing, poverty, and equity

Equity is also rooted in how we distribute wealth. Our economic systems continue to keep many Mi’kmaq people in Nova Scotia living in deep poverty, rather than lifting communities up together. Standard 2.1.2 calls us to advocate for equity of services for Indigenous communities. As we talk with our communities about the future of Nova Scotia, including the cost of living, the cost of housing, and real economic struggle, we have a role in standing up for approaches that invest in people, especially those most disenfranchised by our systems.

Environmental stewardship

The climate crisis hits marginalized groups hardest, and environmental racism is real. Our standards ask us to uphold our responsibilities to the land. Standard 2.5.5 calls us to uphold the Constitutional and Treaty rights of the Mi’kmaq, recognizing their inherent right to govern land and water. Standard 2.5.6 asks us to integrate Mi’kmaq and L’nu laws, knowledge, practices, and worldviews into our environmental efforts. As conversations about resource development continue, these standards remind us that resource decisions are connected to poverty and environmental racism, and that we have an active role to play in changing this narrative, to when where embrace treaty rights and land back and ensure that those who steward land are based on this rights.

Allyship Is a Practice, Not a Title

None of this happens overnight, and none of it happens alone. Genuine allyship grows through building trust, nurturing respectful relationships, and developing solidarity over time. It means embracing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and bringing it to life in the real conversations we have at work.

It also means enhancing our knowledge of Indigenous worldviews and weaving those learnings into our practice with individuals, families, and communities. We’re asked to recognize how Eurocentric perspectives have shaped our policies and organizational structures, and to demonstrate sincere, ongoing respect.

 An Invitation This June

National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 aren’t just dates to acknowledge. They’re an invitation to truly engage, to learn, to reflect, and to create new meaning and new approaches to the work we do.

So here’s our ask. Take time this month to dig into our new Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Explore the National Indigenous History Month resources. Have a conversation with your team. Sit with what you learn, even when it’s uncomfortable.

When we enrich ourselves through this learning, we become better equipped to care for the people we serve and to build a Nova Scotia rooted in greater equity and justice. That’s work worth doing, together.