Guiding our Private Practice Regulations

Your feedback will guide & determine the direction for the Private Practice Committee as they review and determine appropriate regulations for entry to private practice in Nova Scotia.

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The Social Workers Act defines private practice as;

“private practice means the provision of social work services by a person who is self-      employed as determined by the Board.” (Section 2(j))

The act also outlines that the College can establish by-laws;

“prescribing the requirements and qualifications necessary for a social worker to engage in private practice” (Section 11(1)(j)).

It also authorizes the Board of Examiners to;

“examine […] social workers seeking to engage in private practice.” (Section 19)

The Act also states:

“Except as provided in this Act or the by-laws, a person not registered to practice as a     social worker pursuant to this Act, or whose registration is revoked or suspended, and     who (…) (e) engages in private practice as a social worker without approval of the Board in accordance with the regulations, commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction for the first offence to a fine of not less than five hundred dollars and not more  than two thousand dollars and costs, and for any subsequent offence to a fine of not less than one thousand dollars and to a term of imprisonment of not more than six months, or both, and upon failure to pay a fine, to imprisonment for a term of not more then six months.” (Section 55).

The By-Laws determine that entry to private practice criteria and state:

1. Applicants must be a member in good standing and not currently the subject of an outstanding disciplinary order.
2. Successfully completed a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited School of Social Work as listed with the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work. International applicants must have their degrees assessed by the CASW.
3. Applicants need to demonstrate they have five years or equivalent hours of professional social work experience including:two years or equivalent hours of professional social work experience, following completion of a masters or doctoral degree in social work and within the previous ten years, which is relevant to the area or areas of specialization in which the applicant proposes to conduct a private practice.Orfour years or equivalent hours of professional social work experience within the past ten years which is relevant to the area or areas of specialization in which the applicant proposes to conduct a private practice and which may have been obtained, in whole or in part, prior to completing a masters or doctoral degree in social work.
4. The experience referred to in the above subsection must have been supervised by, or conducted in consultation with, another professional with appropriate expertise in the proposed specialization.
5. In all cases, social work experience refers to a position in which the primary professional designation is social work or for which a social work qualification was required or preferred.