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.
I agree. Sometimes I hear stories from new clients about their experiences with their previous social worker who were inappropriate and crossed professional boundaries. It’s amazing these service users have the resilience and courage to move ahead and try again with a different social worker.
Please define “reasonable grounds” in the new standards, as it would benefit everyone to have some concrete examples.
Many thanks!