Retired Social Worker

The National 2008 Social Work theme will be celebrated throughout the country this week, March 3 to 9. What does it mean? To quote Dr. Steve MacDonald, university professor, from his doctoral dissertation titled Human Rights Awareness and the Professional Performance of Social Workers:

“The profession of social work has evolved dramatically from its early roots based on charity and philanthropy. Its traditional needs-based approach has more recently come into conflict with a broader vision, one with an accent on advocating for human rights.”

As social workers, indeed, we still continue to advocate for individual clients, based on their needs.  In a variety of settings we assist clients to access services within their environments.  But we go beyond that.  We encourage them to become empowered to take action to problem-solve for themselves and their families. Then, through volunteering with community groups, social workers are engaged in efforts to provide low-income housing, special needs for children, action against the abuse of the elderly, woman, children and so on.

We go from the micro, the individual approach, to the macro, social action in the broader sphere. Where human rights are in jeopardy, there you find OASW, our Ontario Association of Social Workers.  The list of social advocacy efforts is endless.  

OASW’s Children and Youth Advisory Group is looking at public policy issues impacting on children and families in regard to, for example, poverty. There are recommendations to promote safer schools. There is political action to ensure First Nations children and families are able to access services available to other children in Canada (not to get caught up in delays as to which government is responsible for payment).  They are involved in protecting the rights of mental health patients. They are concerned with increasing employment, training opportunities and job creation. These are just a few examples of how our social work leaders are involved in bettering the environmental conditions of the disadvantaged.

OASW also promotes and protects our social work profession. The most notable recent example is Bill 171, the Regulated Health Professions Act. It included a controlled act of psychotherapy and the use of the title ‘Doctor’ by health care professionals who have earned this designation. Initially social work was excluded from both despite an Ontario group of health professionals recommending the opposite.

Vigorous action by OASW with briefs and meetings with the provincial minister of health and others, as well as individual social workers writing to and meeting with MPPs across Ontario, resulted in social work being added to the controlled act for psychotherapy.  Unfortunately, as it now stands, someone with a PhD in social work cannot use the title ‘Doctor’ in a health care setting. However in other settings this designation is valid. How fair is that? This is one battle that continues.

After over 30 years in the profession, I continue to be most proud of my chosen profession. We social workers well deserve one week of special recognition each year. Don’t you agree?