Intersectoral Collaboration An Initiative: Promoting collaboration among the three sectors of the social work profession

The Three Sectors Practice Sector: Education Sector: Carries out social work Prepares students for practice in diverse fields skilled and ethical social work practice Regulatory Sector: Protects the public interest by ensuring skilled and ethical social work practice

Background Social Work Forum: sponsored by CASW in Montreal in 2001 Goal: to foster better understanding of, and respect for, the social work education, regulatory and practice perspectives of the profession and how they intersect, in order to ensure that the public is well served.

Objectives To encourage and enable communication among the three sectors of the profession To jointly identify and prioritize common issues To explore potential joint plans of action to address priority issues To explore how to make the Forum an on- going activity

Priorities Identified in Better links among three sectors 2. Protection & enhancement of professional identity 3. Promotion of human rights & social justice 4. Definition & clarification of competencies 5. Working in a social order based on exclusion 6. Development of practice-based research 7. Problems of deterioration of the workplace

Outcomes of Forum Plan of action not fully developed No formal commitment made to collaboration Numbers involved made follow-up cumbersome Agreement on Internal Trade became major focus No subsequent Forum was held

History of this Initiative June 2006: CASW board discussed renewing initiative November 2006: CASW and CASWE (CASSW) signed MOU agreeing to communicate and collaborate on issues of joint concern Intersectoral Collaboration Working Group established with CASW and CASWE Initiative incomplete without participation of regulatory sector but no equivalent national body

History of this Initiative (cont’d) Working group held teleconference with representatives of all regulatory bodies All invited to participate in face-to-face meeting in PEI, June 2007 Strong consensus on issues but not on representation/participation Working Group established a small task group to summarize issues & draft MOU Voluntary participation in task group invited from regulators

Intersectoral Task Group One person from each sector Worked from July – September 2007 Prepared background document summarising history of initiative to date, including issues and recommendations from PEI meeting report Drafted Memorandum of Understanding

Memorandum of Understanding Draft circulated in fall 2007 Teleconferences October 2007 and February 2008 Feedback from all sources incorporated Representation of regulatory sector the most difficult issue Representation finally agreed on: 4 CASW 4 CASWE 4 free-standing and 4 CASW regulators, pending formation of National Council of SW Regulators

Memorandum of Understanding More formal than previous initiative Sets out: Purpose Principles Commitments Structure Operational Guidelines

Purpose: to promote communication, connection and collaboration among the three sectors (education, practice and regulation) of the social work profession in Canada. Principles: The social work profession is committed to the fundamental goal of advancing social justice. All clients have the right to receive skilled and ethical social work services. All three sectors share the goal of collaborating to fulfill these roles.

Commitments: To work collaboratively to identify and prioritize issues of shared concern to all three sectors; To recognize and respect the specific roles played by each individual sector; To recognize that differences exist in legislation and policy within different jurisdictions; To promote communication and collaboration among the sectors at the national, provincial and territorial levels.

Structure: Steering Committee to identify priority issues; equal representation from CASW, CASWE, CASW member regulators, and free-standing regulatory bodies Task Groups to work on priority issues; equal sectoral representation, chaired by Steering Committee member but may draw participants from member groups Consultative processes and feedback loops at both levels

Criteria for Deciding Priority Issues: Does this issue affect all three sectors? Is there consensus that this issue needs to be addressed? Is there a role for each sector in addressing the issue? Will addressing the issue serve to unify and strengthen the social work profession? Will addressing the issue have a public education/promotion component? Will addressing the issue serve to build commitment among members of the profession?

Some Identified Issues Disconnect between training/education and conditions of work/expectation of employers; Generalist versus specialist skills; Issues of multidisciplinary practice; Lack of mentoring and clinical supervision for many social workers; Recruitment and retention, particularly in remote areas; Special needs of aboriginal communities; Globalization and changes in national social policy; International mobility and credentialling.

Potential Areas for Collaboration Professional education – strengthen the curriculum to prepare social workers for the environment they will work in; Scope of practice of the social work profession; Competencies and standards of practice (a) for entering the profession and (b) for specific areas of practice; Continuing education – delivery, evaluation, monitoring; Research on external challenges (such as globalization and international mobility).

Where Are We Now? Face-to-Face Meeting May 2008 All three sectors participating Focus on deciding structure for collaboration Prioritize an issue of concern to all Move forward into action!