Opinion: Social Workers Act should be amended
On education of social workers, Plecas review was wrong
By Glen Schmidt, Special to the Sun http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Opinion+Social+Workers+should+amended/11675560/story.html
In a July 2015 ruling, Justice Paul Walker was highly critical of
Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) social workers who
failed to heed warnings from a mother (J.P.) fearing for her children’s
safety if they were to have unsupervised visits with her estranged
partner. The mother’s concerns were seemingly dismissed or minimized.
Tragically, her partner sexually abused one of the children during an
unsupervised visit approved by MCFD. Justice Walker found the Province
liable for misfeasance.
Bob Plecas, a former senior provincial civil servant, was asked by government to examine the actions of MCFD related to the J.P. case. Because Plecas was directly involved in setting up MCFD, there is a natural degree of apprehension around his objectivity in assessing the operation and function of the organization.
Nevertheless, Plecas introduces some reasonable ideas and information that should be instructive.
He notes the chronic funding shortfalls in MCFD, staff shortages, the poor compensation of MCFD front-line workers, the difficulty of child protection work, the culture of blame that permeates MCFD, and the confusion that results from a Ministry that is seemingly in a state of constant reorganization. It is critical that these issues be brought to the attention of government and the public.
However, the Plecas Review gets some things wrong when it discusses the education of social workers. The Review states that child welfare is not a dedicated program stream at any university and that graduates are not prepared for child protection work.
In fact, seven post-secondary institutions in B.C. offer a Child Welfare Specialization within the Bachelor of Social Work degree. This is a dedicated program stream and has been on offer for almost 15 years at some B.C. universities.
BSW students must take specific courses that deal with child welfare work including child development, family dynamics, practice with First Nations people, poverty, law and legal procedures for child welfare workers, risk assessment, and communication and interviewing skills.
Most importantly, at least at my university, students in the Child Welfare Specialization spend 441 hours, more than three months full-time, in a field placement, training as a child protection worker. MCFD personnel interview students prior to these placements and if a student is deemed unsuitable they are denied the placement.
Additionally, approved students are closely supervised by a qualified child protection social worker and during the placement students complete the required tasks specified under the MCFD competency list for child protection work.
This approach to education and training was developed through extensive consultation between MCFD and university degree programs in social work and child and youth care. This consultation continues on a regular basis with provincial meetings between university educators and MCFD officials usually held twice a year.
It isn’t clear how Plecas gathered his information about the education and training of social workers but the Review’s coverage of this is misleading and inaccurate.
Perhaps he was misinformed given that not all child protection workers are BSW social workers or graduates from Child and Youth Care degree programs. MCFD does hire people with other degrees such as Educational Counselling and Psychology but who normally lack specific child welfare training and education.
However, most MCFD child protection workers are BSW qualified social workers.
Bob Plecas, a former senior provincial civil servant, was asked by government to examine the actions of MCFD related to the J.P. case. Because Plecas was directly involved in setting up MCFD, there is a natural degree of apprehension around his objectivity in assessing the operation and function of the organization.
Nevertheless, Plecas introduces some reasonable ideas and information that should be instructive.
He notes the chronic funding shortfalls in MCFD, staff shortages, the poor compensation of MCFD front-line workers, the difficulty of child protection work, the culture of blame that permeates MCFD, and the confusion that results from a Ministry that is seemingly in a state of constant reorganization. It is critical that these issues be brought to the attention of government and the public.
However, the Plecas Review gets some things wrong when it discusses the education of social workers. The Review states that child welfare is not a dedicated program stream at any university and that graduates are not prepared for child protection work.
In fact, seven post-secondary institutions in B.C. offer a Child Welfare Specialization within the Bachelor of Social Work degree. This is a dedicated program stream and has been on offer for almost 15 years at some B.C. universities.
BSW students must take specific courses that deal with child welfare work including child development, family dynamics, practice with First Nations people, poverty, law and legal procedures for child welfare workers, risk assessment, and communication and interviewing skills.
Most importantly, at least at my university, students in the Child Welfare Specialization spend 441 hours, more than three months full-time, in a field placement, training as a child protection worker. MCFD personnel interview students prior to these placements and if a student is deemed unsuitable they are denied the placement.
Additionally, approved students are closely supervised by a qualified child protection social worker and during the placement students complete the required tasks specified under the MCFD competency list for child protection work.
This approach to education and training was developed through extensive consultation between MCFD and university degree programs in social work and child and youth care. This consultation continues on a regular basis with provincial meetings between university educators and MCFD officials usually held twice a year.
It isn’t clear how Plecas gathered his information about the education and training of social workers but the Review’s coverage of this is misleading and inaccurate.
Perhaps he was misinformed given that not all child protection workers are BSW social workers or graduates from Child and Youth Care degree programs. MCFD does hire people with other degrees such as Educational Counselling and Psychology but who normally lack specific child welfare training and education.
However, most MCFD child protection workers are BSW qualified social workers.
The Plecas Review importantly points out that social
workers should be subject to the same professional regulation (and
public accountability) as nurses or doctors but mistakenly assumes that
social work professional regulation is in place. This is not the case.
Most MCFD social workers are not registered.
Unlike social workers employed by BC Health, those working for MCFD are exempt from registration under the current Social Workers Act. This means they are not subject to professional regulation and discipline and they face no professional requirements for continuing education and professional development.
An amendment to the Social Workers Act would ensure that MCFD social workers are regulated and that they engage in the annual BC College of Social Workers’ requirement of 40 hours of professional development activity, including ethical decision-making.
Vulnerable children in the care of MCFD merit the same degree of public accountability for professional social work expertise as currently accorded by the B,C, government to the social work clients of its Health Ministry. Amending the Social Workers Act is long overdue. It would mark a significant step forward in ensuring a fully professional, publicly accountable and effective child welfare system.
Glen Schmidt is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Northern British Columbia.
Unlike social workers employed by BC Health, those working for MCFD are exempt from registration under the current Social Workers Act. This means they are not subject to professional regulation and discipline and they face no professional requirements for continuing education and professional development.
An amendment to the Social Workers Act would ensure that MCFD social workers are regulated and that they engage in the annual BC College of Social Workers’ requirement of 40 hours of professional development activity, including ethical decision-making.
Vulnerable children in the care of MCFD merit the same degree of public accountability for professional social work expertise as currently accorded by the B,C, government to the social work clients of its Health Ministry. Amending the Social Workers Act is long overdue. It would mark a significant step forward in ensuring a fully professional, publicly accountable and effective child welfare system.
Glen Schmidt is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Northern British Columbia.
No comments:
Post a Comment