saskatchewan social worker - in1touch

S a s k at c h e wa n

SOCIAL WORKERVolume 15 Number 3 “Social Workers – Make a Difference” November 2004 Edition

National Social Work Conference —a National Social Work Success

THE SASKATCHEWAN ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS

The National Conference held in Saskatoon, June5-8, 2004, was truly a significant event for the profes-sion of social work. Five hundred social workers fromacross Canada, the United States and even one fromAustralia gathered to share wisdom and gather inspira-tion from notable speakers such as Stephen Lewis, LyndaMcQuaig and Chief Roberta Jamieson.

The four day event was chaired by Evelyn Hynesand Tracy Muggli. With a legion of volunteers,Saskatoon was witness to an outstanding demonstra-tion of the solidarity within our profession. The rootsof social work and the significance of social justice werebrought to the forefront throughout the course of eventsand many went home feeling inspired and ready tochallenge the structures that pose limitations to thosewe provide services for.

Stephen Lewis and Linda McQuaig delivered theirmessages with passion and fortitude. It was clear todelegates that we have a great deal of work to do in

continued on page 3

2 THE SASKATCHEWAN SOCIAL WORKER NOVEMBER 2004

SASW COUNCILPresident: Tom Seeley, Yorkton

Past President: Deb Buettner, North BattlefordPublic Representative: Doug Stewart, Regina

Treasurer: Frank Dornstauder, ReginaSecretary: Sandra Fortman, Swift Current

Members at Large: Myrna Pitzel, Moose JawTracy Muggli, SaskatoonCharlene Cameron, Prince Albert

SASW COMMITTEE CHAIRS/APPOINTMENTS:Registrar: J. Rawdon Bieber, Regina

CASW Board Member: Marlene Chatterson, YorktonStandards of Practice: Dennis Arbuthnott, ReginaProfessional Conduct: Mona Acker, Regina

Discipline Resource: Don Stevenson, ReginaSocial Policy: Patti Cram & Angela Leski, Prince Albert

Education: Ray Pekrul, ReginaPublic Relations: Joanne Toh, Saskatoon

Practice Ethics: Victoria Walton, SaskatoonLegislative Review: Geoff Pawson, Regina

Advocacy: Don Ebert, SaskatoonPsychologists Act: Deb Beuttner, North Battleford

SASW BRANCH REPRESENTATIVES:Regina: Alice Parker

Saskatoon: Ruth MireauPrince Albert: Susan Luedtke

Northeast Branch: Lucie Dmyterko, NipawinSwift Current: Krista Olson

Yellowhead East: Sandra Vaughan HastieRural Interest Group: Deborah Bryson Sarauer, Humboldt

Battlefords: Deb Buettner

SASW PROVINCIAL OFFICE CONTACT:Richard Hazel, Executive Director

Deborah J. Fisher, Executive Assistant

Address: 2110 Lorne Street, Regina, SK S4P 2M5Phone: (306) 545-1922 or

Toll Free 1-877-517-7279Fax: (306) 545-1895

E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

The Saskatchewan Social Worker is published by theSaskatchewan Association of Social Workers.Members of the 2004 Editorial Board include:

Peter Griffiths – [email protected] Manning – [email protected] Stinson – [email protected]

Ailsa Watkinson – [email protected] Hazel, Executive Director – [email protected]

Debb Fisher, Executive Assistant – [email protected]

Members of the Editorial Board can be contacted through thee-mail addresses provided above or by contacting the SASW Office.We are interested in readers’ stories, thoughts and ideas, letters to

the editor, pictures and current events. The Board reserves the rightto reject any article as well as edit submitted material. Publicationdoes not imply endorsement by the Saskatchewan Association of

Social Workers. The views expressed in the printed materialrepresent the views of the contributors and do not necessarily

reflect the view/policies of the Association.

The Saskatchewan Social Worker is published and released inMarch, June, and November. Deadline for submission of

information is December 31st, April 30th and September 15th.

Advertising Rates are as follows:$50 quarter page $100 half page $200 full page

Please submit material to:Debb Fisher – Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers

2110 Lorne Street, Regina, SK S4P 2M5Fax: (306) 545-1895E-mail: [email protected]: (306) 545-1922

Contributions to the newsletter arealways welcome.

Read any good books lately?Working on an interesting project?

Have an area of interest that you would liketo share with other people?

Write to SASW Editor and see your name in print!Deadline for the next newsletter

is December 31, 2004.

ContentsNational Social Work Conference — a National

Social Work Success ------------------------------------ 1Conference Stats ------------------------------------------- 4Discipline Decision ---------------------------------------- 6Message From the President ---------------------------- 7Message from the Executive Director --------------- 8

Committee/Branch/Task Team SectionThe Public Representative ----------------------------- 10It Is No Good Having a Statutory Remedy if Your

Staff Don’t Know About It! --------------------------11

CASW SectionCASW Board Member Report ------------------------- 12

Program Development SectionNew Treatment Model Initiated for Domestic

Violence in the Battlefords --------------------------14SWITCH Will Help Core Neighbourhoods in

Saskatoon ------------------------------------------------- 16The Supreme Court of Canada Rules on Corporal

Punishment ---------------------------------------------- 17Child Welfare and Social Work: Are They

Compatible? --------------------------------------------- 18

Faculty of Social Work NewsMessage from Dean of Social Work ------------------ 21Reflections On My Experience As Assistant

Dean of the Faculty Of Social Work --------------22Faculty of Social Work Practicum News -----------22

Resource BoxGuides to Parenting Teens ----------------------------- 23Upcoming Conferences, Workshops & Educational

Events -----------------------------------------------------24

REGULATESUPPORT

PROMOTEADVOCATE

NOVEMBER 2004 THE SASKATCHEWAN SOCIAL WORKER 3

upholding strong principles that ensure our publiclyfunded services are available and relevant to those whoneed them. It was apparent throughout Stephen Lewis’delivery that he had read all of the CASW position pa-pers. He communicated great admiration for our ef-forts while encouraging us to continue on this path.His description of his experience working with thosewith HIV/AIDS in Africa was pure and compelling andbrought many to tears. He received a well-deserved,lengthy standing ovation for his commitment to Hu-man Rights.

Chief Roberta Jamieson pointed out the significanceof aboriginal and nonaboriginal people working togetherin collaboration to ensure an inclusive society that sup-ports Canada’s potential. One delegate summed it upby describing her as a great role model for humanity.Ben Carniol also left us with a message of hope and op-timism, and emphasized the important work we can doand the impression we can make through advocacy.Shan Landry challenged us to take a greater role in thefuture of primary health and in restructuring health carein Canada. She encouraged us to be brave and to “go forit.”

The Conference presented 97 workshops in 60 con-current sessions. Although the large number of speak-ers made it difficult to decide which session to attend,the broad spectrum of choices was also important tomany. There was something for everyone. The feedbackreceived in evaluations was very good and further vali-dated the decision to offer quantity which was also richin quality.

We were not short on sharing our Saskatchewan cul-ture with those who visited our province, some for thevery first time. We opened the conference with specialtreats such as an opening address from Her Honour, theLieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan, greetings fromElder Danny Musqua, the Saskatchewan Provincial Gov-ernment, the Official Opposition, the Mayor of Saskatoon,and the President of the National Association of SocialWorkers in the United States (Gary Bailey). We showcasedSaskatchewan talents for our guests with performancesby the Joe Duquette Dancers, the Circle of Peace Drum-ming Group led by Richard Dube, and the On Stage Play-ers with their performance of “Here is the Truth.” It wasinspiring to witness the talents of the youth in our com-

Conference Was a National Social Work Success, continued

continued on page 4

His experience working with those with HIV/AIDS in Africa message was pure and

compelling and brought many to tears.


munity, particularly those who are presented with greatchallenges. The evening was captivating and a great dealof the informal networking occurred around the Deca-dent Chocolate Fountain!

Of course, we did not conclude festivities at theOpening Ceremonies. We offered up delicious Saskatch-ewan cuisine at our banquet, held a tremendous silentauction featuring items donated from associations acrossthe country and were entertained by Beth Martens ofManitoba and by Dance Saskatchewan, a phenomenaldance troupe featuring some of the most talented FirstNations dancers from across Canada. Delegates werefurther captivated by the continuous stream of approxi-mately 50 door prizes!

“Down time” was another opportunity for out-of-town guests to experience our hospitality. We providedside tours of the Saskatoon Berry Barn, Wanuskewin,and Batoche. In spite of rainy weather, our spirits per-severed and everyone had a great time.

The availability of agency tours, poster presentations,trade show, networking luncheons and the presence ofthe University of Saskatchewan bookstore supplemented


continued on page 5

Conference RegistrationsFull Conference 331Health Day Only 49Keynote Only 19Presenter 94

Total number of registrations 493

WorkshopsSaskatchewan presenters 34Ontario presenters 27British Columbia presenters 12Alberta presenters 8Newfoundland presenters 7New Brunswick presenters 2Manitoba presenters 2Nova Scotia presenters 2Outside Canada 3

Total number of workshops 97

Number of keynote speaker sessions 5

Banquet attendance 363

Attendance at Health Luncheon 93

Attendance at Rural Social Work Luncheon 115

Special diet requests 27

Sunday evening tours 42Batoche 20Saskatoon Berry Barn 13Wanuskewin 9

Agency tours 49

Method of paymentCredit card 216Invoice 150Cheque 127

Misc. DataOut-of-province/out-of-country registrations 162Saskatchewan registrations 331

National Conference Stats


ries of all who attended. We would like to thank thefollowing committee members:Program: Melanie Grace, Richard Hazel, Jacquie

Maurice, Klaus GruberHealth Day: Melanie GraceTrade Show: Richard Small, Jeanne Beaudoin, Vionne

HenleyPoster Sessions: Michelle SimsHost: Giovina Bolla, Kim Hawtin, Cornell Bueker, Gloria

Martens, Marion Stirling, Bonnie Clements, EvBoyko, Alison Lafrenais-Blewett, Kathleen Wachniak

Agency Tours: David Macknak, Andy FieldSponsorship: Paul BensonAudio-Visual: Rick KuckartzSocial: Shirley LeClaire, Harry Smith, Doris Colson,

Roxanne Schury, Carol McInnisVolunteers: Cynthia Zirkwitz, Ruth-Ann ThomasPublic Relations: Sheila GagneRegistration and Administration: Debb Fisher, Richard

Hazel


the access to information for delegates. Many were seenpurchasing books written by Linda McQuaig and BenCarniol and rushing to have them autographed!

We were very fortunate to have the participation ofthe following sponsors for our conference:Platinum: CASW, AON Reed Stenhouse, Inc., Saskatch-

ewan Community Resources and Employment, Sas-katchewan Government and General Employees’Union, Health Sciences Association of Saskatch-ewan, Family Futures and SIGA;

Gold: First Nations University of Canada, School of In-dian Social Work, University of Regina, Faculty ofSocial Work, the City of Saskatoon, DeltaBessborough, Lifeline Systems Canada, SaskatoonHealth Region, Saskatchewan Health, Barb Byers,Abbott, Tom Gullason;

Silver: Canadian Labour Congress, National Union ofPublic and General Employees, Red Willow Centre,and Chocolates by Bernard CallebautOur many volunteers and sponsors made this con-

ference a topnotch event, long to be held in the memo- continued on page 5


Finance: Frank DornstauderCASW Liaison: Marlene ChattersonProtocol: Victoria WaltonRural Luncheon: Deborah Bryson-Sarauer

A special thanks to Debb Fisher and Richard Ha-zel, who so willingly took care of so many macro andmicro details of this event. They have amazing talentsfor multi-tasking and using creativity which was enor-mously appreciated. Also, many thanks to MelanieGrace for her countless hours of work in organizing


the health focused day.We feel honoured to have been given the opportu-

nity to host the National Conference in the “Heart ofthe Prairies” and extend many thanks to CASW for theirsupport in organizing this event as well.

Respectfully Submitted and with many thanks toour outstanding colleagues,

Tracy Muggli, MSW, RSW (Sask.)Ev Hynes, MSW, RSW (Sask.)

The Discipline Committee of the SASW was con-vened in Regina on April 5, 2004, to hear and deter-mine a complaint brought against

Elizabeth Jochimof Saskatoon. The Committee directed that a reportof the decision be published in the newsletter of theAssociation.

Following an investigation of the complaint, theProfessional Conduct Committee brought threecharges of professional misconduct against Ms.Jochim, who at the time of the complaint was a mem-ber of the Association. Professional misconduct ispartly defined in The Social Workers Act as, “a breachof this Act or the bylaws.”

It was alleged that Ms. Jochim failed to respond toa letter from the Professional Conduct Committee seek-ing information about the complaint. Section 30(1)(d)of The Social Workers Act defines professional con-duct in part as “a failure to comply with an order ofthe professional conduct committee, the discipline

committee or the council.” Ms. Jochim was found guiltyof professional misconduct related to this charge.

It was alleged that Ms. Jochim was guilty of pro-fessional misconduct relating to her contractual re-lationship with a service provider. The Committeefound Ms. Jochim not guilty on this charge.

Ms. Jochim was found guilty on the third charge,that she presented herself as a registered social workerwhile she was not a member of the Association, con-trary to Section 24 of The Act which states: “No per-son other than a member shall engage in the practiceof social work by using the title ‘social worker’.”

The Discipline Committee ordered Ms. Jochim to:a) cease using the title “social worker” or “RSW”

and remove or replace any information that iden-tifies her in this way,

b) pay a fine of $1,000.00 to the Association,c) pay costs in the amount of $1,000.00 to the As-

sociation, andd) pay the fines and costs prior to any application for

reinstatement as a member of the Association.

Discipline Decision


Message From the PresidentIn June of this year, the Saskatchewan Associa-

tion of Social Workers hosted the National Conferenceof the Canadian Association of Social Workers. Withover 500 people in attendance, this event was a tre-mendous success. Congratulations are extended to con-ference co-chairs Tracy Muggli and Evelyn Hynes andall of their committee members, Richard Hazel andDebb Fisher from the SASW office and to all the otherSASW members who helped make us proud of whatwe can do when we work together. It is vital, though,that we continue to pay attention to some of the strongmessages from the conference—specifically, that theprofession of social work has a proud history of beingan agent of social change and that today, more thanever, we must speak out both individually and collec-tively in our quest for social justice.

It is over a year since our strategic plan was cre-ated with input from a large cross-section of our mem-bers and others. It is clear that the strategic plan hasserved to revitalize our organization. Currently, over70 members are volunteering on 10 different provin-cial committees, some of which are newly formed.Scores of other members are working at the Branchlevel. However, we still need more members to be-come involved, and it is hoped that through the workof our new Volunteer Development Committee, wewill be able to better respond to those who want tocontribute their time and energy.

Our Association has a number of priorities for 2004/05. Under the leadership of Geoff Pawson, we expectto make some measurable progress along our path tomandatory registration and the creation of a new Act.Further, we hope to raise the profile of our Association

and our profession through the work of the AdvocacyTask Team, which will bring key social issues to publicattention in the coming year. This fall, we have for-warded a copy of the CASW Social Policy Principles toeach of the MLAs of the Saskatchewan legislature. Wehave urged the MLAs to use this document to assesscurrent social policy and new social policy as it is de-veloped. We also look forward to making key strategicconnections with other groups and individuals. Thiswork has already started in connections we have madeto the Faculty of Social Work and to the Deputy Minis-ter of Community Resources and Employment, WynneYoung. Additional meetings are planned with otherorganizations and individuals.

I am looking forward to serving as president inthe coming year. Richard Hazel and I have made acommitment that one or both of us will endeavour tovisit each branch. In the meantime, please contactme with your concerns, ideas and suggestions.

Tom Seeley, BSW, RSW (Sk)President

Wherever you go,Whatever you do,Say

“I AM A SOCIAL WORKER”

You would be surprised at how often social workers saythey work with alcoholics or they do therapy orcounsel troubled children or direct an employeeassistance program. There is nothing wrong with thesestatements, but preface each with “I AM A SOCIALWORKER” and then add the statement “...who workswith troubled youth.” What you will be doing isperforming an invaluable service to the education ofthe public which benefits the social work profession andultimately yourself.

The best way to strengthen the image ofthe social work profession is

for social workers to identify themselvesas SOCIAL WORKERS.

Social Workers – Make a Difference

SASW 2005 AGM &Conference

April 27 to 29, 2005Nipawin, SK

Co-sponsored by:SASW Prince Albert/Northeast

Branch

Watch for more details!


Message from theExecutive Director

Admin SectionAdmin Section

This newsletter celebrates the success of the na-tional conference in June and the terrific opportu-nity it was for us and for everyone who attended.You’ve read the comments from others in these pagesand I can only add my acknowledgement of the hardwork and creativity of the co-chairs and the manyothers who made it happen. There has been signifi-cant acknowledgement from outside the provinceabout the quality and spirit of the conference and ofthe hospitality of Saskatchewan social workers.

Already, work has begun on the next provincialconference which will be held in Nipawin at the Ev-ergreen Centre in April, 2005. The Northeast andPrince Albert branches are working together on theconference. There will be more details available soonand I think you will want to be there.

By now, we are well into the implementation ofour strategic plan from 2003 and some of this workhas been noted by Tom Seeley. By next spring thiswork will be well advanced and we look forward toreporting on it at the Annual General Meeting inNipawin.

As we have a very full edition this time, here arebrief notes on some key developments:• The GST issue remains as it was in the spring

with the federal election delaying the presentation

of the new legislation in Parliament. It is expectedwe will soon hear of plans to take it forward.

• There were 104 responses to the questionnaireon continuing professional education and the Edu-cation Committee is now busy analyzing the re-sults and preparing for follow-up discussion withthe Centre for Continuing Education at the U ofR and the School of Social Work.

• The SASW Scholarship Fund has been createdwithin the South Saskatchewan CommunityFoundation as approved at the AGM. You will soonbe hearing from our Scholarship Team about theways in which you can make contributions to it.

• Developing a partnership with the field practicumstaff at the U of R in support of the practicumsupervisor group.One final administrative request: Should you find

yourself in a new job or moving to a new address,please remember to let us know so we can update ourmember database. Thank you.

Respectfully submittedRichard Hazel, MSW, RSW (Sk)

The following Standards of Practice areavailable from the SASW Office and ourWeb site:

Standards of Ethical Practice for ProfessionalSocial Workers in Saskatchewan, RevisedJanuary 2001.

Standards for Social Work in Schools, Octo-ber 1999.

Standards in Child Protection Services forRegistered Social Workers in Saskatchewan,October 1999.

Standards in Health Care for RegisteredSocial Workers in Saskatchewan, March 2001.

Standards for the Private Practice of SocialWork, Revised 1999.

Standards in Custody/Access for RegisteredSocial Workers in Saskatchewan, March 2001.

Registration Deadline

Reminder that the deadline to renewyour 2005 registration is 4:00 p.m.,December 1, 2004. Please submit yourrenewal/membership registration formswith your continuing education forms. Afee increase had been approved asfollows:

Full Time - $295Part time - $181Non Practicing - $78Associate - $70Student - $50


Members of SASW and others may sometimes won-der what role the public representative serves in theAssociation and what responsibilities are entailed. Asone currently serving in this position, I too have askedthese same questions.

It is perhaps worth recalling that professional as-sociations in the province, especially those providinghealth-related services posing a public risk if improp-erly performed or performed by persons not adequatelytrained, are regulated through provincial legislation;and that Section 9 of The Social Workers Act (Sas-katchewan, 1995) makes provision for the appointmentof a public representative to serve for two-year termson Council, its Advisory Board and Discipline Com-mittee, having the same rights and responsibilities asother members of these bodies.

Undoubtedly the primary reason for a public rep-resentative relates to questions of “protecting the publicinterest” and “public accountability,” i.e., to the ideathat professional associations be accountable for theirmembers’ actions which, according to the OrientationGuide for Public Representatives: Roles and Respon-sibilities (DCRE), is a matter of increasing public con-cern. There are, of course, various means the SASWhas at its disposal for protecting the public and ad-dressing accountability issues, including its regulatorybylaws, Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, disci-plinary procedures for handling complaints of profes-sional misconduct or incompetence, a comprehensiveweb site, etc., but these by no means usurp the role ofthe public representative. Indeed, it’s clear from Sec-tion 9 of the Act and the Orientation Guide that thepublic representative is given a significant voice inCouncil’s deliberations not only to represent a publicperspective and ensure an openness of the professionto public scrutiny, but also to ensure the profession isfaithful to its bylaws and that its standards of practiceare ethically defensible (see below).

According to the Orientation Guide, the public rep-resentative has the specific responsibilities of:• presenting a consumer point of view on issues of

public concern that come before council or com-mittees;

• becoming familiar with the purpose of the Asso-ciation, its Act, bylaws and policies governing theprofession;

• ensuring the profession acts fairly, follows the Actand its bylaws, and fosters appropriate standardsof practice and professional ethics;

• assuring the public that the profession is diligentabout the competency of its members, that itsmembers provide the necessary services and donot unduly restrict consumer choice (a public rep-resentative, it is stated, “may” convene with mem-bers of the public or participate in public forumsto meet this particular obligation)

• participating actively in Council and AdvisoryBoard meetings, seeking clarification whereneeded and articulating one’s point of view

• maintaining an independent perspective whilealso functioning as a “team member”This list in particular and the Guide in general pro-

vide a good signpost for the public representative but

they nonetheless beg a fundamental question: whatconstitutes a consumer point of view or the public in-terest? The public, of course, is a complex entity thatin a democracy does not always speak with a sharedor unified voice, especially on matters relating to so-cial policy and practice (e.g., medicare, same sex mar-riage). So a central task facing the public representa-tive, as I see it, is that of first trying to discern whatthe public interest is on relevant issues (or developinga good sense of where it lies) and how this or that de-cision, policy, procedure of Council would be perceivedor received by the public, and then responding in amanner that is adequate and fair to the issues at stakeand to those who would be affected.

On the other hand, the list and Guide remind usthat the public representative—an “outsider” so tospeak—is not trained in the field of social work or fa-

The Public Representative

continued on page 11

HealthLine, SaskatchewanNew province wide

24-hour telephone adviceservice under the management ofRegina Qu’Appelle Health Region.

1-877-800-0002

The public, of course, is a complex entity thatin a democracy does not always speak with a

shared or unified voice...



miliar with the language used, nor beholden for thatmatter to DCRE’s positions on issues (as noted, thepublic representative is to maintain an independentperspective). It seems to follow that the greatest chal-lenge for the public representative, all things consid-ered, i.e., given the various experiences, talents andbackgrounds each representative brings to the table,the sometimes indeterminacy of the public interest thatis to be safeguarded, and the risk of letting one’s ownpersonal perspective distort or override that interest,comes down to the exercise of sound and reasonedjudgment in the performance of the role.

I have completed one year of my term as publicrepresentative. It has been an interesting time of lis-

reprinted with permission fromSaskatchewan FOIP Folio, July 2004

A recent tragedy in Vancouver provides a caution-ary tale for local authorities, government institutionsand health care providers. A young woman attendingthe University of British Columbia recently took herown life. She was experiencing depression. It turnsout that she had attempted suicide a month earlierand had been hospitalized overnight at that time. Ac-cording to news reports, UBC officials were aware ofthis suicide attempt but did not communicate con-cerns to the woman’s parents in Oregon. Apparently,the UBC officials had believed that the Freedom ofInformation and Protection of Privacy Act did notpermit the disclosure of this information to the wom-an’s parents. In fact, the B.C. FOIP Act specificallyallows health professionals to disclose personal healthinformation to family members about someone whois ill or injured where necessary for treatment orwhere compelling circumstances exist.

This unfortunate case underscores the need inSaskatchewan to redouble our efforts to address train-ing and retraining of employees, trustees, local au-thorities and government institutions on applicableaccess and privacy rules.

If the same thing happened in Saskatchewan whatrules would apply?

In this province, universities are subject to the

Local Authority FOIP Act. Section 28(2) of that Actpermits disclosure of a student’s personal health in-formation “...(1) where necessary to protect the men-tal or physical health or safety of any individual”. TheL.A. FOIP Regulation permits disclosure of a student’spersonal health information “...where disclosure mayreasonably be expected to assist in the provision ofservices for the benefit of the individual to whom theinformation relates;” [s. 10(c)] and “with respect tohealth care information, in compassionate circum-stances, unless the person to whom the informationrelates requests that the information not be disclosed”[s. 10 (h)].

In addition, the health regions are subject to TheHealth Information Protection Act in respect of thepersonal health information of identifiable patients.By reason of section 27(2) of HIPA, such a patientwould be deemed to consent to disclosure of her per-sonal health information to her next of kin if “(i) thedisclosure relates to health services currently beingprovided to the subject individual; and (ii) the sub-ject individual has not expressed a contrary inten-tion to a disclosure of that type.” A trustee such as ahealth region is also permitted to disclose personalhealth information of such a student without consentwhere the trustee, on reasonable grounds, believesthat the disclosure will avoid or minimize a danger tothe health or safety of any person [s. 27(4)].

It Is No Good Having a Statutory Remedy if YourStaff Don’t Know About It!

The Public Representative, cont.

tening and learning, but one of my objectives has beento ensure that the language and terminology of SASWdocuments—particularly those to which the public hasright of access—is intelligible to the general reader. Ihave also had ample occasion during the year to ob-serve the high level of professional dedication and con-cern for transparency and accountability with whichmembers of Council, its Advisory Board and statutorycommittees do their work. SASW, I believe, is in goodhands, and the profession deserves the respect withwhich it is held in this province.

Douglas StewartPublic Representative (2003-05)



CASW SectionCASW Section

As your Saskatchewan representative on theCASW Board, I was very proud of the success of theNational Conference in Saskatoon in June. Boardmembers from across the country were all very im-pressed and had a wonderful time here. I think it wasa surprise to many of them who had never visitedSaskatoon before that it was such a beautiful city.Compliments and thanks to the co-chairs, commit-tee chairs, executive director and executive assistantand all volunteers who did such a great job.

The CASW Board met before the Conferencestarted. They also met with the presidents and ex-ecutive directors and with the president and execu-tive director of the American Association of SocialWorkers (NASW). I will summarize some of the high-lights.

The focus of the Board meeting continued to beon the three directions that CASW is taking: SocialJustice, Strengthening of the Profession and Support-ing Excellence in Regulation. In terms of Social Jus-tice, CASW has been active. You have (I hope)accessed the papers that have been circulated or areon the casw web-site and include• Social Work Code of Ethics• Social Policy Principles• Evaluation of the Federal (Social) Budget Based

on CASW Social Policy Principles• Gendering the Poverty Line• Women’s Income and Poverty in Canada Revis-

ited• Preparing for Change: Social Work in Primary

Health CareA press release entitled Heading into an Elec-

tion with a Neglectful Federal Social Budget wasissued. A paper titled Federal Party Policy/Plat-forms: A Comparison was issued prior to the Elec-tion to assist members in comparing the respectiveparty platforms and circulated questions on socialissues to members to use in questions to candidates.

Incidentally, I submitted one of the questions whichI thought was a particularly good one to our candi-dates meeting here in Yorkton. It had to be in writingand it was ignored! Unfortunately, the candidatesdidn’t talk much about social programs or issues.

A letter was sent to Ralph Goodale soon after hetook over as Minister of Finance advocating for animproved social services program at all levels. Fol-lowing the election, a letter was written to Paul Mar-tin to request a meeting. CASW issued a press releaseregarding the lenient sentence given by the judge inOntario to the couple who had abused their adoptedchildren for thirteen years. A focus of our upcomingboard meeting in November will be Canada’s SocialTransfer.

Working to strengthen the profession has takenvarious directions. CASW is in the process of devel-oping a public relations approach to promote the pro-fession. Interest groups have been developed and theSocial Workers in Health interest group met inSaskatoon at the same time as the Board. The ChildWelfare project is continuing and an interest group ofsocial workers working in child welfare will continue.CASW is working towards establishing an AboriginalSocial Workers Interest Group and are asking for sug-gestions for representatives from each province. Sas-katchewan’s representative on this group is Hazel Bergof the Northeast Branch.

At our Board meeting, some time was spent on or-ganizational issues as a follow-up to the strategic plan-ning process done in 2003. The Board has realized ithas to react more quickly in advocacy efforts and needsto delegate and subcontract more for quicker outcomes.There needs to be a closer working relationship, bet-ter communication and sharing of resources with mem-ber organization and clearer role delineation betweenCASW Board members, presidents and executive di-rectors. Projects undertaken need to be clearly statedin project charters which outline the main objective,major activities, partner/staff involvement, requiredresources and success factors.

Meeting with the NASW Association President GaryBailey and Executive Director Elizabeth Clark was veryinteresting. Their association has 152,000 membersof the 600,000 social workers in the U.S. They sharemany of the same concerns as our Association. Licens-ing is controlled by each state and social workers have

CASW Board Member Report

SASWToll Free Number

(outside Regina)

1-877-517-7279continued on page 13


to take exams to move from state to state. Onlytwenty-three states have “title protection.” Some oftheir issues are peace, economic justice, women’srights, women’s reproductive freedom, same sex mar-riage, aging, palliative care, genetics, health and healthdisparities and children. Incidentally, Gary Bailey wasdeeply impressed by our Lieutenant-Governor LyndaHaverstock and her speech at the Opening Ceremo-nies.

Other items of interest are: the theme for SocialWork Week in 2005 is “Social Work: Fairness andWell-Being”; Halifax will be the site of the 2006 Na-tional Conference next June. Watch for the call forpapers. Our Saskatchewan presenters, who did sucha wonderful job at our Conference will hopefully con-sider presentations further afield.

Marlene Chatterson, MSW, RSW (Sk)

To reduce the risk of civil claims or disciplinary complaints againstsocial workers, Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., in co-operation with theCanadian Association of Social Workers and your insurer, HalifaxInsurance, have arranged for pro bono summary legal advice serviceto be provided by Bell, Temple, Barristers & Solicitors. Bell, Temple,in consultation with Halifax Insurance, will arrange for theappropriate referral to legal counsel in provinces other than Ontario.

Bell, Temple will provide confidential advice by telephone to allsocial workers participating in the Professional Liability InsuranceProgram administered by Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc. and co-sponsored by the Canadian Association of Social Workers. Bell,Temple will provide advice on questions regarding potential civilclaims or disciplinary complaints including.

✧ Confidentiality – client files/records ✧✧ Release of information ✧✧ Response to a supoena ✧

✧ Conflict of interest ✧✧ Custody and access ✧

✧ Sexual involvement with a client ✧✧ Incompetence ✧

✧ Other professional misconduct issues ✧

BELL, TEMPLEBarristers & Solicitors

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Legal Advice for Members of the Canadian Association of Social WorkersABOUT BELL, TEMPLE

Bell, Temple is a litigation law firm that has been involved in malpracticeliability and health discipline matters for many years on behalf of manyprofessional groups. Cameron C.R. Godden and Lisa E. Hamilton leadBell, Temple’s Health Discipline Group. They are well versed in theregulations, standards of practice and the ethical obligations of socialworkers. They have represented regulated professionals at every stageof discipline and civil matters, including assistance in the preparation ofresponses to complaints from the various Colleges, representation beforediscipline tribunals and the Health Professions Board, and related appeals.They are both available by telephone to provide free, confidential legaladvice to avoid or reduce the probability of a claim or complaint.

Each telephone consultation is limited to 30 minutes per inquiry.The lawyer may consider it appropriate to review the issues andjurisprudence, and then call you back. The advice given will relyupon the accuracy and completeness of the information you provide.

Please be prepared with the following information:✧ Your name, telephone number(s) and address ✧

✧ Your policy and certificate numbers ✧✧ A concise summary of all relevant facts ✧

✧ Your specific question or concern ✧

Bell, Temple Barristers & Solicitors393 University Avenue, Suite 1500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1E6

Toll Free 1-888-263-8600 Local (416) 581-8200Cameron C.R. Godden – extension 8201 Lisa E. Hamilton – extension 8207In the event of a formal claim or complaint, notify Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc.

CASW Report, cont.

Web site: www.sasw.ca


The social work profession, together with thewomen’s movement, began addressing the issue ofdomestic violence in the 1960s, focusing on the safetyand protection of women. It wasn’t until the late ’70sand early ’80s that programs were developed to treatthe perpetrators. In Saskatchewan, perpetrator pro-grams were established within the mental health sys-tem and were again initiated mainly by social work-ers, in some areas conjointly with psychologists. Insome areas justice workers have become part of thetreatment team. The most difficult group to involvein program planning had been the judiciary, partlydue to their concern of being objective and neutralwith respect to case situations. In the late 1980s somejudges attempted to carry out deferred sentencing,but initially, this procedure was ruled unconstitutionalby various appeals courts.

Program Development SectionProgram Development Section

One of the main difficulties in dealing with vio-lence within intimate partner relationships is the vic-tim’s reluctance to testify against the accused as notonly do they have a prior relationship with the of-fender, but often have a subsequent relationship. Fe-male victims of domestic violence often lack adequatesocial or financial support and may be at risk of in-tensified violence if they leave their relationships. Anescalation of violence toward the woman is often ob-served if she has given testimony against her partner.Yet, victims of domestic violence, as well as the jus-tice system, appear to agree that the bottom line is tostop the violence.

In 2003, a coordinated community response pro-gram was set up in the Battlefords by Judge VioletMeekma and Chris Turner, a psychologist involvedwith the Battleford Mental Health Clinic’s Adult Serv-ices Alternatives To Violence Program. The new pro-gram was modelled after the Yukon Domestic ViolenceTreatment Option (DVTO) court.1 The DVTO is dif-ferent than alternative measures in that the offender

is prosecuted. The program gives offenders the op-tion of fast tracking into a treatment program by plead-ing guilty. This also means the victim does not haveto testify. The key to this program is the adjournmentof sentencing following a plea of “guilty”, until theoffender completes treatment. The sentencing at thatpoint may range from an absolute discharge to pro-bation, conditional sentencing or incarceration. Fol-low-up is recommended which is dependant on theoffender’s history, victim feedback, the Ontario Do-mestic Assault Assessment (ODARA) scores, and par-ticipation in treatment.

Those accused of domestic violence who chooseto plead not guilty, or those who don’t follow through

New Treatment Model Initiatedfor Domestic Violence in the Battlefords

One of the main difficulties in dealing with violencewithin intimate partner relationships is the victim’sreluctance to testify against the accused as not onlydo they have a prior relationship with the offender,

but often have a subsequent relationship.



An escalation of violence toward the woman isoften observed if she has given testimony

against her partner. Yet, victims of domesticviolence, as well as the justice system, appear

to agree that the bottom line is to stop theviolence.

with the treatment program set up for them, are sentback to the court to follow the traditional court proc-ess. The DVTO working group uses ODARA to assessthe offenders’ level of risk for future assaults as wellas follow-up recommendations. Under this program,the court has referred offenders to Kanaweymik, Al-ternatives To Violence and Addictions Services wheretreatment plans can be put into place in as little astwo weeks after a court appearance.

Spousal violence was once seen as a private mat-ter. In Canada, there was a move in the 1980s towardpro-charging and pro-prosecution policies as a clear

DISTANCE LEARNINGMSW Program

Faculty of Social Work

University of CalgaryEmail: [email protected]

Phone: (403) 220-6945

NATIONAL DISTANCEEDUCATION PROGRAM

Maritime School of Social Workis offering

BSW Distance Education &MSW Distance Education

for part time students.

For more information contact:Maritime School of Social Work

Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, Nova Scotia,

Web site: is.dal.ca/socialwork/distancePhone: (902) 494-1354


New Treatment Model Initiated for Domestic Violence, continued

message that violence within the home is a criminaloffence. However, a risk associated with this has beenthat dual charges may be laid—both the perpetratorand the victim may be charged. Recently, the FPThas recommended that the police use a “primary ag-gressor model” to determine who is actually at risk ofharm from physical violence. 2

One benefit of the implementation of the DVTOcourt has been raised community awareness aboutthe issue of family violence. In January 2004, theBattlefords Victim Services and RCMP offered a train-ing session to community agencies dealing with re-sponses to domestic violence. The session allowed forthe airing of concerns such as dual charging.

Since the DVTO project is so new, there is a clearneed for qualitative and quantitative short-term andlong-term research to be carried out to addresswhether the process results in increased safety andbetter outcomes for perpetrators and survivors. Fur-ther research and monitoring of the program will alsoprovide social workers with valuable evidence on thebenefits of this new initiative.

1 Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Respon-sible for Justice (2003) Final Report of the Ad-Hoc Federal-Provincial-Territorial WorkingGroup Reviewing Spouse Abuse Policies and Leg-islation, Department of Justice, Canada. Page 44

2 Ibid.

OUR SASW FAMILY TREEWe had planned to feature Geoff Pawson andhis pioneering work in the development ofthe Ranch Ehrlo Society in this issue but,due to circumstances beyond control,the article will be delayeduntil our next issue inFebruary, 2005.


The Students’ Wellness Initiative Toward

Community Health (SWITCH) is a student-run

health clinic initiative by health professional

students and community partners.

Mission StatementMembers of SWITCH recognize the intrinsic value

of all people and their right to high quality health care.As future health care professionals, we strive to un-derstand the social determinants of health, the prin-ciples of primary health care and the importance ofsocially responsive health promotion. Our vision isbased on local priorities, as determined through ex-tensive communication with community groups andhealth professionals. After establishing this founda-tion, we will create and maintain a professionally su-pervised, student-driven, multidisciplinary healthcentre to provide integrated and timely services toSaskatoon’s underserved populations. SWITCH willprovide an invaluable and sustainable link betweenstudents, health care professionals, community basedorganizations, the university, and the community.Students will benefit by gaining practical experiencein an interdisciplinary setting and through exposureto unique clinical circumstances. The community willhave access to a holistic approach to primary healthcare delivery. Within this mutually beneficial envi-ronment, opportunities exist to diminish barriers tohealth care, improve community relationships, andmake Saskatoon a healthier place for all.

The student-run clinic will address the followingareas:Service: SWITCH would provide health care to indi-

viduals and families in core neighbourhoodSaskatoon. Services would be provided by healthprofession student volunteers from the Universityof Saskatchewan under the supervision and guid-ance of practicing health care professionals.

Interdisciplinary health care: SWITCH would operateunder the principles of interdisciplinary health caredelivery and education. Student and professionalparticipants will include, but would not be limitedto, medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy,nutrition, clinical psychology, dentistry, commu-nity health and epidemiology, and social work.

University and community partnership: SWITCHwould enhance partnerships between the Univer-sity of Saskatchewan and both health and non-health related community organizations. Onesuch example is the International Interdiscipli-nary Community University Student Partnership(IICUSP) with whom we are collaborating on thisproject.

Community-based education: SWITCH would providehealth profession students with a unique learn-ing environment to complement our formal edu-cation process. In order to train well-rounded, so-cially responsible health care professionals, wemust expand and enhance our formal educationto include educational opportunities in a commu-nity.

Health promotion: SWITCH would be an appropri-ate environment to provide health promotion andeducation to the community.

Social environment: SWITCH would provide a socialcontext for dialogue between Saskatoon citizenswho live in core neighbourhood areas and uni-versity students. The image of healthcare profes-sionals and interactions between university stu-dents and the Saskatoon community at-large maybe enhanced by the outreach work of our clinic.SWITCH provides an exciting learning opportu-

nity for social work students to volunteer their timein serving Saskatoon’s core neighbourhood. The con-cept of the interdisciplinary health care team ensuresequality among team members. All are working to-gether cooperatively and efficiently towards the goalof client management. Furthermore, students willbenefit from working in a teamwork setting, as theywill learn valuable lessons from each discipline, andwill gain experience working in a unique clinical set-ting. In addition, this holistic approach to health caremay lead to the prevention of further illness, includ-ing educating and empowering clients to participatein their personal health goals and overall state ofwellness.

Margarita SysingSocial Work Qualifying Student at

the University of Regina, Saskatoon Campus

SWITCH Will Help Core Neighbourhoodsin Saskatoon



(The author instigated the Charter challenge to theuse of corporal punishment on children)

A friend of mine is the mother of 13-year-oldMathew and 5-year-old Jill. On the day the SupremeCourt of Canada issued its ruling on the use of corpo-ral punishment of children, her son told his family thataccording to the Supreme Court they could not hithim but “we can all hit Jill.” He thought this wasfunny—Jill did not.

Sadly, he’s not far off the mark. The SupremeCourt’s ruling has left Section 43 of the Criminal Codein place; however, it has significantly restricted its useas a defence to charges of assault on children. TheCourt issued its decision on January 30, 2004.1

As noted in previous issues of the SaskatchewanSocial Worker (November 1999; Fall 2001; November2002) s. 43 provides a defence from charges of assaultfor parents, teachers and others acting in their place, ifforce is used to correct a child’s behaviour. The sectionwas challenged under the Canadian Charter of Rightsand Freedoms. The arguments were that s. 43 discrimi-nates against children in that it does not provide equalprotection or benefit of the law to children (s. 15), s. 43violates a child’s security of the person (s. 7) and is crueland unusual punishment and treatment (s. 12).

In a 6-3 decision the Supreme Court ruled that,while corporal punishment may affect the security ofthe child under section 7 of the Charter, it does notoffend the principles of fundamental justice. In addi-tion they ruled that conduct permitted under s. 43 isnot “cruel and unusual punishment” and therefore doesnot violate s. 12 of the Charter and that a child’s equal-ity rights under s. 15 are not infringed by s. 43 of theCriminal Code.

However, the Court limited the scope of the s. 43defence to such an extent that it “exempts from criminalsanction only corrective force of a transitory and triflingnature.”2 The Supreme Court referred to “a zone ofrisk” which, if entered, will result in possible criminalsanctions. For example, the Court said s. 43 can not beused to defend a person who uses corporal punishmenton children under the age of 2, on children withdisabilities or on teenagers. Using weapons such as abelt or strap on children or hitting them on the headeliminates any possibility of using s. 43 as a defence. Aswell, teachers who use corporal punishment are notprotected. Those who would use corporal punishmentto correct a child’s behaviour must be aware that the

limitations are such that “if their conduct raises anapprehension of bodily harm they cannot rely on s. 43.”3

The decision was a disappointment for those of uswho have worked long and hard to see the same rightswe as adults have to be protected from assaults, ex-tended to children. Even so, the limits placed on theuse of corporal punishment are an improvement. Oneof the most common complaints we heard from childprotection workers was that s. 43 produced such a large“grey area” it interfered with their jobs and with theirattempts to provide support for families. It is hopedthese limits on s. 43 will provide workers with the as-sistance they need in working to protect children andsupport families.

Our task now is to convince the Canadian govern-ment that s. 43 of the Criminal Code must be repealed.If the Canadian government did so it would placeCanada along side other countries around the worldthat have abolished the use of corporal punishmenton children4 and clearly demonstrate Canada’s com-mitment to live up to our international obligation touphold children’s rights as expressed in the Conven-tion on the Rights of the Child.

Zone of RiskSection 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada cannot

be used to defend parents, teachers or others acting intheir place from charges of assault against childrenwhen:• The child is under two years of age;• The child has a disability;• The child is a teenager;• An object is used;• It involves slaps or blows to the head;• It is used by teachers;• It is degrading, inhuman or harmful conduct;• It is applied in anger.

Ailsa M. Watkinson, Ph.D., Associate Professor Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina

1 Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law v.Canada (Attorney General) 2004 SCC 4 File No.: 20113, avail-able at http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/index.html

2 Ibid., at para 40.3 Ibid., at para 30.4 Sweden, Austria, Latvia, Israel, Germany, Croatia, Cypress,

Norway, Denmark, and Finland are some of the countries thathave abolished the use or corporal punishment on children.

The Supreme Court of Canada Rules onCorporal Punishment



Child Welfare and Social Work: Are They Compatible?reprinted, with permission of the author, from

OASW Newsmagazine, Summer 2004The histories of social work and child welfare have

been closely related and highly intertwined as they haveevolved over the past 125 years. While this relation-ship has demonstrated harmony and consistency ofpurpose, it has also demonstrated conflict over meansand ends. It has always struck me as odd that there issuch an ambivalent relationship between them.

Social work has claimed “child welfare” as an areaof predominant influence. Other groups, such as childand youth workers, psychology or child developmentworkers, have usually been relegated to ancillary sup-port roles within a primary social work setting.

Child welfare has also traditionally been viewedas an area of practice to be avoided by social workers.In my opinion, it is under-represented in professionalschool curricula and undervalued by professors,

practitioners and students alike. Ironically, themajority of social work practitioners employed as newgraduates work in child welfare agencies acrossCanada.

It is also true that child welfare organizations haveexperienced considerable difficulty in the recruitmentand retention of staff, particularly in the areas of front-line child protection work. The average lengths of stay/turnover and amount of prior experience in these po-sitions have been ongoing challenges for child welfareemployers. These problems are growing, and they areimportant factors in determining the future capacityof the child welfare system to attract, recruit and re-tain well-trained and motivated child welfare workers.An issue for many concerned with the development ofchild welfare is the scenario in which a new young so-cial worker is hired to do child protection work and




stays in this role for only one or two years. An effec-tive child welfare system is based upon having skilledand experienced staff in front-line positions.

During the past decade, many child welfare or-ganizations began developing new child protectiontraining and preparation programs as part of an over-all strategy to improve recruitment and retention. Forthe most part, these training programs focus on spe-cific aspects of child abuse and neglect, risk assess-ment, case management and child development.Training has been offered to newly hired employeeswith and without social work qualifications. As well,to improve their employment strategies, child wel-fare organizations have increased remuneration andbenefits and improved workplace conditions.

It is important to understand that these organi-zations have faced considerable challenges, with rap-idly growing caseloads and administrative demands,increasing focus on child protection and safety issues,worker risk and liability concerns, diminished com-munity resources, and value discrepancy. Overall, themalaise of working in child welfare at all levels in the1990s was fostered by a highly politicized environ-ment, growing demands and stress on resources.

In this context, there is an active debate aboutthe role, influence and impact of social work profes-sional education on the development of child welfare.The concern voiced by child welfare managers is thatnew social workers are dissuaded from and poorlyequipped for the rigours of child welfare practice.Social work educators express worry because they

Child Welfare and Social Work: Are They Compatible? continued

feel their role is not to produce technicians, but ratherto ensure that the beliefs, values and principles ofsocial work are instilled in their graduates.

These positions can be reconciled by recognizingthe need for professional education to be augmentedby specific on-the-job pre-service training within or-ganizations. Importantly, there are increasing in-stances where this is occurring. An interesting exam-ple is the new education and awareness program ofthe National Youth in Care Network in which repre-sentatives of youth in care attend social work classesto discuss the issues and experiences of children whogrow up in the public care system. There is great valuein this approach in breaking down myths and pro-moting better understanding.

However, this debate also raises some fundamen-tal tensions and the need for further dialogue and dis-cussion among child welfare providers, social workeducators and others. There are many controversialquestions to be addressed. Here is a sample:• Are the fundamental values of social work and

child protection compatible?• Is there a need to choose a primacy of rights of

child or family?• Is social control a social work function?• How can we reconcile the expectations of the child

welfare employer and the profession of the socialworker?No doubt the list goes well beyond this short but

reasonably representative sampling of questions that




arises in the debate. Nonetheless, they do illustrate animportant paradox between social work and welfare.As well, they point to the question: why does socialwork both embrace child welfare as an area of primaryinvolvement for the profession and yet generally notregard the field well? Clearly, it is a contradiction thatserves neither the profession nor the vocation.

However, behind every contradiction lies a newlevel of understanding about the issues and forces atplay. There is an important need for dialogue betweensocial work and child welfare professionals.

I do not believe the answers are simple or easy. Ifthey were, we likely would have discovered them al-ready! However, I also do not believe in the “oppres-sion of the OR” and the predilection of the Westernmind to believe that is must be an “either/or” situa-

tion. Rather, we need to search for ways to better un-derstand and reconcile both sides.

In my opinion, the very essence of social work isto address the relationship between the individual andthe group—at the family, community or societal lev-els. Thus, social work values are based upon respectfor the individual and understanding of his or her re-lationship with others. These, too, are fundamentalelements of good child welfare practice.

As well, the principle of advocacy is an establisheddimension of social work. It has enabled us to chal-lenge the conventional wisdoms and assumptions ofour time, and to promote the development of new oralternative ways of understanding human behaviourand interaction. The transformations of our conceptsof rights, empowerment and respect have supportedthe development of the children’s rights agenda, whichis now recognized globally.

We live in an era of unparalleled change. Changesare taking place faster than ever, and are of a muchgreater magnitude, thereby having that much strongeran impact on human beings. The challenges and oppor-tunities of this process of change will require unprec-edented ingenuity to adapt successfully. The values andapproach of social work can make an enormous contri-bution to the lives of children and families. Increasinglyimportant is our willingness to challenge each other andourselves about the role and relationships of the indi-vidual in society, about promoting principles of rights,respect, inclusion and participation, and about the con-ventional wisdoms of our times.

In our training as social workers, we embracechange and learn that, through challenges and crisis,opportunities for new learning and understandingemerge. I anticipate future development in child wel-fare—focused on protecting children from harm andpromoting their optimal development—will require thecreative skills of committed social workers to providethe necessary guidance and wisdom. It is our collec-tive challenge to insure that, in the future, there is abetter alignment of social work knowledge with childwelfare policy and practice. Following this path willensure the relevance of child welfare and social workto the people we serve.

Peter Dudding, MM, MSW, RSW, is the executivedirector of the Child Welfare League of Canada.Also, Peter is one of the two social work leaders

who were selected to be featured in this year’scelebration of National Social Work Week, and aprofile on him can be found on OASW’s web site:

www.oasw.org

Child Welfare and Social Work: Are They Compatible? continued



Faculty of Social work NewsFaculty of Social Work News

Message from Dean of Social WorkUniversity of Regina

Greetings from the Faculty of Social Work at thebeginning of the 2004-05 academic year. We have hadan excellent start to this year in that there is a greaternumber of students in the BSW classes throughoutthe province than at this time last year. Also, there isa significant increase in the number of applicationsfor admission to the BSW program for January 2005from the previous deadline. In addition, the SocialWork Student Societies in Prince Albert, Saskatoonand Regina have got off to an enthusiastic start sothey will make significant contributions to the Fac-ulty during the coming year. These facts suggest anincreased interest in the profession of Social Workamong students. This is a wonderful sequence ofevents that I hope will turn into a trend as it will meana stronger, more vibrant, student body in the Facultyof Social Work that will potentially contribute to agrowing social work presence in the province and toa larger membership in SASW.

We are also very excited about the number ofgraduates that we will have at Fall Convocation thisyear. There will be 14 BSW graduates, 22 BISW gradu-ates, 29 CISW graduates, 1 CSW graduate and 7 MSWgraduates. This group of graduates will contribute sig-nificantly to improved social conditions for people inSaskatchewan and to the strength of our profession.

I am also very pleased to report that we have hiredtwo professors in tenure-track positions in the Fac-ulty of Social Work as of July 2005: Judy White inSaskatoon and Kathy Donovan in Regina. Many of youwill know these colleagues as Judy has been teachingin Saskatoon for the past few years and Kathy hasalso taught several courses in the Faculty of SocialWork in the recent past. Both Judy and Kathy haveexcellent social work experience and they are in doc-toral programs in Social Work (Judy at University ofManitoba; Kathy at University College, Cork, Ireland).We are very excited to have each of them in the Fac-ulty of Social Work.

We have several interesting and exciting initia-tives that will link the Faculty of Social Work andSASW this year. We are building on the successfulmentoring program that links students and socialworkers in Saskatoon and expanding that program toRegina. We are also taking the next steps with poten-

tial continuing education opportunities for membersof SASW as a result of the survey on your needs andinterests that many of you recently completed. Weare going to offer workshops on issues related to su-pervising students in practicum settings in Regina andin Saskatoon. We are co-sponsoring a national con-gress on School Plus initiatives with the Faculty ofEducation in November and several SASW memberswill be involved in the presentations at that congress.We will definitely have a visit from the accreditationteam from the Canadian Association of Schools ofSocial Work this Fall so we look forward to your po-tential involvement in that visit. And, naturally, wewill continue to serve on various SASW committeesin the interests of contributing to the excellent workof the Association.

In closing, I would like to say that it is a pleasureto be working with all of you in the interests of im-proving and expanding the social work profession inSaskatchewan. It is also wonderful to work with theSASW Council on many of the above issues. This isalways the case but it was especially relevant duringthe excellent national conference that SASW organ-ized in Saskatoon in June. It was a pleasure for thoseof us in the Faculty of Social Work to be involved inthe planning and organization of this conference.However, it was you as SASW members who led thecharge on this wonderful conference. As such, I wouldlike to congratulate each and every one of you whocontributed to this brilliant and successful effortwhich showcased at a national level a great deal ofthe excellent social work practice, research, educa-tion and policy we are doing in Saskatchewan.

Dr. Michael MacLean, Dean,Faculty of Social Work,

University of Regina

FARM STRESS LINE1-800-667-4442

www.agr.gov.sk.ca/saf/

SaskatchewanAgricultureand Food


Reflections On My Experience As Assistant Dean ofthe Faculty Of Social Work

As I sit in my office thinking about writing thispiece, I am aware that the phone isn’t ringing, mycomputer isn’t dinging to notify me another e-mailhas arrived and students aren’t sitting outside my of-fice waiting to see me. It is sooooo quiet. Can I han-dle this? I think I can...I think I can..I think...I actu-ally have space to think.

It has been an exceptionally rewarding 3.5 yearsas Assistant Dean of the Faculty (January 2001-June2004). I wish to thank my Social Work colleagues whogave me this opportunity, and faculty, staff, studentsand the U of R Administration, who have all been sosupportive during my tenure on the job. The tasks Iwas given initially as part of the office, those whichcame my way and those I had the freedom to createhave allowed me to grow as a person and to contribute(I hope in a positive way) to the mission and growth ofthe Faculty and the University.

As part of my involvement, I have served on anumber of University-wide senior level committees. Ihave made a difference in the lives of countless students

(for the better I hope though all may not agree) by as-sisting them with personal, career and program choices.Thank you Insoo Kim Berg and your “solution-focused”approach. And, I have initiated or been a part of policyand curriculum planning efforts in the Faculty. I havebeen given extraordinary learning opportunities by be-ing sent to in-depth institutes and training. I have given,but I have received more than I gave.

Last, I would like to make special mention of thesupport I received from Dean Michael MacLean. Hewas always there to consult and inspire me to keep atit when I didn’t feel up to the responsibilities.

With this as my last academic year before my“expiry date” (mandatory retirement) I am engagingin new undertakings, including working with col-leagues, alumni and retired faculty members on plan-ning a “bang-up” celebration of the Faculty’s 30th an-niversary next year. Hope to see everyone there.

Cheers to all!Mona Acker, MSW, RSW (Sask.)

Assistant Dean

Faculty of Social Work Practicum NewsThe Faculty of Social Work, Regina Campus will be

introducing two new initiatives this fall involving SASWmembers.

Mentoring ProgramThe SASW Mentoring Program is coming to Regina!

Modelled on the Saskatoon Branch’s Mentoring Programformat, new social work graduates will have an oppor-tunity to be matched this fall with registered SASWmembers. The Faculty of Social Work is working closelywith the Regina SASW Branch to develop the programformat that will meet the unique needs of Regina andarea. Although the program will launch in Regina, ifsufficient interest is expressed it is likely that expand-ing to Yorkton, Weyburn and Moose Jaw will occur inthe future. Registration for students and mentors beganin September and a mentor/student information meet-ing is planned for later this fall. If you are interested,please call Myrna Pitzel at 585-4572.

Field Instructor TrainingThe practicum experience is the most practical and

significant part of social worker’s education, and oftensocial workers are recruited as field instructors with-out specific training related to student supervision. The

intent of the field instructor professional educationaldevelopment series is to bring experienced and newfield instructors together to share experiences, and tolearn teaching and supervision techniques that willenhance the student’s field experience. The Faculty ofSocial Work has partnered with SASW to offer thisexciting new professional development opportunity.Early registration is encouraged and will be acceptedup to one week prior to each session.Module 1 – Evaluation and Feedback - October 8, 2004Module 2 – Social Work Ethics, Standards of Practice

and Professional Boundaries - November 5, 2004Module 3 – Theories, Perspective and Models of Prac-

tice - January 28, 2005Participants will receive a certificate of completion

of Field Instructor Training. As well, attendance at oneor all of the modules may be used as continuing educa-tion credits as required by the SASW (3 hours creditper module). Please note that modules do not have tobe attended in sequential order.

Don’t wait, register early by calling 585-4572 oremail [email protected]

E. Myrna Pitzel MSW, RSW (SK)Field Education Coordinator

Faculty of Social Work NewsFaculty of Social Work News


Resource BoxResource Box

Welcome to the fifth edition of “The Resource Box.”This issue is short, as I just got back from a fall holidayas the editorial deadline loomed. If any readers wantinformation on a reasonable budget low-stress holiday,just contact me at [email protected] and I will sharemore.

Whether we work with individuals, groups, organi-zations or communities, an important part of our re-sponsibility as professional social workers is to directthese individuals or organizations to resources whichwill help them deal with the concerns they brought tous.

In some cases, it is impossible to lend books to indi-viduals, but I and many others have found that makingup duo-tang folders of materials relevant to their con-cerns is a cost-effective and efficient way of giving ourclients materials to use, without our personal presence.I believe this also reflects on my self-identification tomany clients as being their “coach” rather than “coun-sellor.” This does two important things. It takes awaythe authoritarian aspect of my working relationship withthem. It also points out that they have to be their owncoaches in those times between our sessions. Support-

ing positive self-motivation works effectively, both inbusiness and in counselling. For people who are con-cerned about copyright issues, there is a wealth of ma-terial on the web, and reprint permission is often read-ily granted when a personal email request is made tothe owners of the material. I have done this frequentlyand have always received full cooperation from authors.Short articles, usually one page or slightly longer, areavailable on my web site: www.sasktelwebsite.net/petecope. This contains both my recent columns andlinks to the 2500 columns available through the Sas-katchewan Provincial Library (www.lib.sk.ca/booksinfo/DailyHerald/intro.html). The Library web site now alsohas a search engine which will locate subtopics andbooks I have written about.

Parenting is a challenging task. It is complicated bya major changing of communication systems and theseduction of children and youth by the media and con-sumerism.

How to Keep Your Teenager Out of Trouble andWhat To Do If You Can’t, by Dr. Neil Bernstein, (Work-man Publishing Co., 1991) is a fairly thick paperback.The size might overwhelm some parents who couldbenefit from it. However, it is a very thorough guidefor parents, and has some practical “what to do when...”ideas. The readable type size and frequent subtopicswithin chapters also add to its usefulness. The limita-tions are its middle class North-American perspectiveand its size. However, its has many gems of wisdom. Iintend to obtain clearance to use some of these in myfuture weekly columns, or for client handouts.

Guides to Parenting Teens

Social Work Related Web Siteshttp://www.nyu.edu/socialwork/wwwrsw/http://casw-acts.ca/framepg1.htmhttp://gwbweb.wustl.edu/websites.htmlhttp://www.socialworker.com/http://www.idrc.ca/socdev/index.htmlhttp://www.welfareinfo.org/http://www.corpwatch.org/http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp/http://www.peace.ca/http://www.sc.edu/swan/index.htmlhttp://www.gradschools.com/listings/distance/

social_work_distance.htmlhttp://www.fmhi.usf.edu/famu/childwelfare.htmlhttp://www.childwelfare.ca/http://www.mentalhealth.com/fr13.htmlhttp://mentalhelp.net/http://www.state.sc.us/dmh/clinical/treatment.htmhttp://www.healingwoman.org/http://www.guerrillamedia.org/home.htmhttp://online.socialchange.net.au/http://www.griefworksbc.com


CelebrateSocial Work Weekin Saskatchewan

March 6 to March 12, 2005

Theme:

Social Work:Fairness & Well-Being


UPCOMING CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EDUCATIONAL EVENTS

CANADA POST CORPORATION

PUBLICATION AGREEMENT #40007721

Assessment & Treatment of AnxietyDisorders in Adults/ChildrenPresenter: Dr. Martin M. Antony

November 24 & 25, 2004Heritage Inn – Moose Jaw, SK

Contact Information: Dan Fraser (306) 691-6458

Methamphetamine Addiction & TreatmentFebruary 22 & 23, 2005

Saskatoon, SKContact Information: Saskatchewan Association

of Chemical Dependency WorkersWebsite: www.sacdw.com

27th National Conference – Alzheimer’sSociety of Canada

April 7 to 9, 2005Regina, SK

Contact Information: Alzheimer Society ofCanada

Phone: (416) 488-8772 Ext 229Email: [email protected]

“Political is Personal: Social Workers Unite”April 21 to 23, 2005

Red Deer, ABContact Information: Alberta College of Social

WorkersPhone: (780) 421-1167Email: [email protected]

SASW 2005 AGM & ConferenceApril 27 to 29, 2005

Nipawin, SKCo-sponsored by:

SASW Prince Albert/Northeast BranchMore details to come!

“Building a Leadership Community”Saskatchewan Institute of Health Leadership

Certificate Program 2005U of R – Centre for Continuing Education

May 16 to 20, 2005 AND November 17 to 18, 2005Contact Information: SIHL Office (306) 585-5801

Email: [email protected]

2006 National Social Work ConferenceJune 14 to 20, 2006

Westin Nova Scotian HotelHalifax, Nova Scotia

Contact information: Nova Scotia Association ofSocial Workers (902) 429-7799

The Pampered Child Syndrome by Maggie Mamen(Creative Bound, Carp, Ontario) is a shorter and moreprecise book which focuses on the reason many youthget into trouble, i.e. that they believe they have a rightto have what they want, mainly because parents havebeen ineffective in setting realistic limits in early child-hood. This book is addressed to both professionals andparents, and points out the disconnect between whatparents think they are telling their children and whatchildren hear them say—especially when society and aparent’s past behaviour involves giving in to a child’sdemands. Mamen has also published Who’s in Charge—A Guide to Family Management, and Laughter, Loveand Limits: Parenting For Life. An article on the lat-ter book can be searched through www.lib.sk.ca. Mamenhas a practical, succinct way of making her points andher book is an important resource to professionals, com-munities and parents.

Peter Griffiths, MSW, RSW, (Sk)

Resource Box, continuedVOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Committee members areneeded for the LegislativeReview Committee.

The purpose of the committee is toestablish mandatory registration forsocial work within Saskatchewan inan effort to strengthen the socialwork profession. If you areinterested or would like moreinformation, contact the SASW office.

Phone: (306) 545-1922E-mail: [email protected]

saskatchewan social worker - in1touch

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