As announced in an August eBulletin, the long-awaited amendments to the Registration Regulation, O. Reg. 383/00 were approved by the government and will come into effect on January 1, 2018.
How These Changes May Affect You
The amendments to the Registration Regulation include the following:
- Eliminating the provisional class of certificate of registration
- If you currently hold a provisional certificate of registration (and continue to hold it on December 31, 2017), you will automatically move into the general class of certificate of registration. No further action will be required on your part. You will receive additional communication later in the fall, and a new wall certificate after the changes to the regulation come into effect.
- Creating a new retired class of certificate of registration
- If you are no longer practising social work or social service work and do not intend to return to practice in Ontario or any other jurisdiction, you will have the option to apply for a retired class of certificate of registration.
- Members in the retired class will pay a $50 annual fee and will not be required to participate in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP).
- Members in the retired class will not be able to move back into the general class unless they re-apply to the College and meet all of the registration requirements. Prior to moving into the retired class, members will be required to complete an application form, and indicate that they will comply with the requirements set out in the regulation and do not intend to return to practice in Ontario.
NOTE: If you are not currently practising but intend to return to practice in the future, you may wish to apply for a certificate of registration in the Inactive class.
- Changing the process for inactive members
- The College currently has inactive members. Inactive members as of December 31, 2017 will automatically move into the inactive class of certificate of registration.
- There will be a new process for members who hold an inactive certificate of registration and who wish to start practising, to apply for a general certificate of registration. Inactive members will receive additional communication later in the fall.
- Providing the College with the authority to request information and documents related to the CCP at any time
- Members are already required to make a declaration of participation in the CCP as part of their annual renewal of registration.
- This addition to the Registration Regulation allows the College to request information and documents related to a member’s CCP at any time. NOTE: changes to the CCP were launched in January 2017 and no further revisions to the program are planned at this time.
- Improving language in the current regulation so all applicants will be required to indicate whether or not they suffer from any physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect their ability to practise social work or social service work in a safe manner.
- The improved wording furthers the College’s public protection mandate by ensuring that members are fit to practise in a safe manner. It is also consistent with the registration regulations of other regulatory bodies in Ontario.
- Since it began operations in 2000, the College has had the authority to request information from applicants in order to ensure they were “mentally competent to practise social work or social service work”. This particular amendment to the Registration Regulation now puts the emphasis on “the ability to practise social work or social service work, as the case may be, in a safe manner”. Once the amendments come into effect, an applicant will only be required to disclose information about a physical or mental condition or disorder that affects her or his ability to practise in a safe manner.
Please visit the College website ocswssw.org for further details as they become available.