The Manitoba College Social Workers (MCSW or “the College”) is the provincial body that regulates and supports the profession of Social Work in Manitoba. The College receives its authority from The Social Work Profession Act (2009).

(subsection 4(4) of The Social Work Profession Act)

1. To promote and increase the professional knowledge, skills and proficiency of its members as Social Workers;
2. To regulate and govern the professional conduct and discipline of its members, students and professional corporations, consistent with the principles of self-regulation in the public interest;
3. To promote and foster in the public a greater awareness of the importance of Social Work; and
4. To generally advance the professional interests of its members.

The Social Work Profession Act (SWPA) protects the title “Social Worker” and requires any individual who uses this title or represents themselves as a Social Worker to be registered with the College. Registration acts as a statement of commitment by the Social Worker assuring members of the public that they meet standards for qualifications as a Social Worker and that their practice is conducted in accordance with recognized ethics and standards for professional practice.

The Manitoba College of Social Workers strives for excellence in its mandate to serve the public interest through the regulation and support of the social work profession and in its pursuit of social justice.

MCSW serves the public by supporting ethical and accountable social work practice. MCSW is committed to promoting and advancing regulated practice that values diversity, equity and inclusion and our shared journey in honouring truth and pursuing reconciliation.

The new 2023-2028 Strategic Plan defines MCSW’s vision for the future and identifies organizational goals and objectives. The MCSW Strategic Plan is guided by the values of the College and the Seven Sacred Teachings as foundational and interrelated principles. The seven sacred teachings share a message of traditional values, hope and respect that guide human conduct towards others and support healthy communities. The College’s values of accountability, social justice, competence, interrelatedness, communication and ethical practice intertwine with long-standing teachings of honesty, courage, wisdom, humility, respect, love and truth. The College is committed to moving forward in a good way as we continue to support the profession in the interest of the public.

Download the Mission, Vision, Values…

Download the Strategic Plan…

Professional self-regulation enables government to delegate authority over the practice of a profession and the services provided to the members of that profession.

Professional regulation provides the public with the reasonable expectation that those individuals representing themselves as Social Workers have the specialized knowledge and skills required for entry to practice.

Like other professional bodies, the Manitoba College of Social Workers defines the requirements and qualifications needed to practice as a Social Worker in Manitoba. Therefore, it is the Social Work profession itself that determines the scope of Social Work practice. The College establishes accountability and public confidence through members’ adherence to the Manitoba College of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

The College has the responsibility to evaluate the conduct of its members in response to public complaints.

The Social Work Profession Act was passed by the Manitoba government in October 2009 and proclaimed into law on November 5, 2014.

The Manitoba College of Social Workers succeeds the Manitoba Institute of Registered Social Workers, a voluntary regulatory organization for Social Workers in Manitoba that began in 1966.

The College began operations on April 1, 2015 – the “coming into force” date of The Social Work Profession Act.

In addition to The Social Work Profession Act, the Manitoba College of Social Workers is governed by the following Regulation and Bylaw and subject to the following Acts and Agreements:

The Social Work Profession Regulation

• Revision Highlights – May 2021
• A “black-lined” version of the Regulation changes, showing the difference between the current and amended Regulation

The General Operating By-Law of the Manitoba College of Social Workers

Canadian Free Trade Agreement

New West Partnership Trade Agreement

The Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act (2009)

The Manitoba College of Social Workers is a member of several national and international organizations that promote the profession of Social Work and the protection of the public interest. Please access the following links for more information about the College affiliations:

Canadian Association of Social Workers: http://www.casw-acts.ca/

Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators:http://www.ccswr-ccorts.ca/index_en.html

Association of Social Work Boards: https://www.aswb.org/

Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation: http://www.clearhq.org/

Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW)

CASW acts as the national voice for Canadian professional social workers. With most provincial/territorial partner organizations appointing one member to the Board, a unified voice for the Canadian social work profession is assured.  The Board of Directors works from a national and international perspective to benefit the social work profession. Members of the College automatically become members of CASW through its organizational affiliation with CASW.

CASW Goals:

1. There is a clear and positive image of the social work profession.
2. The social work profession has a positive impact on public/social justice issues.
   a) Policy makers will understand the impact of policy decision on social justice.
 b) Social service development will be responsive to the social needs of Canadians.
3. All social workers have access to a broad base of information they need to enhance their practice.

Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR)

The Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR) was formed in 2009 to provide a national structure for the provincial and territorial social work regulatory authorities. Current membership includes the 10 provincial social work regulatory authorities responsible for regulating over 35,000 registered social workers across Canada. The Mission of the CCSWR is to be the national and international voice on social work regulatory matters in Canada. It will consider, develop and share positions and policies on matters of common concern and interest.
The objects of the CCSWR are:

• To demonstrate leadership by working to create and maintain an effective forum for the exchange of information;>
• To identify, consider and make statements on issues related to the regulation of social work practice;
• To develop and promote national perspectives on social work regulation;
• To support the development of, and promote national standards for, the assessment of competence in social work practice;
• To respond to matters relating to licensure and/or regulation and which are of national and international importance;
• To undertake projects of national interest;
• To collaborate with other national agencies and organizations.

 Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is a non-profit organization composed of the social work regulatory boards and colleges of 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and all 10 Canadian provinces. The ASWB mission is to strengthen protection of the public by providing support and services to Social Work regulatory organizations and boards.

ASWB owns and maintains the social work licensing examinations that are used to assess social workers’ competence to practice ethically and safely. The ASWB Bachelor Level exam was previously used by MIRSW for applicants applying for registration through the Substantial Equivalency route of entry. The development and maintenance of ASWB exams includes regular Practice Analyses and review by member jurisdictions including Canadian exam item writers. ASWB exams are also used in other Canadian provinces including Alberta and British Columbia.
ASWB provides valuable educational services to member boards/staff including new board member training, administrator forums and workshops, a Spring Education Meeting and an Annual Meeting in the fall. ASWB has also developed a model practice Act that offers regulatory bodies a resource for developing their own laws and regulations and they are currently in the process of developing regulatory standards for technology and social work practice.

Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR)

CLEAR promotes regulatory excellence through conferences, educational programs, webinars, seminars and symposia. This organization provides networking opportunities, publications, and research services for those involved with, or affected by, professional and occupational regulation. As a neutral forum to encourage and provide for the sharing of best practices, CLEAR serves and supports the international regulatory community and its vital contribution to public protection. CLEAR has defined its own educator role as proactively identifying critical issues; providing a dynamic, interactive forum for exploration of these issues and collecting and disseminating relevant information on them. There are four core areas of substantive inquiry that CLEAR supports through its annual conference and other venues: compliance and discipline; testing and examination issues; entry to practice issues; and administration, legislation and policy.

CLEAR offers Board member, executive leadership and investigator training as well as webinars on topics of interest to the regulatory community.

If interested in serving on a MCSW committee, please complete the following membership application:

• Committee Membership Info and Application Form
• Working Group Application Form

To contact a board or committee member please email info@mcsw.ca

2024-2025 Board of Directors

President: Jennifer Meixner, MA, BSW, RSW, Interlake-Eastern Region

Beatrice Campbell, BSW, RSW, Capital Region

Rikki Fontaine, BSW, RSW, Capital Region

Salina Fukumoto, MSW, RSW, Capital Region

Wil Hedges, BA, BTh, JD, Public Representative, Capital Region

Cecilly Hildebrand, BA, Public Representative, Capital Region

Grace Holwell, Student Representative, Capital Region

Kaysi Katchmar, Eye of the Storm, BSW, RSW, Northern Region

Michael Minor, BAH, MA, PhD, Student Representative, Capital Region

Katherine Rushton, BSW, RSW, Capital Region

Alexander Sawatsky, MSW, Ph.D, RSW, Capital Region

Tricia VanDenakker, Bsc, MLT, ART, Public Representative, Capital Region

Ashley Vandepoele, BSW, RSW, Western Region

Board Policies
Access to Applicant Information and Records Policy
Accessible Customer Service Policy
Advance Electronic Voting Policy
Advertising Policy
Application for Membership Policy – Students
Application for Registration Policy – Applicants with Social Work Degree
Application for Registration Policy – Substantial Equivalency
Approved Social Work Program Policy
Board Representation on External Committees/Boards Policy
Capitalization Policy
CASW/MCSW Scholarship Policy
CCP Compliance Resolution Policy
Committee Selection Policy
Complaints Appeals Procedures
Conditions – Grandparented Registrants
Criminal Record Declaration Policy (Temporary)
Electronic Social Work Practice Policy
Exam Use Policy
Expedited Application Policy
In-Camera Session Policy
Investment Policy
Inquiry Hearing Honorarium Policy
MCSW Fee Schedule
Non-Practicing Social Worker Policy
Order for Costs Recovery Policy
Preferred Name Policy
Procedures for the Election of Officers
Professional Corporation – Incorporation Guide and Procedures
Professional Liability Insurance Policy
Public Representative Compensation Policy
Public Representatives Policy
Records-Registry Check Renewal Policy
Registration Appeals Procedures
Reserve Fund Policy
Spending Authority Policy
Substantial Equivalency Education Evaluation Policy
Temporary Social Worker Policy
Workshop-Event Registration & Fee Policy

Board Minutes
April 18, 2023
June 22, 2023
September 28, 2023
December 7, 2023
April 18, 2024
June 20, 2024

COMMITTEES/WORKING GROUPS

Complaints Committee
Continuing Competence Committee
Inquiry Committee
Land Acknowledgement Working Group
Legislative Review Committee
Nominating Committee
Registration Committee
Standards and Ethics Committee
Strategic Planning Working Group

Policy

The following principles shall be adhered to in determining the type of information distributed to the MCSW membership:

Educational/Community Event Announcements

Educational/Community Event Announcements will be considered for distribution to the MCSW membership via email bulletins/electronic newsletters as per the MCSW Advertising Fee schedule in accordance with the following criteria:

• Events must be congruent with MCSW’s mandate, vision, mission and values
• Must be delivered by a reputable source and determined to be of benefit to the MCSW membership
• High degree of involvement from Social Workers registered with the College in event/curriculum planning and presentation
• Content is related to social work theory, methods and/or practice (syllabus or general outline of course may be required)
• Educational events identify educational goals and specific, measurable learning objectives
• Educational events outline clear and effective evaluation procedures
• Educational and community events must ensure website security for registration, payment, and online courses/presentations

*website advertising not applicable to educational/community event announcements

Research

Information regarding research will be considered for distribution to the MCSW membership via email bulletins/electronic newsletters in accordance with the following criteria:

• Researcher(s) must be registered with MCSW and/or a recognized social work regulatory body in Canada where they are eligible for registration
• Research must have confirmed Ethics approval and be monitored by an accredited or MCSW-approved social work program
• Research activities must be congruent with MCSW’s mandate, vision, mission and values
• Research must be determined to be of benefit to social workers

*website advertising not applicable to research announcements

Employment Opportunities

Job advertisements will be considered for distribution to the MCSW membership via email bulletins/electronic newsletter/MCSW website as per the MCSW Fee schedule in accordance with the following criteria:

• Employment Opportunities must be from reputable employers approved by the MCSW
• Job postings advertised by the MCSW are limited to positions that require registration with the Manitoba College of Social Workers

Publications

• Author(s) must be registered with MCSW and/or a recognized social work regulatory body in Canada where they are eligible for registration
• Publication must be determined to be of benefit to the MCSW membership
• Content is related to social work theory, methods and/or practice

Procedure:

1. Information regarding MCSW events and activities will be sent to members by group email bulletins by the Administrative Coordinator, under the direction of the Executive Director/Registrar.
2. Requests from individuals, groups or organizations to distribute information or notices that are not MCSW related will be reviewed and approved/denied by the Executive Director/Registrar.
3. When requests are not determined to be congruent with the organization’s mandate, the Executive Director/Registrar may deny the request to distribute information.
4. Approved advertising for events that are not MCSW related will be distributed to members electronically through email bulletin once payment has been received. Email bulletins are typically distributed once a month at a time determined by the College.
5. Individual advertisements will only be sent in exceptional circumstances to be determined by the Executive Director/Registrar.
6. MSCW members may be removed from the email bulletin circulation list by request at any time.

Advertising Fee Schedule

$0.00 – Free Community Events and Research
$350 – Workshops, Seminars, Conferences, Education Programs, Publications
$350 – Employment Opportunities

Advertising fees are subject to change.  Fees may be reduced/waived at the discretion of the registrar. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ADVERTISING REQUEST FORM

The Manitoba College of Social Workers (MCSW) is committed to complying with the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. Our policies and practices reflect the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

Click here to read or download a printable format of our Accessible Customer Service Policy. Alternate formats are available upon request.