CASW Represents Canadian Professional Social Workers

Building Together

Founded in 1926 to monitor employment conditions and to establish standards of practice within the profession, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) has evolved into a national voice. The CASW Federation is comprised of 10 provincial and territorial partner organizations. 

The CASW Board of Directors determines and oversees general and financial policies. With each provincial/territorial partner organization 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, indeed, an international perspective to benefit the social work profession.

Provincial/territorial input into the deliberations of CASW is guaranteed through an Annual General Meeting between the CASW Board and Provincial/Territorial Presidents.

 

Mission Statement

Adopted October 2014

CASW promotes the profession of social work in Canada and advances social justice.

 

CASW Ends or Directions

Adopted by the CASW Board 2023

CASW exists so that the social work profession is respected as a unique, diverse, and credible profession, in Canada and Internationally.

  1. CASW is committed to promoting a clear understanding of the scope of practice for social workers in Canada.
     
  2. CASW is committed to defining parameters of social work practice to provide guidance to policy makers to ensure social work perspectives are considered in the societal context.
    a. Informing and educating decision makers so that policy development is consistent with social work values and principles.
    b. Strengthen diversity in social work practice, social services, Social Determinants of Health, and inclusion within the Canadian context.
     
  3. CASW is committed to ensuring that Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging are at the forefront of all our actions and recommendations.
     
  4. CASW is committed to Social Workers having access to a broad base of information and tools enhancing:
    a. Their knowledge, practice, and well-being.
    b. Individual and collective journeys of reconciliation.

Click here to view our Strategic Plan. 

 

Speaking Nationally

On a national level, CASW has adopted a pro-active approach to issues pertinent to social policy/social work. It produces and distributes timely information for its members, and special projects are initiated and sponsored.

CASW representatives serve on coalitions and participate on a host of affiliated, nationwide committees on a continuing basis.  As well, they provide consultation with government, other professional and non-governmental groups and, of course, the general public.

To preserve the highest degree of excellence within the profession, CASW provides assessment of academic qualifications of non-North American social workers who wish to practise in Canada.

 

Speaking Internationally

CASW is active in the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), providing leadership within the IFSW Executive as well as within the North American Region. The expertise of CASW in social policy, its concern for social justice and its continued role in social advocacy is recognized and called upon by IFSW.

 

Land Acknowledgement

The Canadian Association of Social Workers’ (CASW) national office is located on the traditional, unceded, and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People, land now known to many as Ottawa, Ontario. This land remains home to many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. 

CASW is national federation comprised of Partner Organizations across the land now known to many as Canada. So, while the national office is in Ottawa, CASW’s work takes place on the traditional land of many different nations across Turtle Island.

As the national professional association for social work in Canada, it is critical to acknowledge not only our relationship to land, and to colonialism, but also our organization’s and our profession’s direct harms to Indigenous peoples and communities: to begin this key element of reconciliation, CASW released its Statement of Apology and Commitment to Reconciliation in 2019. Find an excerpt below. 

"CASW acknowledges its role in supporting the implementation of residential schools and affirming the approach to child welfare that led to the 60s scoop through the promotion of discriminatory policies with the underlying motivation to dispossess Indigenous peoples from their land. CASW deeply apologizes for contributing to the injustices imposed on Indigenous peoples and, in this statement, seeks to highlight some of the ways in which CASW was – and in many ways still is -- responsible for the systemic denial and inequality that has been apparent in the field of social work. 

CASW hopes that by publicly acknowledging, with humility, past and ongoing wrongdoings will begin an honest and transparent dialogue as we continue on the path of reconciliation. According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) final report, “the importance of truth telling in its own right should not be underestimated; it restores the human dignity of victims of violence and calls governments and citizens to account. This is CASW’s truth."

CASW will continue to call for the full and sincere implementation of the TRC’s Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls to Justice. We encourage all social workers to commit to their own journeys of reconciliation while advocating for the implementation of these recommendations by directly holding the Government of Canada to account through your Member of Parliament and Senator.

CASW is committed to actively engage in training and education related to reconciliation and decolonization. In our ongoing work, CASW aim to establish meaningful partnerships with Indigenous colleagues and organizations. CASW is committed to learning from and working with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Together we hope to address systemic inequalities and strive for social justice for all. 

To learn more, please visit the CASW Reconciliation Hub.  
 

CASW Anti-Racism Statement

The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) acknowledges that the social work profession and CASW have directly and indirectly contributed to racial injustice and other forms of prejudice aimed at specific groups of people (See note below). Direct acts of racial injustice include CASW’s historic support of the residential school system. Indirect contributions to racial injustice and other forms of prejudice include failing to act, ignoring the oppression of specific groups of people based on race, ethnicity, religion, language, gender identity, ability, age, and various other characteristics.

CASW commits to addressing racism and discrimination. This involves a personal, professional, and organizational commitment to build relationships as well as social and economic structures that are based on respect for diversity and a genuine positive regard for all people. Ending racism and discrimination requires identification, naming and advocating to eradicate the systematic and personal factors that privilege some groups over others. In the context of social work, this includes recognizing when racism informs the systems and interventions where social workers find themselves. It is time to stop racism in all its forms. To that end, the CASW commits to the following actions:

  • We commit to upholding the values and principles of the CASW Code of Ethics (2024) and the CASW Social Policy Principles.
  • We commit to support the voices of First Nations, Metis, Inuit, Black, and other racialized people by actively collaborating to develop educational resources, policy papers, and position statements aimed at addressing racism and white supremacy. This also includes supporting the voices of groups that are marginalized based on characteristics such as age, ability, gender, identity, language, religious and cultural beliefs, and other characteristics.
  • We commit to collaborating with the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE) to improve the experiences of racialized and Indigenous students, professors, and scholars.
  • We commit to collaborating with the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR) to improve the experiences of racialized and Indigenous social workers with the regulation of social work in Canada. 
  • We commit to supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and the principles outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 
  • We commit to implementing the reparations from the joint Association of Black Social Workers (ASWB) / CASW Reparations for Social Workers of African Descent project.
  • We commit to be better allies with racialized and Indigenous persons through collaboration and consultation with equity denied social work organizations. 
  • We affirm the importance of critical reflective practice aimed at exploring one’s social location to confront implicit biases, and white privilege.
  • We commit to supporting the development of workplaces that are free of racist and prejudicial behaviour and reflect the diversity of contemporary Canadian society.
  • CASW is committed to ensuring that Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging are at the forefront of all our actions and recommendations.

Note: Prejudice is defined as preconceived beliefs or opinions that are not based on reason or actual experience. Racial injustice or racism is a form of prejudice directed at people based on their belonging to a specific racialized or ethnic group. 
 

Encouraging Participation

By joining the appropriate provincial /territorial social workers’ organizations, social workers automatically become affiliated with the Canadian Association of Social Workers. Because of its broad-based membership, CASW is able to offer the benefits and advantages associated with a professional organization, such as insurance packages that include professional liability insurance, group life, disability, and a retirement plan.

In June 2011, CASW adopted individual membership categories in order to maintain a viable national voice. Individual memberships are being offered only to regions of Canada that do not have Partner Organizations (Québec). CASW individual memberships will be subject to, and come into force upon final approval of CASW Bylaws by Industry Canada.

 

Publishing, Producing, Distributing

The Code of Ethics, national policy and position papers, research projects, and reports are also produced by CASW.  CASW also acts as a clearinghouse for its member organizations, providing information related to social work policy and practice.

 

CASW Social Policy, Position Statements & Issue Response

All CASW Social Policy, Position Statements and Issue Responses are grounded in CASW Social Policy Principles.

The process behind developing CASW Social Policy, Position Statements and Issue Responses are grounded in the foundational documents of the federation. CASW Bylaws and adopted Policy-Governance define roles, responsibilities and the limitations of the differing yet equally valued roles in developing CASW Social Policy, Position Statements and Issue Responses.

CASW Policy-Governance is also clear that CASW Social Policy, Position Statements and Issue Responses must be congruent with the Mission of CASW and the Strategic Directions adopted by the CASW Board.

The CASW Social Policy Principles are used by the CASW to guide evaluation of federal social policy initiatives. The social policy principles are identified with a statement that indicates implications for practice.