FEATURE
The Value of Public Members
FEATURE
One Solid Connection: Social Work & Child Welfare
FEATURE
The Mental Health of Black Youth in Alberta
ADVOCATE SPRING 2021
THE
VOLUME 46 | ISSUE 1
www.acsw.ab.ca
ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS
CHILD POVERTY DURING A PANDEMIC SEE STORIES ON PAGES 6, 8, & 12
1961 - 2021 60 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA
2021 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE | MARCH 25 - 27, 2021
MARCH 25 – 27, 2021 | JOIN US VIRTUALLY | REGISTER NOW!
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! REGISTER ONLINE AT ACSW.AB.CA
Get recharged, inspired, and connected while building your social work practice at the ACSW 2021 Virtual Conference. At the ACSW, we know our members want to be part of an inspired, connected, collaborative community. You need opportunities to make meaningful connections within your profession to make this happen. Together as a community of close to 9,000 social workers, we have knowledge and experience to share with each other as we work to build a strong profession. That’s why our community comes together once a year at the ACSW conference. We’re working together towards serving and protecting the public and building social work practice.
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ON-DEMAND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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THE
ADVOCATE
THE ADVOCATE Volume 46, Issue 1, Spring 2021 Published by: The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) 550 10707 100 AVE NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1 Ph: 780-421-1167/Toll-free (in AB): 1-800-661-3089 Fax: 780-421-1168/Toll-free fax: 1-866-874-8931 acsw@acsw.ab.ca — acsw.ab.ca Registrar (Acting) Associate Registrar: Suzanne MacKinnon, MSW, RCSW associateregistrar@acsw.ab.ca Executive Director (Acting) Associate Director - Professional Practice & Advocacy: Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW assocdirector@acsw.ab.ca
FEATURE STORY: ONE SOLID CONNECTION 31 Social Workers & Child Welfare
Managers, Regulatory Practice/Complaints Directors: Bruce Llewellyn, MSW, RSW Sheryl Pearson, MSW, RSW, LLB acswregulatory@acsw.ab.ca Membership Activities - Team Lead: Charity Lui, MSW, RSW Social Workers - Membership Activities: Heather Johnson, BSW, RSW Andre Tinio, BSW, RSW Finance & Administration Officer: Kim Hyggen, CPA, CGA Finance & Administration Support: Audrey Kent, CPA, CMA Registration Coordinators: Brenda Gross Tami Carlin Jennifer Vasquez Executive Assistant / Office Manager: Noreen Majek
ACSW 60TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES 19 Part One: The Roots of ACSW
FEATURE STORY 26 The Mental Health of Black Youth in Alberta
Promotions & Events Associate: Crystal King Administrative Support Professionals: Tracy Houben Carlena Johnson Toni Harrison Jessica Atamanenko Online Services Analyst: Laurie Nelson
FEATURES
16 The Value of Public Members: Bill 30 Leads to Change 31 One Solid Connection: Social Workers & Child Welfare 26 The Mental Health of Black Youth in Alberta 19 ACSW 60th Anniversary Series Part One: The Roots of ACSW AROUND OUR PROVINCE 4 Around Our Province INDIGENOUS VOICES 8 Indigenous Children and Poverty IN THE NEWS 9 Welcome to New RSWs & RCSWs 24 Celebrating 2020 Student Bursaries ETHICS IN ACTION 10 Practicing Outside the Scope
SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKS 12 Child Poverty During a Pandemic THE VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE 14 Updating Your Virtual Practice BOOK REVIEW 15 Spirituality and Social Justice
IT Support Analyst: Scott MacPhee ACSW Council: President: Ajay Pandhi, MSW, RSW Vice President: Maxine Salopree, BSW, RSW Treasurer: Daryl Pamplin, BSW, RSW Secretary: Dayirai Kapfunde, MSW, RSW Members at Large: Margaret Brown, MSW, RSW Wilda Listener, MSW, RSW Bobbi Michaud, MSW, RSW Baiju Vareed, MSW, RSW Katie Richardson, MSW, RSW Siu Ming Kwok, MSW, RSW
RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA’S COMMUNITIES 22 Book Offers Hope for Youth in Care
Indigenous Social Work Committee Representative: Carrie Avveduti, BSW, RSW
DIPLOMA DIALOGUES 23 Moving from Reconciliation to ReconciliACTION
Editorial Board: Samuel Mammen, MSW, RSW & Cardinal Fomradas, MSW, RSW (Co-Chairs) Darnel Forro, MSW, RSW Tasha Novick, MSW, RSW Andrea Newberry-Koroluk, PhD, RSW Islam Deyab, BSW, RSW Bukola Oladunni Salami, Public Member Kassi McKen, SW Dip, RSW Meagon Nicholson, ACSW Student Member Debbie Posey, SW Dip, RSW
DAY IN THE LIFE 28 Caeleb Goff, BSW, RSW FOR YOUR INFORMATION 34 The Advocate Editorial Policy 35 For Your Information
Public Members: Bukola Oladunni Salami Trevor Liskowich Laura Delfs Charmaine Coutinho
Editorial services provided by Bird Communications Advertising space is available. To place an ad, contact memberactivitiesadmin@acsw.ab.ca. The ACSW reserves the right to reject any submissions and advertising. Summer 2021 Issue Ad Deadline: April 15, 2021 Canadian subscriptions are $26/year (outside Canada: $26 US/year). Please immediately update your member profile with any address changes. ISSN 0847 - 2890 PM NO. 40050109 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO 550 10707 100 AVE NW, EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1 The opinions and interpretations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), its editorial board, or contractors. The aforementioned make no guarantee or warranty, either expressed or implied, about the accuracy or links contained in the Advocate, and are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that could arise. All material ©2021 by the ACSW or by author. ACSW retains copyright when no author is listed. Reprint or copying (including digital or online reproduction in any form) of any Advocate material requires written consent of the ACSW.
Printing on Titan Dull text. 10% post consumer waste. Titan participates in a certified forest program.
THE ADVOCATE
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AROUND OUR PROVINCE BY CHARITY LUI, MSW, RSW
Congratulations
SITY
AND
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ALIT
TION
SEC NTER
APY HER O LTH UR T S O I R V HEA E A LAY BEH NTAL IOLENCE E L A M C EN – ESTIC V ECTI DIAL M OF M ESIS T ON DO M E N C A E P H M T ITS I AND ER F DIV
Supporting Social Work Practice The ACSW Social Workers in Health member interest group, in collaboration with the Centre for Race and Culture, hosted a workshop on unconscious bias on October 21st. Using an interactive format, presenter Noelle Jaipaul had participants reflect on the layers of diversity and the intersectionality of our identities. On October 24th, the Calgary Area Coordinators hosted Dawn Lewis, registered psychologist, who presented an introductory workshop on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Participants learned practical skills and tools to enhance their practice, including emotion regulation tools and mindfulness activities. Hosted by the ACSW member interest group Alberta Social Workers United Against Family Violence, Bonnie Kowaliuk, RSW, presented a workshop on November 16th called The Nemesis of Men – Mental Health and Its Impact on Domestic Violence. This workshop covered mental health and strategies to support men as service users. 4
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Congratulations to Monique Auffrey, MSW, RSW, recipient of the Universal Women’s Network 2020 Women of Inspiration Advocate and Catalyst for Change award! Monique is dedicated to working with families to end domestic violence. She is a courageous leader who has shared her personal experience with domestic violence and is the former CEO of Carya Society of Calgary. She is the secretary general of the Commonwealth Organization for Social Work and on the advisory board of the Global Institute for Social Work.
The Indigenous Social Work Committee The Indigenous Social Work Committee welcomes their new chair, Carrie Avveduti, BSW, RSW, and co-chair, Laurie Mason-Kulusic, SWDip, RSW, and looks forward to working with them both!
Elder Wil Campbell gives blessing at learning guide launch
Free learning guide developed & launched
(Dis)placed webinar
(Dis)placed Learning Guide ACSW staff were part of a working group to assist in the development of the Learning Guide for Professionals Working with Children and Youth to accompany the film (Dis)placed: Indigenous Youth and the Child Welfare System. This work was done together with film producer Melisa Brittain, the First Nations Children’s Action Research and Education Service, Creating Hope Society of Alberta, the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work and the Mount Royal University Department
of Child Studies and Social Work. On November 2nd, ACSW staff participated in the launch of the guide. In partnership with the Canadian Association of Social Work among others, we hosted a webinar that included a panel discussion with the filmmaker Melisa Brittain; Bernadette Iahtail, RSW; Julie Mann-Johnson, MSW, RSW; Michelle Briegel; and Cindy Blackstock, PhD, RSW. The panelists spoke to participants about tangible and effective ways that social
workers can influence and change their practice to better support Indigenous youth in care. The Learning Guide is free and can be accessed at kingcripproductions. com/displaced. To view the free on-demand webinar, visit CASWACTS.ca – Continuing Education – Webinars.
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AROUND OUR PROVINCE BY CHARITY LUI, MSW, RSW
2020 Child Poverty report
ACSW Area Coordinators connect online
Palliative Competency Framework
Collaborations On November 6th, Area Coordinators from across the province gathered together virtually for the annual Area Coordinator Retreat. There was an opportunity to reflect and discuss the impacts and opportunities of the upcoming legislative changes. The group also screened a film together and took part in a world café on the topic of intersectionality. In partnership with the Edmonton Social Planning Council and Public Interest Alberta, we released Spotlight: Lessons on Child Poverty during a Pandemic on December 8th. The 67-page comprehensive report examines some of the issues faced by 6
SPRING 2021
the 16.7 percent of children in Alberta who live in poverty and concludes with some recommendations. Also on December 8th, ACSW President Ajay Pandhi, MSW, RSW and ACSW practicum student Samantha Vaux, SW Dip, RSW participated in a lunch and learn about the report. See page 12 for details. Together with health care organizations, educational institutions, and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta, ACSW participated in the creation of the Alberta Social Workers’ Palliative Care Competency Framework. This resource supports social workers to
develop their competency in palliative care through self-assessing their knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes. The framework can be found on the Covenant Health website under Innovations – Palliative Institute: www.covenanthealth.ca/innovations/ palliative-institute.
CHARITY LUI is the Membership Activities Team Lead. You can contact her at MemberActivitiesLead@acsw.ab.ca regarding submissions for the Advocate.
2021 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE | MARCH 25 - 27, 2021
MARCH 25 – 27, 2021 | JOIN US VIRTUALLY | REGISTER NOW!
The ACSW 2021 Virtual Conference makes connecting and learning with your social work community easier than ever before. ON-DEMAND WORKSHOPS
30 DAYS
Access for 30 days! Watch on demand from your home or office! Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your social work practice and be inspired with relevant workshops that grow the strength of your practice and help you stay meaningfully engaged.
WORKSHOP INCLUDE: •
Understanding Diversity – The Queer Experience and Its Impact on Practice
•
Elder Abuse and Cross-Cultural Practice
•
Bravely Engaging: Breaking Down Barriers
•
Understanding Systemic Racism in Canadian Higher Education: Barriers and Remedy
•
Claiming their Future: Empowerment Strategies for Children in Poverty
•
ACSW Clinical Registry – Achieving the Credential towards Advanced Practice
•
ACSW: A Personal Exploration of the Continuing Competence Program
•
On Becoming ‘Black’
•
Compassion Satisfaction: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress
•
ACSW Basic Income Panel Discussion
•
Exploring Recent Changes to the Standards of Practice
•
(Dis)placed: Indigenous Youth and the Child Welfare System – Film Screening and Learning Guide Launch
•
Clare’s Law: An Introduction and Overview of the Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence Act
Visit ACSW.ab.ca to register and find details on these workshops and more!
INDIGENOUS VOICES
Indigenous Children and Poverty BY CHARITY LUI, MSW, RSW
THE STORY OF child poverty in Alberta is disproportionately a story of Indigenous children. The traumatic legacies of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop and ongoing systemic racism within the child welfare and judicial systems in Canada continue to ripple through the youngest generations of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Canadians. Poverty is one of the repercussions of these historic and ongoing injustices.
The evidence suggests that Indigenous children face higher rates of poverty, especially those living on reserve. All children who experience poverty face poorer health, academic stressors including lower literacy rates, and long-term developmental consequences. While census data for Indigenous people in Alberta is widely regarded as inaccurate and incomplete, the evidence suggests that Indigenous children face higher rates of poverty, especially those living on reserve. The Alberta Child Poverty report 8
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is released annually to highlight the reality of children living without the resources they need to thrive and succeed. The 2020 report, Spotlight: Lessons on Child Poverty During a Pandemic included a focus on Indigenous children. The following are excerpts related to this vulnerable but resilient demographic. Indigenous Children and Mental Health Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among Indigenous children and youth. Across age groups, suicide rates for First Nations living on reserve are twice as high as First Nations living off reserve. In Alberta, the average rate of visits to the emergency department due to self-harm among 10-to-24-year-old children and youth was four times higher for those who identified as First Nations compared to non-First Nations between 2006 and 2017. The rate of self-harm significantly increased for females aged 15-to-19 between 2011 and 2017. The annual increase was more pronounced for those who identified as First Nations (10.7%) compared to nonFirst Nations (5.2%). First Nations children also had the highest rates of emergency room visits. First Nations children and children from families who receive government subsidies
are more likely to visit emergency departments for mental health crisis. Evidently, aspects of a child’s social identity, such as race, ethnicity, class, and gender, intersect and influence mental health and wellbeing. Given that colonialism is embedded in Canada’s health care system, the lack of access to culturally appropriate services, including access to traditional healers and Elders, is partially to blame for these consequences. A Story of Living on Reserve Kanakii Mekaisto, BSW, RSW, MEd, BEd, lives and works in Siksika with the Siksika Nation, one hour east of Calgary. She shared her experience as a social worker and teacher about the inequality children and youth experience on reserve. As a residential school survivor, Kanakii sees the impact of intergenerational trauma and poverty. The effects are apparent— nearly every child is surviving with physical, cognitive or learning disabilities, addictions and mental health challenges, cultural and identity issues, lack of appropriate housing, and/or food insecurity. The number of children in care, kinship care, and single parent homes is four times higher for First Nations people. According to Statistics Canada, more than one third of Indigenous children aged 0 to 4 live with one parent. Kanakii shared that Non-Status Indian children in Alberta are fully funded by the province for their public education. In contrast, children on reserves receive only $10,000 from Indigenous Services Canada towards the cost of their education. This is about $8,000 less than every other
IN THE NEWS
Welcome to New RSWs & RCSWs 8,796
TOTAL MEMBERSHIP AS OF JANUARY 15, 2021 Oluwakemi Agnes Adebayo Dhaka Prasad Adhikari Getrude Adaeze Adiele Angela Adomonis Isma Jamil Ahmed Tilak Singh Aryal Sarah Marie Ashton Veronica Benz Jeremy Bissett Lori Olivia Blum Stephanie Boland Amberlee Boulton Manpreet Brar Sanita Brasileno Veronica Bron Jessica Lynn Carlson Michelle Chan Carly Rene Cole Jillian Cowan Jessica Anne Craig Tabitha Dawn Davey Francesca Debono Melissa Dewhirst Kallyn Dawna Dinning Lawrena Dissee Patrina Leonie Duhaney Minette Dione Ebong Regina Nzelle Ediage Maureen Eki Edomwonyi Mariam Elghahuagi Shellina Mae Esch
Kirsten Evans Melissa Brianne Fernandez Johnathon Hudson Fortune Kristen Marie Fritzler Brandie Fudge Kristen Dawn Gervais Melanie Amber Giesbrecht Chelsea Gould Maren Taylor Grams Clayton Lorne Green Ron Groff Eric Guglielmi-Wheeler MacKenzie Elsie Adele Guliak Sabrina Ann Hazlett Camille Tamara Kathleen Holt Meghan Travis Honour Jessica Lynne Hubley Illana Krystine Huckell Olufunke Olanike Ilesanmi Alina Jacob Pretty Patience Jena Dennis John Kaylyn Juchli Irene Kakai Kalisa Jilene Kazakawich Breanna Elsbeth Kehler Cassidy Rita Elaine Knockwood Badrudin Ladak
Sarah Elizabeth Lamping Ember Large Ardelle Layden Connie Tracy Lee Tia Luedee Esther Mabhegedhe Amber Margorie MacKay Meagan MacSween Seema Mahmud Patrick Mahon Daniella Amalia Marroquin Samuel Marroquin Linda Brenda Masko Lisa Ann McElrea Chelsey McIntyre Amy Mcnamara Kirby Melanson Trina Ann Miedema Kirsten Mikkelsen Marissa Danae Miller Grace Caroline Muchira Christine Murphy Wangui Muya Amanda Ncube Karla Ann Neufeld Natalie Nugent Oge Esther Obiorah Lauren Kaylee Odland Chinenye Jane Ohalete Sherry Anne Patriquin Amanda Marie Pedro Danielle Perreault
Shannon Christina Phillips Alexandria Michelle Porisky Clayton Gregory Prochnau Tabitha Pruden Selby Allison Quinn Rashmi Rai Brittany Irene Ramstead Jessica Reimer Raegan Maeve Reiter Ashley Marie Roby Natalia Roubaud Rinku Roy Gurneet Sadhra Heather Mary Samarron Jordyn Lee Schimpf Angela Faye Schneider Tammy Elizabeth Schneider Mehwish Shahid Kelsey Raven Shaw Barb Simmonds Aidan Lewis Smith Mackenzie St Denis Karma Stewart Kyly Sutcliffe Justin Shinji Tams Colleen Thomas Teika Ann Marie Thompson Meral Unal Rebecca Viste
Stefanie Rose Volk Justine Georgina Walker Alana Catherine West Patricia Sage Wheeler Francis Anne Williams Katelyn Elizabeth Elaine Willier Hanna Woodward Samual John Wright Laure Yami Yimga Alvine
272 TOTAL REGISTERED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS AS OF JANUARY 15, 2021 Christopher Scissions Johnathan Kuipers Patricia Miller Marnie Bolin Kali Shire Jennifer Corbiell Amelia Larson Laura Devereaux Priya Patel Charmaine Patterson Michael Haggstrom
Continued from previous page
child in Alberta. For those children who attend provincial schools and live on reserve, the Nation must make up the difference (approximately $8,000) to the province. As a result, there are significantly less funds left to put towards the education of those children who live and go to school on reserve. Nevertheless, the resilience shown by these diverse communities is evident throughout Alberta in
the continuation of their cultural expressions, languages, and spiritual distinctions. There is an urgency to preserve and honour Indigenous languages and cultures in order to combat some of the root causes of Indigenous child poverty. This information was included in the Spotlight: Lessons on Child Poverty During a Pandemic report that was released by ACSW in partnership with Public Interest Alberta and the
Edmonton Social Planning Council. Special thanks to Kanakii Mekaisto who graciously shared her knowledge with the research team.
CHARITY LUI is the Membership Activities Team Lead. You can contact her at MemberActivitiesLead@acsw.ab.ca
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ETHICS IN ACTION
Practicing Outside the Scope CAN YOU REALLY DO THAT?! BY SHERYL PEARSON, MSW, RSW, LLB
Scope of Practice The social work scope of practice is outlined in Schedule 27 (section 3) of the HPA: Schedule 27 states that in their practice, social workers do one or more of the following: a) enhance or restore the social functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities by improving developmental, problem-solving and coping capacities of people and systems b) promote effective and humane systems that provide resources, opportunities and services to people and link people to those systems c) contribute to the development and improvement of social policy, and (c.1) teach, manage and conduct research in the science, techniques and practice of social work, and d) provide restricted activities authorized by the regulations.
HERE AT THE Alberta College of
We do that by ensuring that social
Social Workers, we often receive
workers are practicing competently
telephone and email inquiries from
and safely. Social workers may
our members asking whether they
practice outside or beyond the scope
can perform activities that are
of social work practice, provided
not considered part of social work
the activity performed is not a
practice. The answer is sometimes, but not always.
restricted activity and the social worker can safely and competently
The function of the Alberta College of
perform the activity. Competence to
Social Workers is to govern registered
perform the activity may be gained
social workers in a manner that
through education, training, and/or
protects and serves the public interest.
supervised experience.
10
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In Alberta, the legislation does not limit or protect the scope of practice for social workers exclusively to social workers, but instead recognizes that regulated health professions have overlapping scopes of practice. Thus, the activities outlined as the scope of practice for social work may be performed by people from other disciplines, including those who are not regulated health professionals. When people outside the profession of social work provide these services, it is not considered social work. Restricted Activities Restricted activities are higherrisk activities that require specific competencies to be carried out safely. Restricted activities may only be
performed by the health professions specifically authorized to perform them. For instance, while social workers are authorized to perform the restricted activity of psychosocial interventions, social workers are not authorized to perform the restricted activity of delivering a baby or prescribing an orthodontic appliance. Practicing Outside the Scope of Social Work Practice Social workers may practice outside of the scope of social work practice, provided the activities being performed are not restricted. At the same time, social workers must limit their practice to areas in which the social worker has gained competence through education, training, or supervised experience (s. E(4)(b) of the Standards of Practice). Thus, provided an activity is not restricted by the Health Professions Act or other relevant legislation, a social worker may apply this standard. Below are examples of how this standard relates to the performance of COVID-19 medical swabbing and injections for overdose response.
Currently, most COVID-19 testing procedures (such as throat or nasal swabbing) are not restricted activities and can be done safely and competently by trained social workers. However, nasopharyngeal swabbing is more specialized and has been identified as a restricted activity which social workers are not authorized to perform. The role of social workers in opioid overdose response Social workers play important roles responding to the opioid crisis and have the potential to be on the front line when an overdose emergency occurs. In Alberta, the administration of any injection is a restricted activity. Social workers are not authorized to perform this restricted activity and may not perform injections (overdose response or otherwise) as part of their professional role. For specific guidance around naloxone, please consult the Practicing Outside the Scope of Social Work document on the ACSW website, by clicking Standards of Practice under the Social Workers tab.
The role of social workers in COVID19 medical swabbing
Specifically, registered social workers may not do the following:
Regulated health professionals, including social workers, have been recruited to perform COVID19 testing, contact tracing, and sharing health information as part of Alberta’s response to the pandemic. While medical testing procedures are not within the scope of social work practice, there is nothing preventing social workers from performing these activities, as long as the task is not a restricted activity, and a social worker is sufficiently trained to safely and competently perform them.
• Inject Naloxone, UNLESS doing so clearly falls within the Emergency Exception: i. there is no authorized individual available to do the injection;
PR ACTICE R ESOUR CES
NEW! PRACTICING OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE GUIDELINE See Practice Resources on ACSW.ab.ca
Take Home Message In a nutshell, whether a social worker is performing an activity that is within or outside the scope of social work practice, it is the social worker’s responsibility to engage in the relevant training (directed by their employers or otherwise) and follow the policies related to the activity. Standard E.4(d) of the Standards of Practice (2019) states that: A social worker, when developing competency in a professional service or technique that is either new to the social worker or new to the profession, will engage in ongoing consultation with other social workers or suitable professionals who are knowledgeable in the area and will seek appropriate education and training in the area.
ii. the Naloxone is provided in order to provide physical comfort or stabilize the individual who is ill, injured or unconscious as a result of an accident or other emergency; and iii. no compensation is expected or received by the member.
SHERYL PEARSON is one of the Managers of Regulatory Practice for the Alberta College of Social Workers. THE ADVOCATE
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SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKS
Child Poverty During a Pandemic
BY CHARITY LUI, MSW, RSW AND SAMANTHA VAUX, SW Dip, RSW
THE ALBERTA COLLEGE of Social Workers, in partnership with Public Interest Alberta and the Edmonton Social Planning Council released Spotlight: Lessons on Child Poverty During a Pandemic in December 2020. This report on child poverty in Alberta has been released annually since 2008. This year, seven students participated in the research and writing of the report, including social work student Samantha Vaux as part of her placement at the ACSW. The following is a short overview including content directly from the report.
daily case detection, COVID-19 has
They estimate that throughout the
unquestionably affected child poverty
pandemic, the number could be as
in Alberta. One of the most serious
high as 1 in 3 children, an increase of
impacts of COVID-19 felt by Albertans
an additional one million children.
has been on the economy. In June 2020, the unemployment rate in Alberta hit 15.5 percent.
WHO calls violence against children the hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic
Due to the rapid changes in public health measures and the evolving nature of the pandemic, the full impacts of COVID-19 on child poverty and well-being remain to be seen.
on nutrition, which in turn influences
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children, with major inconsistencies and access to supports typically
Food Insecurity
12
School closures took a heavy toll on in the quality of education provided
COVID-19 and Its Impact on Child Poverty
As of November 2020, Canada surpassed 10,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19. This has caused irreparable loss for the families who have lost loved ones. The pandemic continues to sweep across Canada, and many people face health and socioeconomic uncertainties. Though provincial health safety measures have been put in place to limit the spread, the health impacts have been devastating. With case numbers increasing, and record-breaking
School and Education
Food insecurity has a negative impact the physical and mental health of children and their families. In Alberta, 38.4 percent of food bank clients are children. Statistics Canada reported that food insecurity rose by 7 percent to a staggering 19.6 percent in households with children at the onset of the pandemic. Food banks have also felt increased pressure due to the pandemic. Usage of food banks in Canada increased by 20 percent following the COVID-19 pandemic.
available for students. The capacity for parents to support their children’s education also varied. During lockdown, many children, specifically those living in lowincome families, did not have adequate access to computers or wireless internet in order to participate in online schooling. Child Abuse The World Health Organization (WHO) calls violence against children the hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to closures of schools and childcare centres, many children living with family violence found themselves without a safe refuge. Kids Help Phone reported increased calls regarding physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. The RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre, which is responsible for investigations
The Breakfast Club of Canada reported
into child sexual exploitation online
that, prior to COVID-19, nearly 1 in
and child pornography, has also
4 children (one million) in Canada
reported an increase in the sexual
went to school without breakfast.
exploitation of children.
Among households with children, 16.7 percent of Albertans under the age of 18 lived under the poverty threshold in 2018—more than 160,000 children.
VULNER ABLE CHILDR EN
Child poverty is not distributed evenly among family types (see below).
Ahmed is an 8-year-old boy, the youngest of four children. He lived in a refugee camp for four years prior to coming to Alberta. Ahmed and his family currently live in a two-bedroom apartment. These were some of the impacts that he and his siblings faced during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Almost 95,000 children living with a single parent are low-income, representing half of all children in this family type.
48.4%
Families in Low Income (%)
50
40
30
20
16.7% 8.5%
10
0
All Types
Couples
Single Parent
Family Type Proportion of families under the Census Family Low Income After-Tax Measure threshold in 2018, Alberta, based on tax-filer data. Source: Statistics Canada. Table 11-10-0018-01 After-tax low-income status of tax filers and dependants based on Census Family Low Income Measure (CFLIM-AT), by family type and family type composition.
Conclusion COVID-19 has wreaked havoc globally and here at home. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel defeated in face of so much that is unknown. However, there are actions we can do right now in Alberta to support vulnerable children and their families.
To read the full report, visit ACSW’s website under the “Advocacy/ Publications” tab. There was also a lunch and learn event that was hosted by Edmonton Social Planning Council. To view this recording, visit their website at https:// edmontonsocialplanning.ca/.
Let us continue to arm ourselves with the facts that back up the truth around child poverty. Let us continue to pursue social justice and to fight to uphold the rights to food security, fair and equitable access to public education, mental health support and take steps to end family violence.
From left to right: CHARITY LUI is the Membership Activities Team Lead with the ACSW, SAMANTHA VAUX is currently a 3rd year BSW student with the University of Manitoba and a practicum student with ACSW.
A COVID-19 STORY
• The family shared two devices to attend schooling online. All four children were attending school, and the mother was attending ESL classes. They had one tablet that the school lent to the family temporarily, and one laptop that the family acquired through a community organization. This was a struggle for the family, as they had to take turns each day to determine who would attend their classes. • The children had accessed a school lunch program and were able to get snacks and lunches for free. This allowed them to easily access healthy food daily while they were in school. When the lockdown measures were put in place, Ahmed’s mother had a hard time acquiring enough food for the family, as the amount of money she had budgeted did not increase, while the amount of food the family needed did. • The children were accessing supports through their school to address some of the migration-related traumas they had experienced. The family needed to find support for the children elsewhere during school closures and are still on a waitlist for programming.
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VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE
Updating Your Virtual Practice: CONSIDERATIONS FOR E-THERAPY BY TERESA WINFIELD, MSW, RCSW
MANY OF THOSE in private practice have become familiar with the backand-forth dance between in-person therapy and virtual work. With concerns about safety from illness and professional ethics in practice at the forefront, practitioners maintain resiliency by being flexible and allowing for different modes of delivery of therapeutic services. However, has your practice kept up with all of the considerations involved in moving over to a virtual platform? Long gone are the days of ensuring that your office has a double lock and a password to protect electronic files. With all of the ways in which client information and therefore, confidentiality, could be breached, it is crucial for a therapist to consider how they can protect this and engage in ethical e-practice. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) E-Mental Health Toolkit, the following may be included under the umbrella of virtual work: • instant messaging and video-based counselling services (also known as telehealth or telepsychiatry) • consumer information portals • online support groups, forums and social networks 14
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• mobile phone applications • online assessment or diagnostic tools • blogs and podcasts • therapeutic gaming programs, robotic simulation and virtual reality systems. While the concept of virtual work has been around for some time, the need to use technology to meet with clients has certainly broadened the number of resources available to do the work. Engaging in any sort of work with clients comes with considerations for ethical practice. We need to particularly ensure that we are competent in the services and functions we undertake on behalf of those we serve. We must consider whether we have the skills to manage the technology used in virtual practice and to seek training, supervision and consultation to support this work. Luckily, a wealth of resources has been made available to assist us. If a private practitioner wanted to know more, they could access resources through the Canadian Association of Social Work website under Virtual Counseling Resources to find specific provincial requirements on this topic.
You’ll also find the link to ACSW’s Standards of Practice and COVID-19 page, which includes information on Virtual Social Work Practice; or find these directly on the ACSW website. Especially important are considerations for how your insurance coverage will address online work, how you can confirm the identity of clients, and how to keep records and ensure privacy of client information. Also mentioned there are the importance of providing informed consent to clients about the risks involved in virtual work and how to ensure that you know their location prior to starting each session. A handy form can be found on the CASW website to suit just about every need. While many clients move smoothly over to a virtual platform, some may not be appropriate for this mode of service so careful consideration of individual client need is recommended. All of this and we haven’t even mentioned the availability of software, Wi-Fi, e-mail and cloud security to ensure that you are mitigating the potential risk of hacking, malware and trojans meant to gather confidential information. As private practitioners know well, if you don’t know how to handle all the aspects of virtual work on your own, the best rule of thumb is to seek consultation from knowledgeable professionals.
TERESA WINFIELD is a social worker in private practice with 22 years of experience. She specializes in working with youth who have demonstrated sexually concerning behaviours and the families that care for them.
BOOK REVIEW
Spirituality and Social Justice
SPIRIT IN THE POLITICAL QUEST FOR A JUST WORLD REVIEWED BY LYNN KING, MSW (RETIRED SOCIAL WORKER)
Spirituality and Social Justice – Spirit in the Political Quest for a Just World Edited by Norma Jean Profitt and Cyndy Baskin Canadian Scholars’ Press, 2019 IT’S A NATURAL ASSUMPTION that the profession of social work is perfectly suited to a meaningful exploration of the relationship of spirituality and religion to social justice. With social justice in social work as the theme of this book, every social worker can find relevant ideas and critical thought with a multitude of perspectives in every chapter of this engaging collection. Whether curious about how spirituality and religion can be applicable in social work today, or seeking well-written diverse viewpoints, the book will make an excellent addition to the bookshelf of anyone committed to ongoing reflection. As a young social worker, I recall clipping and pasting the Social Work Code of Ethics to the top of my desk. I have always been aware of the basis of my values and beliefs as a foundation of my practice. The editors and authors featured in this book demonstrate the importance of linking reflection on our values and
beliefs and the merit of spirituality to the profession at all levels, from micro to macro practice. Throughout the book, the case is made that spirituality is in fact inextricably connected to our experience within individual, family, community, political and societal realms. Indigenous spirituality is deliberately at the forefront in order to acknowledge its relevance to social work practice and every aspect of Canadian culture and beyond. The book covers ethical and political dimensions related to social justice from a diversity of perspectives including Indigenous, Islamic, Christian and an article on “The Witches’ Way to Ethics: Social Justice and Social Work.” There is a review of definitions to expand our understanding of spirituality and religion. A strong case is made for the importance of social workers “turning the gaze reflexively back to ourselves to assess our ethical commitments to social justice in the face of the
current framing of social justice in the Canadian Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics”. The book asks, “ What difference would it make spiritually and practically if we were to critically reflect on the contradictions between our social justice values and the lived experience of social work, rather than adhere to the comforting belief that we are continually creating structural and social change?” I especially appreciate that the entire book provides Canadian content and applicable examples. Reading this book can provide rich opportunity to reflect on our own spiritual foundations and critically review how to apply them to practice. With an expanded awareness, we can reflect on their application to individual practice as well as to advocacy within social and political structures. In so doing, we move toward our collective goal of working for a world that is more kind and just. This volume is both timely and relevant and as readers will discover, the spiritual is indeed political.
BOOK REVIEWS The Advocate welcomes book reviews on topics of interest to social workers. To find out more on our book review guidelines, please contact Charity Lui at MemberActivitiesLead@acsw.ab.ca.
LYNN KING, MSW (retired social worker), is a long time social worker. Most recently she served as Executive Director and Registrar for the ACSW and is past President of the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators. THE ADVOCATE
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FEATURE STORY
The Value of Public Members: Bill 30 Leads to Change BY DEBBY WALDMAN
WHEN MURRAY HIEBERT JOINED the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) Council as a public member in 2014, his knowledge of the profession was limited: he assumed that there were a few hundred social workers in the province, most of them in the field of child protection.
of the members of the profession,” she says. She wanted the opportunity to bring similar value to a board, so she responded to a newspaper ad for public members. Then she had an interview and was put into a pool of preauthorized public members.
After five years on the Council, the retired consultant from Calgary not only has a comprehensive understanding of the profession, he has boundless admiration for those who practice it.
In addition to her law degree, Delfs has a master’s degree in international development and experience in the global fight against human trafficking. She suspects that made her a good fit for the ACSW. Her three-year term began in 2018 and she says she intends to renew her commitment. She also serves on the board of Homeward Trust Edmonton and is a member of the City of Edmonton Subdivision and Development Appeal Board. LAURA DELFS “My experiences serving on various boards have been very positive,” says Delfs. “My board work typically provides an opportunity to work alongside competent, interesting people, and certainly with a regulatory board, these are also people that are committed to their profession. Because serving on a board is time-consuming, I think people who volunteer with their professional regulatory body are often very interesting people, very inspiring people, very committed people. I like interacting with people like that.”
MURRAY HIEBERT
“My only regret is that the people of Alberta don’t know enough of what social workers do,” he says. “They don’t understand the impact that social workers have on the lives of Albertans, particularly in times of need. It was a big learning experience for me.”
The ACSW has had public members on its council for more than 20 years, and the number is about to double. Bill 30, the Health Statutes Amendment Act 2020 which the Alberta government tabled in July, has increased the required percentage of public members on regulatory colleges’ governing councils, hearing tribunals, and complaint review committees from 25 percent to 50 percent. The change will come into effect on April 1, 2021. Although the government posts openings for specific agencies, boards and commissions, applicants don’t always know until they are chosen where they will serve. That was the case for Laura Delfs, an Edmonton lawyer with previous experience working with a regulatory board. She was inspired to fill out an application, recognizing from her prior experience that public members have much to contribute. “I think public members bring an interesting perspective, one that is often quite different from that 16
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Public members are invited to participate in other functions of the ACSW by serving on committees. Delfs is a member of the ACSW’s Registration committee, and also chaired an ad hoc committee that made recommendations to Council about balancing the ACSW’s advocacy and regulatory roles. Bukola Oladunni Salami, an associate professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta who also serves as a public member on the Council with Delfs, joined the committee responsible for publishing the Advocate.
BUKOLA OLADUNNI SALAMI
Most recently, she’s contributed to conversations around creating space and intentionally inviting Black social workers to contribute to the magazine. “Because of my knowledge of the Black community, I am able to reach people who can speak to the issue,” she says.
Salami applied to be a public member hoping she would be assigned to the ACSW board; on her application, she indicated that it was her preference. “I just like the idea of social justice and social workers, in terms of addressing the social determinants of health,” she says. “One of my motivations was to be able to influence and contribute to a profession that is really focused on those issues and on the well-being of marginalized populations.” At meetings, Salami has expressed support for ensuring that the ACSW registration environment is a positive one for social workers who are gender minorities, to ensure that they don’t feel excluded in terms of how genders are described. “The diversity of perspective is important,” she says. “It helps that we have people within an affected community on our board, such as people who are gender minorities. The fact that I am Black meant that I am able to bring
in some of my personal and professional expertise. We are able to contribute multiple lenses and multiple perspectives to really enrich the conversation.”
AUSTIN MARDON
Salami understands that ACSW members are concerned that half of the organization’s board will soon include people who are not trained in the profession.
“That is a fair concern,” she says. “There are benefits of having social workers on the board, but some of the benefit of having non-social workers is having people with lived experiences of receiving help from social workers, and that different perspective broadens our view and lets us see how to improve health services and social services.” When Austin Mardon served on the board from 2011 to 2015, he brought a viewpoint distinct from other members. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 30, Mardon knew what social workers did because he had often received their services. “It turned out it was a very good fit because I had a lot of perspectives that were unique in terms that they would never have had somebody like me through any other situation,” he says. “They were always surprised at how much I knew, which was different in many cases from their perspective, and that is the primary thing about public members. Sometimes, professionals get so focused and THE ADVOCATE
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[develop] tunnel vision, so they sometimes forget the forest for the trees. That is what a public member is supposed to do: bring that broader perspective.” Another important role that public members play is to protect Albertans by making sure that a profession is managing itself appropriately. With the ACSW, Hiebert says, that was not an issue.
Some of the benefit of having non-social workers is having people with lived experiences of receiving help from social workers…Different perspectives broaden our view and let us see how to improve health services and social services
“Social workers are very socially conscious people. When people asked what I did on the board, I used to make a joke. I’d say, ‘I’m representing the public of Alberta to prevent nefarious social work. It’s a really difficult job, because I haven’t found anything yet.’”
In addition to joining several committees and taking part in a discipline hearing, one of the most memorable experiences of Hiebert’s board tenure had to do with the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) legislation. When the issue was being debated in Parliament, he recalls, social workers were initially not included as professionals who could provide support to terminally ill people who wanted to end their lives. “The issue was front and centre for about a year, and I remember it being discussed in Council,” Hiebert recalls. “The ACSW made representation to the federal government that they should be allowed to legally give advice to people who asked questions about MAID.”
PUBLIC MEMBER S
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEMBERS IS INTENDED “TO GIVE ALBERTANS A STRONGER VOICE AND GREATER ROLE IN PROFESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.” - From Bill 30, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2020 Public members are chosen through an open selection, by filling out an application on the provincial government web site. To be considered, applicants must be at least 18 years old, Alberta residents, familiar with the issues affecting the agency, and able to attend and participate in meetings. They are compensated through honoraria for their time and reimbursed for any travel-related costs. For more details, visit: www.alberta. ca/public-agency-serve-on-board.aspx
Hiebert felt strongly that social workers should have standing when it came to MAID. “They were originally left out of the draft of the Act, which I think was a travesty. They work so closely with people in palliative care, but they were not going to be allowed to talk about MAID without violating the Medical Assistance in Dying: Bill C-14. It goes back to my major issue of how little the general public knows about what social workers do, and the impact they have in our province, in Canada, and in the US.” Mardon, too, got involved in standing up for social workers during his six years on the board. Among his proudest moments was a meeting with thenPremier Alison Redford to address the issue of a social policy framework and social determinants of health. “I remember explaining in a very simple, grade-one level, what both were, and it had such an impact on her that she started talking all about it,” he recalls. “I think it’s important to keep the lines of communication open and talk to people and explain things, and not be too confrontational no matter what your personal beliefs are, because we all have to work together.” 18
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DEBBY WALDMAN is a writer and editor in Edmonton who works part-time at the Academic Success Centre at the University of Alberta. Her articles, essays, and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, People, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Parents, Publishers Weekly, and Glamour.
1961 - 2021 60 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA
THE ROOTS OF ACSW AC S W 6 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y S E R I E S • PA R T O N E • BY S H AW N A D I R K S O N
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A straight line to success— and Alberta’s social workers know this all too well. There is, however, hard work, persistence, collaboration and decades of commitment. When we look at the history of social work in our province, and the associations that have guided and regulated it, it’s abundantly clear that social workers know all about these things, too.
endeavours. This included the efforts of Black, Asian and other racialized settlers, alongside Indigenous peoples, all often left out of published histories. Alberta is a part of Canada’s social work history which includes the egregious chapters of residential schools, eugenics, the Sixties Scoop and other shameful policies. While social work history, good and bad, certainly extends back before any official social work organization existed in Alberta, even a hundred years ago, grassroots organizing was beginning.
Part one of this 60th anniversary series explores the decades that led to Part one of this 60th formation of the Alberta Association anniversary series of Social Workers (AASW). We learn explores the decades that Richard Ramsay, MSW (retired social how social workers who came before worker), served on the AASW Council us succeeded in incorporating, selfled to the formation of the (1971 to 1973), as president (1974 regulating, gaining and changing Alberta Association of to 1979) and as the International legislation to further the profession. Federation of Social Workers treasurer Social Workers We uncover stories of setbacks and find (1985 to 1992). Ramsay says that examples of how coming together to starting as early as the 1940s, work toward a common goal can change everything. small groups of social workers were meeting to share This is the story of how social workers came together to build professional concerns and standards of practice issues. a social work organization in Alberta from 1961 to 1991. “Right from the get-go, social workers were interested in the protection of the public interest. They had two The Early Years pathways. One was standards of practice, which was The Alberta Association of Social Workers, the precursor to make sure social workers adhered to a standard of to the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), was competence and service, and the other was to influence incorporated in 1961. However, the story of social work in social policy and changes in systemic issues.” Alberta starts many years before that. As far back as the 1890s, figures such as Marion Coutts Carson and Lady Isabella Hardisty Lougheed left social work legacies in Alberta. Dorothy King, who later served as the director of the Montreal School of Social Work, reportedly practiced in Alberta between 1918 and 1925. Early social work in Alberta grew through vehicles like community-building groups, aid societies, and faith-based
Jake Kuiken, PhD (retired social worker), who was ACSW president for eight years (1995 to 2003), notes that AASW was the product of a group of social workers in the 1940s who wanted to come together to form an organization. Through their efforts, in the early 1950s, they joined the Canadian Association of Social Workers and created two branches in Alberta, one in Calgary and one in Edmonton. THE ADVOCATE
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1961 - 2021 60 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA
Richard Ramsay (centre) at IFSW conference, Washington, DC, 1992, with NASW President Barbara White and executive committee member Paul Lee of Hong Kong
Gayle James (centre) and Jake Kuiken (right)
Change was already in the air, though, according to Kuiken. “By the late 1950s, these two groups had decided that they should form a single entity, which led to the creation of AASW in 1961.” Soon thereafter that same group of social workers began the work to establish a graduate school of social work in Alberta.
difference when the Alberta Social Workers Act—the first piece of self-regulation legislation for social workers in Alberta—came into play. The act protected the title “registered social worker” and provided voluntary regulation to members through AASW.
Striving for Self-Regulation Social workers now had their own provincial association in Alberta, but to increase the credibility and accountability of the profession, they needed to self-regulate. “I know there were lots of struggles for social workers in those early days, but we had a lot of very dedicated people, too,” says Margot Herbert, MSW (retired social worker), past president of AASW (1991 to 1995). “Many social workers gave so much of their time, energy and expertise with no compensation just because they felt it was their professional duty.” By 1969, this dedication and effort finally made a
1926 The Canadian Association of Social Workers is founded
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“Our big goal in 1969 was to be recognized as a selfregulated profession,” says Ramsay. “The act coming in was a huge achievement, but the main limitation was that AASW registration was voluntary.” Working Toward Mandatory Registration Over the next several years, many practicing social workers and the Association itself focused on moving toward provincial legislation that would require all social workers in Alberta to register with the AASW. Richard Shelson, MSW, RCSW, who served on the ACSW council for many years, felt that mandatory registration was important because being a registered member of AASW meant you had professional credibility as a social
1951 CASW branches established in Northern and Southern Alberta
1961 AASW is incorporated under the Alberta Societies Act
Margot Herbert, Grace Elliott and Lori Sigurdson
Richard Shelson
worker. “You were responsible to your clients and you were held to a code of ethics.”
party to the Progressive Conservative party in 1971], so they changed the MLA who was in charge, or changed the way in which they wanted to regulate professions.” says Ramsay.
Around this period, Shelson and his colleagues spent a lot of time and effort lobbying for new legislation that would require the mandatory registration of social workers in Alberta. “I spent a lot of time coordinating meetings with MLAs, trying to get information into newspapers and coordinating efforts with various people across the province,” says Shelson. “I felt that, as a profession, it was important that we be recognized. I worked at Alberta Mental Health Services where I’d see somebody with a master’s degree in social work getting paid $10,000 or $12,000 less than someone with a psychology degree.” This work toward mandatory registration would continue across the province for more than two decades. “We’d get to the brink of something positive happening and then the government changed [from the Social Credit
1966 The University of Calgary introduces its School of Social Welfare
Succeeding as a Profession Faced with bureaucratic setbacks and opposing views, social workers in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s earned the authority to self-regulate, fought to be recognized in provincial legislation and did meaningful work to further the social work profession. Together, through advocacy and combined effort, these social work trailblazers proved that perseverance truly pays off in the end.
SHAWNA DIRKSEN is a freelance writer based in Alberta. She loves skiing in the winter and running outdoors in the summer, and when she’s not doing that, she’s probably writing something about being minimal-ish for her blog .
1967 The first students were admitted to the School of Social Welfare. As a result, the number of social workers in Alberta increased rapidly.
1969 The Alberta Social Workers Act is passed
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RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA'S COMMUNITIES
BOOK OFFERS HOPE FOR YOUTH IN CARE BY DON MCSWINEY
“YOU NEVER REALLY UNDERSTAND a person until you consider things from his point of view,” wrote Harper Lee in To Kill a Mockingbird, “until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” Youth in Care Chronicles: Reflections on Growing Up in the Child Welfare System is an astonishing new book, written by 18 people who grew up in Alberta’s child welfare system. The book provides a rare opportunity to really understand what life was like for them while highlighting the impact we can all make on someone’s life. “I hope it provides inspiration,” says Cody Murrell, BSW, RSW. “When I was growing up in care, I didn’t know a single youth in care who had successfully gotten a job and maintained it for more than a year. The bar was really low. I’m really hoping that this book will show [youth in care] ‘Hey, there are a lot of really crazy, insane, difficult stories and challenges that everyone went through, but keep going through it. You can get through it and you can be successful. Know that that is an option.’” Murrell, who graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work (with a 4.0 GPA) in 2016 from the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work’s Edmonton campus, has come full circle in a way. He’s now a supervisor with Alberta Children’s Services and he says he hopes the new book will also bring awareness and reframe the narrative about youth in care. “There’s often a lot of shame that you experience,” says Murrell. “There’s a lot of stigma that actually keeps people from openly sharing their experiences. And it internalizes guilt for them and makes them feel bad.” Like many of the other authors in the book – which is available on Amazon.ca – Murrell overcame unimaginable odds and hardships in his life. His father was in and out of prison and died shortly after Murrell turned five years old. 22
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His mother sank into a depression and began to use heavy drugs, working to support her family with sex work, before social services intervened. From there it was a steady procession of foster parents and group homes for Cody. Not surprisingly he lashed out and “troublemaker” was a permanent addition to his growing list of labels. The cycle continued until somebody actually showed they cared. It was the mother of one of his high school friends who took an interest in him and began to nurture him. She cared about doing little and big things like taking him to rugby or football practice and teaching him, as he says, what it means to be part of a family — no matter how hard he tried to push her away. “I hope people really hear the difference my adopted family made,” he says. “They had no need to, and at times I certainly did things to push them away. But they stuck at it, and it has been what has changed my life.” The project, which was funded by the Canadian Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD), was compiled by a diverse editorial team that included Murrell and two other former youth in care who are now child welfare supervisors (Theresa Tucker-Wright and Megan Mierau), another recent UCalgary social work graduate (Erin Leveque), UCalgary social work professor Dr. Dorothy Badry, PhD, RSW, and Penny Frazier, a freelance writer who has worked with marginalized youth for over four decades. YOUTH IN CARE CHRONICLES: Reflections on Growing Up in the Child Welfare System is available on Amazon.ca DONALD MCSWINEY is the manager of Communications and Marketing in the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work.
DIPLOMA DIALOGUES
MOVING FROM RECONCILIATION TO ReconciliACTION BY KALLIE LAVOIE, MSW, RCSW
THIS GREAT TERM, reconciliACTION, was first presented to me by David Restoule, the Indigenous Student Support Specialist at Medicine Hat College (MHC). True to form, he was quick to say it isn’t his term, but I am grateful he shared it. ReconciliACTION is a call to move from the ideals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to tangible steps that embody a more decolonized world. One step being taken that I am excited about as a faculty member is connecting with a subject matter expert who will be reviewing curriculum and providing consultation regarding Indigenous content. Funds received from Medicine Hat College’s Rodger’s Foundation Grant have been used to contract an amazing candidate, Gladys Rowe, PhD, BSW. I look forward to learning, growing, and collaborating with Gladys. The MHC’s Indigenous Support Office housed a practicum student this fall supervised by David Restoule. A lot of valuable discussion was held in supervision meetings about the best ways to assess student growth and learning in decolonized ways that are relevant and meaningful to cultural worldview. This poem was submitted as a part of Joshua Cross’s final evaluation and reflection of his own learning.
Indigenous Supports
So, that is why I strive for change.
Looking at my community, Wondering where I could help. Trying to break through barriers, That have tried to maintain my invisibility. But I refuse to play the cards I’ve been dealt. In a rigged system that is defined by wealth. Leaving the rest in poverty, Struggling with trauma and mental health.
No matter the obstacles,
As I look at my community, And I can see the disparity. With a division that existed for centuries. That slaughters and enslaves, In the name of prosperity. With many caged or beaten, For speaking out against normative society. When the community looks at me, They only see the savagery. An inconvenient Indian, An unsanitary revulsion, Or as an enemy. But if only they took the time, To actually know me. Looking at my community, While covered up in chains, Was spit out, abandoned and gagged. Engulfed my hope like it was a flame. Left in a darkness of guilt and shame. While also being scapegoated as the one to blame.
I will progress through all this pain. I am not an animal, I will not be tamed. I am human not just a number or a name. I will fight and support those who were just like me. It doesn’t matter if they are allies, Treaty or Metis. I will do my best to fight for thee. For the past does not define us, So, let’s stand together towards justice. Our future will be bright, So long as I am still breathing I will never lose sight. Like my ancestors before me who sacrificed everything for our rights, I refuse to let their sacrifice be in vain. I refuse to stay idle. I refuse to stay silent. I refuse to be a victim. But I do choose to be victor! - Joshua Cross
From left to right: KALLIE LAVOIE is an instructor and coordinator of the Social Work diploma program at Medicine Hat College. JOSHUA CROSS is a Medicine Hat College social work student and author of the poem above. THE ADVOCATE
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IN THE NEWS
Celebrating 2020 Student Bursaries WHILE 2020 WAS CHALLENGING FOR EVERYONE, these social work students enjoyed some good news on the academic front. By demonstrating achievement in their studies, involvement in their communities and connection with the ACSW, they have qualified for the 2020 student bursary. They receive $1000 towards continuing their social work education, and our congratulations!
Marggie Marks, ACSW student member BSW student, University of Calgary My name is Marggie Marks. I am a single mom, a woman of colour, and an immigrant. My social work journey started when I was a newcomer to Canada. I had the privilege to be immersed in the Inuit culture while living in Nunavut as part of the team that implemented the Telehealth network in the territory. I live in a rural community in Alberta, where I have had the opportunity to work with children with disabilities, individuals facing crisis, and immigrants. My work and life experience have shown me the impact of intersectionality. I am hoping to continue my career supporting marginalized populations in and around my community.
Amber MacKay, BSW, RSW MSW Student, University of Memphis Amber graduated with her BSW in 2020 from MacEwan University and will complete her MSW from the University of Memphis in the spring of 2022. She is attempting to gain an international perspective on social work practices and also attended the Paris Summer School of Social Work in 2019. Amber currently volunteers with Metro Cinema, a not-for-profit society devoted to the exhibition of diverse, unique shared viewing experiences in Edmonton. Amber currently works with AHS as a COVID-19 case manager on the contact tracing team and has years of experience working with youth in care living with mental health and addictions issues. She is passionate about raising awareness for mental health issues. As a mother of two neurodiverse children, she has much life experience in navigating behavioural and developmental issues for children within the public education and health care systems. After graduation, Amber hopes to continue expanding her knowledge of international social work and to attain her clinical designation with time. 24
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Chizobam Iwe, ACSW student member BSW student, University of Calgary – Edmonton Cohort Chizobam Iwe is a fourth-year social work student and recipient of the 2020 ACSW Bursary. This has supported her financially and encouraged her continued commitment and involvement with the community and the educational institution amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. Previously an insurance and risk manager, studying social work was a major shift, but her passion to care endeared this profession to her. Studying social work was a dream come true as she loves to aspire, accomplish, care and help. The thought of helping people overcome challenges and supporting them to make the most of themselves brings great comfort to her. She intends to pursue graduate studies soon after gaining the requisite experience in the field to further her career as a social work practitioner and a full member of ACSW. Nicole Brown, ACSW student member
BSW student, University of Calgary – Virtual Learning Circles My name is Nicole and I currently live in Sylvan Lake. I am a 4th-year Bachelor of Social Work student at the University of Calgary through the Virtual Learning Circles program. I previously earned a social work diploma at Red Deer College. After completing the degree program, I plan to gain some experience in the field working with youth, with the goal to then apply for the MSW clinical program. I am currently a research assistant with the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work assisting with the Transforming the Field Education Landscape project. I have been involved with the community throughout my life, through 4-H, Rodeo Queen, collecting items for the food bank, homeless population, and women’s shelter, to name a few. My interest in social work stems from being a hairstylist for over ten years and having the ability to listen to someone talk about their life and not give advice but be a listening ear. Receiving this bursary is an honour and I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge and skills through work experience and further education in the social work field!
Brandy Newman, ACSW student member Social Work Diploma student, Red Deer College Brandy Newman is a single parent of two boys (aged 15 and 7) who she raises by herself. Brandy previously completed an undergraduate degree in sociology and worked within human services for several years before returning to Red Deer College to complete her diploma in social work. Future endeavours include, hopefully, beginning an MSW in the spring and eventually working in forensic social work. Outside of being a full-time student, Brandy also works full time as an on-call crisis coordinator in residential youth care. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and outdoor activities with her children.
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FEATURE STORY
The Mental Health of Black Youth in Alberta BY BUKOLA SALAMI, RN, PHD, PUBLIC MEMBER, ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS, BENJAMIN DENGA, NIFE AJAYI, MSGANA ASEFAW, YAR ANYIETH AND DOMINIC ALAAZI
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS THE UNFILTERED LANGUAGE OF BLACK YOUTH, WHICH REFLECTS THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES. THE ADVOCATE BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT TO CENTRE THESE UNALTERED PARTICIPANT VOICES.
international literature that indicates Black, African, and Caribbean immigrants have a higher incidence of schizophrenia than other immigrant groups4. A similar meta-analysis confirms this finding and also places secondgeneration Black African and Caribbean immigrants at a higher risk of schizophrenia than first-generation populations5. The purpose of this study was to address the limited qualitative data available with respect to the mental health of Black youth in Alberta and to examine their needs in terms of mental health support. Methodology
Because I feel like in the Black community, the previous generations have worked so hard to get where we’re at right now, that like they didn’t have the time to worry about mental health. They had to put food on the table. - Participant 1 Introduction In Canada, Black people experience poorer mental health outcomes than the general population1. For instance, an analysis of administrative data from physician billing and hospital admission of patients aged 14 to 40 years found
We used a participatory action research methodology. Upon obtaining ethics approval, we convened an advisory committee of youth who supported all phases of the research study, conducted interviews, and facilitated conversation cafés. All 10 members of the advisory committee were members of the Africa Centre group, YEG The Come Up. In Phase 1 of this project, we interviewed 30 Black youth in Alberta. In Phase 2, around 100 youth engaged in four conversation cafés on mental health promotion, intergenerational relationships, intersectionality, and the policy context of mental health. These topics were selected by advisory committee members based on data collected in Phase 1. We analyzed the data gathered using thematic analysis.
that immigrants from the Caribbean and Bermuda had
Results and Implications
a higher risk of having a psychotic disorder compared
The most commonly identified factor that affects mental health is racism and discrimination. Experiences of anti-Black racism contribute negatively to the development of a positive identity. One youth described how she internalized antiBlack racism, which continues to affect her mental health:
2
to the general population1. Moreover, in the refugee group, people from East Africa had a significantly higher risk3 of psychosis than the general Canadian population. These findings are consistent with a meta-analysis of the 26
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I grew up with so much internalized anti-Blackness. God, I hated myself. I wanted to be white so bad. I wanted to have straight hair. I wanted to have lighter skin. You know, I wanted smaller lips. There was one time a girl told me… I was sleeping over at her house, and she was looking at me. I was like, “What?” And she’s like, “You have nigger lips.” Participant 9 This Black youth also described her experience of having a Slurpee thrown at her by White men when she was crossing the street. Unfortunately, when Black youth access mental health support to address the challenges they face, counsellors often lack the skills to deal with their mental health concerns. The lack of diversity in the mental health and counselling sector is a major barrier to providing mental health services to Black youth. Many of those interviewed indicated they thought a White mental health therapist would not understand their experience and could not provide adequate mental health support. First of all, there’s never any Black counsellors. That’s the biggest problem. How am I going to tell a White person that… there’s no food in the fridge and you’re stressed, you’re crumbling, and you can’t do your homework, and your teacher thinks you’re a lazy piece of shit and you’re stupid, and you’re not going anywhere in life because all you like to do is play basketball, because that’s your outlet? - Participant 15 In the process of developing identity, youth values sometimes conflict with parental values and expectations. Expectations of parents on what success entails and pressures related to academic achievement further impact the mental health of Black youth. The group also discussed how their parents’ past experiences with trauma contribute to their mental health; for instance, Black youth described how parents may neglect their own mental health due to a focus on providing for the physical needs of the family, such as food and shelter. The young people also discussed their own past experience of trauma, including experience during wars and childhood experience of abuse, as a factor that affects their mental health. Parents’ past experiences of trauma may also impede access to mental health services. So the reason why like they don’t address mental health in the Sudanese community is because like the parents never got to address. They don’t know mental health,
because they’ve only known like civil war and like running away, and like you got to move on. - Participant 8 For these reasons, it is important that social workers assess and consider how the experience of trauma may impact mental health in this population. Other factors that negatively contribute to access to mental health services include the cost of counselling services and financial strain, lack of information about mental health, lack of mental health services in neighbourhoods that are predominantly Black, and lack of safe spaces for discussing mental health concerns. Social workers should provide safe spaces and ensure confidentiality when providing services to Black youth. This is especially important due to the intense stigma associated with accessing mental health services. Social workers can also capitalize on the resilience of Black youth, including their strengths and demonstrated ability to overcome past experiences. Drawing on spirituality and faith may help support mental health services. Fostering positive cultural identity and strengthening feelings of community belonging can also help address mental health concerns. In conclusion, social workers have a role to play in addressing the mental health of Black youth by tackling intersecting systems of oppression based on race, class, age, gender, and more.
From left to right: DR. BUKOLA SALAMI is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta and a researcher whose main area of interest is immigrant health. She has been engaged in over 50 research projects on this topic funded by national and international agencies. BENJAMIN DENGA is a PhD student in Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta and a research assistant of the Health and Immigration Policies and Practices Research Program. NIFE AJAYI, MSGANA ASEFAW, AND YAR ANYIETH worked as research assistants for the Health and Immigration Policies and Practices Research Program at the University of Alberta and as advisory committee members on this project. They are undergraduate students at the University of Alberta. DOMINIC ALAAZI is a postdoctoral fellow at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta. He was previously a project coordinator for Health and Immigration Policies and Practices Research Program at the University of Alberta. If you have questions or comments regarding this article, Dr. Salami can be reached at bukola.salami@ualberta.ca. References available by emailing memberactivitiesadmin@acsw.ab.ca
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DAY IN THE LIFE
“YOU CAN BE A SOCIAL WORKER ANYWHERE,” CAELEB GOFF SAYS. “IT’S ABOUT THE WAY YOU RELATE TO PEOPLE AND THE WAY YOU SEE THE WORLD – IT’S NOT JUST A JOB TITLE.” Goff (BSW, RSW) is a young social worker who just obtained her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2020 from the University of Calgary. She was in the middle of her practicum as a Family Court Counsellor with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly she was at home, with a lot of free time on her hands, and had to figure out where she wanted to take her career. After a few months of job searching, she found a role in Enrolment Services with the University of Calgary, meeting her desire of giving back to students and working in the education system. This may sound like a nontraditional position for a social worker, but Goff feels that her social work background is a good fit for this area. “This role has given me a lot of space to use my social work knowledge and bring that to the team,” Goff says. “Just last week, I did a great morning workshop with my colleagues about de-escalation and how we can reflect on our own positionality and use that to inform our practice.”
BY MEL PRIESTLEY
CAELEB GOFF
BSW, RSW
During an average day at Enrolment Services, Goff responds to various student inquiries about things like admission, registration, financial aid and fees. A large part of the role involves making referrals to appropriate resources, but Goff says they also need to be there to simply acknowledge and support the students. Many are first-year undergraduates who are in a very unusual situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “These first-year students didn’t get to go to graduation or prom and now they’re coming to university and it looks totally different than expected,” Goff says. “They’re sad; it’s a sad position to be in. We have to do a lot of de-escalation because people are quite upset when they call us. In our roles, we support main elements of the student experience like course registration and paying tuition and fees, but these topics can often come with emotions tied to them. Our roles are more about understanding motivation and emotionality than about the actual nitty gritty of things like paying fees. A lot of it is just sitting with them in that emotional moment and trying to get to a solution together.” One of the things that Goff enjoys most about her role
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in Enrolment Services is advocacy. “I’m really lucky that I have the opportunity to use social work practice and focus on the advocacy piece, because a lot of what we’re doing is advocating for students,” she says. “This can involve connecting with other departments on the student’s behalf or understanding and adjusting our systems and processes where we hear student barriers exist.” Goff didn’t initially plan to be a social worker. Prior to her social work education, she got a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Queen’s University. While doing clinical research as part of her studies at
A lot of it is just sitting with them in that emotional moment and trying to get to a solution together. Queen’s, she also volunteered as a mentor to at-risk students in their first year, as well as at the Peer Support Centre and on the Mental Health Awareness Committee. Volunteering has continued to be very important to Goff. In early 2020, she connected with the Alberta Assembly of Social Workers (AASW), a new advocacy group of social workers working on social justice issues. “Everyone has a skill set that you can bring forward,” Goff says. “When I started as a social worker, I was really informed by my background in psychology; I didn’t leave all that behind,” she says. “After I graduated, I realized I had this THE ADVOCATE
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toolbox and just had to figure out where to put it to work.” Staying connected with the social work profession is a key part of how Goff approaches her daily work at Enrolment Services. She meets regularly with a mentor, Cari Gulbrandsen, PhD, RSW, who works at the University of Calgary as the head of undergraduate student affairs for the Faculty of Social Work. They discuss Goff’s social work practice and how she’s still developing and moving forward while working within Enrolment Services. “I treat this role similarly to my practicum,” Goff says. “When you’re in practicum, you set all these goals for yourself and I’m still doing the same thing. I don’t have to submit assignments, but I can be accountable to myself and what I’m trying to learn.” 30
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When she’s not working, Goff enjoys reading, playing video games and hiking. “My best friend and I like to drive around and find random places to hike,” she says. “We never plan anything, which is very contrary to how I normally am!”
You can be a social worker no matter where you’re working Ultimately, Goff hopes that her experience can be an example for other social workers, especially new graduates facing career prospects that look very different than in the past. “Some people in my cohort have struggled to find employment and
many have ended up in jobs that were very different from what they expected,” she says. “But the exciting part of graduating is being able to figure out new ways of doing social work. “You can be a social worker no matter where you’re working,” she continues. “Even during a pandemic, or if you don’t have a job at the moment and you’re just volunteering, you can continue to evolve your practice and grow.”
MEL PRIESTLEY is an Edmonton-based freelance journalist who writes about local news and culture as well as theatre, food and wine. Find more of her writing and current projects at melpriestley.ca.
FEATURE STORY
ONE SOLID CONNECTION: SOCIAL WORKERS & CHILD WELFARE BY EMILY RENDELL-WATSON
CHAOS AND A LACK OF STABILITY were mainstays in Cody Murrell’s childhood. Murrell, BSW, RSW, grew up in Alberta’s child welfare system, entering government care at six years old after his father passed away from a drug overdose and his mother was struggling to care for both him and his younger brother. “I remember being taken from my home by [someone] I only knew as a stranger and being told that I was going to be living with this other stranger, my new foster caregiver. I remember feeling extremely scared and being unsure about why I had been moved. It was like having everything you knew taken away,” he said.
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 6 AND 18, MURRELL ATTENDED 10 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND LIVED IN NINE DIFFERENT PLACEMENTS
Between the ages of 6 and 18, Murrell attended 10 different schools and lived in nine different placements: four foster homes, two group homes, an adolescent residential treatment program and two semi-independent apartments. “I had hundreds of workers who worked directly with me over the years including caseworkers, youth workers, advocacy workers, group care staff and foster caregivers,” the now 28-year-old said. Murrell, who is based in Edmonton, now works as a social worker in the same child welfare system he grew up in. He recently shared his story in a book called Youth in Care
Chronicles: Reflections on Growing Up in the Child Welfare System, as well as contributing to a learning guide located in the book that offers practical tips and outlines best practices which are grounded in the voices of youth in care, and professional practice wisdom for other social workers who work with these youth. Learning guide If the stories shared in the book are its heart and soul, the Youth in Care Chronicles learning guide “would be the body” said Murrell. He explained that while reading the first-person accounts, the editorial team was able to use their collective practice wisdom to pull out consistent themes across each of the youth’s stories, including his own.
The themes are: relationships, advocacy, connections, transitions, and compassion. “These five themes suggest that some of the most impactful work we can do as practitioners is understanding and meeting clients where they are at, sharing power whenever possible, being transparent and honest, and adjusting our approach when needed to best meet the youths’ needs,” Murrell said. When working with kids in care, Murrell said it’s important to start by listening. THE ADVOCATE
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“You need to know where people are coming from, what they want, you have to take an interest in their interests. You have to work towards building a strong relationship and through that relationship, you’re able to kind of help move people along
The most impactful work we can do as practitioners is understanding and meeting clients where they are at … gently nudge or push them in a different direction, because changing behaviours is difficult,” Murrell explained. “Without that relationship, there’s not going to be any trust and if you don’t have trust, people aren’t going to want to work with you because they’ll be fearful of what you’re 32
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telling them, especially in this type of system.” He credits the meaningful relationships he was able to develop as what was responsible for the major positive shift that allowed him to feel loved, cared for, and challenged to grow. Murrell also advises social workers to remember how advocacy can play a role in ensuring youth remain a priority as a “small part of a large system.” “Give these kiddos a chance to have their voice heard and for them to have some input. That is really critical in showing that you’re going to advocate for them, that you want what they want. They need to see that you’re on their side, and that you’re fighting for them,” Murrell said. “It is what made the difference for me at many junctions in my life when I was not treated the most fairly.” Murrell wants to see the learning guide used as a resource and tool for practitioners who interact with
ST. GERMAIN, 24, LIVED IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACEMENTS WHILE IN THE SYSTEM — ONE FOSTER HOME AND TWO GROUP HOMES youth in care to better understand them, and to adapt their approach to be better allies for youth and better support them. One connection The themes Murrell and the editorial team identified were also present throughout Cassie St. Germain’s story. St. Germain and her two siblings were apprehended in 2003 when she was five years old. “There was a lot of domestic violence between my parents and there was heavy alcoholism and drug use,” she said. St. Germain, 24, lived in three
different placements while in the system — one foster home and two group homes. Over the years, she said she’s worked with more than 10 different case workers, and that there was a “really high rate of turnover.”
who took a chance on her eight years ago. Their client-worker relationship has evolved into a friendship, and the impact she’s had on St. Germain’s life remains.
“It seemed like there was no point in trying to build any relationships with people because they were going to be leaving as fast as they came,” recalls St. Germain from her home in Edmonton.
St. Germain is attending school at MacEwan University part-time, working towards a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology. She is living independently and working as a frontline worker at an inner-city organization in Edmonton.
When St. Germain was 16, she was assigned a social worker who proved that it only takes one solid connection to make a difference in someone’s life.
As St. Germain writes in her story in Youth in Care Chronicles: Reflections on Growing Up in the Child Welfare System, family can be more than just blood.
“She always made it a priority that I could contact her. It was more of a personal investment in me as a client,” explained St. Germain. When her social worker was transferred to a different department, St. Germain said the worker fought to keep her on her caseload.
“Permanency is different for everyone, and oftentimes, family is the people we meet along the way who keep us in their hearts.”
“She was basically one of the first people outside of my parents and teachers that actually demonstrated they had faith in my ability to integrate, instead of just looking at me as another file that she had to go and check on,” St. Germain said. “I was an actual human being to her that had potential, and she really helped me.” That relationship extended to helping St. Germain apply for university, get her driver’s license, and make safety plans when there wasn’t a consistent place for her to call home. When she questioned where she was headed in life, the worker was there to pick her up and encourage her to keep going. Although St. Germain has since aged out of the child welfare system, she is still in contact with the social worker
The importance of compassion The compassion St. Germain felt from her social worker is something Murrell feels is crucial in the child welfare system. He said compassion is what gave him hope when he was younger and “at times, the will to live and to keep fighting.” “Sometimes in the busyness of our jobs, we lose sight of this and we’re just kind of getting things done before the end of the day,” he said, explaining that many kids are familiar with a cold, institutionalized system.
GET THE BOOK
YOUTH IN CARE CHRONICLES: REFLECTIONS ON GROWING UP IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.CA. To view a CASW webinar on the book and learning guide, and how to use its lessons in your own practice, visit casw.acts.ca, Continuing Education. experienced compassion very much, and they need it even more,” said Murrell. “It may even be the thing that saves their lives.”
Care can be demonstrated by the kind of language that’s used, and how conversations are approached so that there is love and compassion present. “If they’re using drugs, or maybe they’re getting into trouble, saying, ‘I’m worried about you because I care about you, I’m not here to lecture you.’ Often kids in care have not
EMILY RENDELL-WATSON is a multimedia journalist based in Edmonton. You can reach her at twitter.com/erendellwatson.
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All CTRI Workshops are approved by
ASWB
LIVE VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS
SPRING 2021
CATEGORY A COMPETENCY CREDIT
NEW CTRI BOOKS
COUNSELLING IN RELATIONSHIPS
Insights for Helping Families Develop Healthy Connections When people feel a strong sense of belonging, they are more prepared to manage life’s challenges. This book explores guiding principles for working effectively with families. Authors address relationship dynamics including those among parents and teens, couples, and adoptive, blended, and single-parent families.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY–Tools for Thinking Differently
March 25
CLINICAL SUPERVISION–Skills for Developing Counsellors
March 25
ANXIETY IN CHILDREN & YOUTH–Practical Intervention Strategies
March 27
PROVIDING SUPPORT REMOTELY–Strategies for Helping from a Distance
March 30
CRITICAL INCIDENT GROUP DEBRIEFING
March 31
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE–Facilitating Dialogue
April 6-8
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE–Understanding & Supporting
April 12
COUNSELLING IN RELATIONSHIPS
ONCE A WIZARD
A Story About Finding a Way Through Loss This wordless children’s book has beautiful imagery and the potential to create many imaginative storylines. It empowers children to tell their own stories and explore the meaning of their own experiences of loss. The book includes helpful tips, questions, and activities to support parents and caregivers as they help children navigate their way through loss.
www.ctrinstitute.com info@ctrinstitute.com 877.353.3205
April 13-14
ADDICTIONS AND MENTAL ILLNESS–Working with Co-occurring Disorders
April 20
HARM REDUCTION–A Framework for Change, Choice, and Control
April 22
VIOLENCE THREAT ASSESSMENT–Planning and Response
April 27
BRIEF-FOCUSED COUNSELLING SKILLS–Strategies from Leading Frameworks ATTACHMENT–Strategies for Fostering Connections
May 4
TRAUMA–Strategies for Resolving the Impact of Post-Traumatic Stress All workshops run from 9 am - 4 pm CT.
April 28-29
May 5-6
Visit our website for details on more workshops coming this Spring/Summer.
THE ADVOCATE EDITORIAL POLICY The Advocate is the official publication of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) and is published quarterly for members of ACSW and other interested parties. The Advocate Editorial Board encourages submissions from all social work practice areas and perspectives, including: social work research, theory, practice, and education; social justice initiatives; the work of the College; member activities; continuing education; reviews of books, journals, and other media of interest to social workers. Articles of up to 1000 words and letters of up to 500 words will be considered, but publication is not guaranteed. Submissions from ACSW members will be given preference. Copy may be edited to fit the space available or for legal or other reasons. Please contact the ACSW office for full submission guidelines. PUBLICATION SCHEDULE AND DEADLINES Spring issue: Summer issue: Fall issue: Winter issue:
January 1 deadline for general submissions (articles, letters, etc.) April 1 for general submissions July 1 for general submissions October 1 for general submissions
January 15 for advertising April 15 for advertising July 15 for advertising October 15 for advertising
ALL SUBMISSIONS The Advocate, ACSW, 550 10707 100 Avenue NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1 ATTN: Charity Lui: MemberActivitiesLead@acsw.ab.ca • PHONE: 780-421-1167 TOLL-FREE: 1-800-661-3089 • FAX: 780-421-1168 34
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FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Advocate’s For Your Information section gives preference to Alberta-based educational opportunities and non-profit events for social workers. Send your submissions to Carlena Johnson at activitiesadmin@acsw.ab.ca.
ACSW 2021 Annual Conference
Canadian Association of Social Workers Webinars
March 25 – 27, 2021
Free, on-demand
Join us virtually for live keynotes from Vikki Reynolds and Todd Leader Workshops, live entertainment and more!
Recent webinar topics include The Youth in Care Chronicles: Voices from Former Youth in Care, (Dis)placed: Indigenous Youth and the Child Welfare System, Group Work During the Time of COVID-19 and many others.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, in-person events are being changed or cancelled more frequently than usual. Please check organization websites to confirm details. Institute of Child Psychology 2021 Annual Children’s Mental Health Symposium April 23 – 25, 2021 Online With three keynotes by experts in the field, this virtual conference aims to help create a global community where the stigma around mental health is dismantled. https://Instituteofchildpsychology conference.com/
https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/webinars, or on YouTube under CASW, Playlists. National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21, 2021 Indigenous Canada University of Alberta Massive Open Online Course
Lunch and Learn videos
Public Interest Alberta
www.youtube.com/user/edmontonspc Parkland Institute 2020 Conference On demand Online content includes speakers exploring the complex challenges of this time. www.youtube.com/user/ParklandInstvideo/ playlists
Edmonton Social Planning Council edmontonsocialplanning.ca Friends of Medicare friendsofmedicare.org Public Interest Alberta pialberta.org Parkland Institute ualberta.ca/parkland
This Massive Open Online Course explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
Edmonton Social Planning Council
Topics include an overview of HIV Edmonton, Addressing Food Security During a Pandemic and more.
ACSW’S PUBLIC POLICY PARTNERS
Online, free / Registration open now
https://www.ualberta.ca/admissionsprograms/online-courses/indigenous-canada/ index.html
On demand
PARTNER S
A People’s Bailout and A Green New Deal for Alberta Interactive webinar This webinar presented by the Council of Canadians and Public Interest Alberta features four speakers discussing the crises of inequality facing many people. https://www.pialberta.org/gnd_webinar_ june2020 Pride Month June 2021
Visit the ACSW Events Calendar to find more training, events and workshops, at acsw.ab.ca, Social Workers tab, Calendar of Events.
ADVOCATE DEADLINES
SUBMISSION DEADLINE For the Summer 2021 issue of the Advocate is April 1, 2021 All editorial inquiries to Charity Lui MemberActivitiesLead@acsw.ab.ca
AD DEADLINE For the Summer 2021 issue of the Advocate is April 15, 2021 All ad inquiries to memberactivitiesadmin@acsw.ab.ca
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PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050109 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS 550 10707 100 AVE NW EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1
SOCIAL WORK WEEK Social Work is Essential The essential work provided by qualified, compassionate, and committed social workers benefits all people in Canada. Each March, we celebrate the important contributions social work professionals make to our families and communities.
Get involved! casw-acts.ca #NationalSocialWorkMonth
MARCH 7-13, 2021
Celebrate Social Work Week March 7 - 13
