Discipline in a Pandemic

BY BRUCE LLEWELLYN, MSW, RSW

COVID-19 HAS HAD an unprecedented impact upon all facets of the social work profession, including discipline and online practice.

Shortly after the outbreak of COVID19, the building housing the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) office was closed to the public. It became necessary to restructure operations. Most staff transitioned to working from home. Social workers increasingly relied upon technology to continue their practice.

During this time, the ACSW continued receiving complaints. Although legislative requirements were met, there was a brief pause in communicating decisions to complainants. ACSW also temporarily suspended Complaint Review Committee meetings and Hearing Tribunals, which are legislated committees that are part of the discipline process. Some complaints required investigation, which necessitated complaint investigators to respond to the new safety protocols and conduct investigations by telephone and via Zoom.

In order for the complaints process to not become severely backlogged, it became necessary to move forward. In July, a decision was made to continue with Complaint Review Committees and Hearing Tribunals on a virtual platform. The ACSW office hosted Zoom meetings for Complaint Review Committees. Parlee McLaws, ACSW’s legal council, hosted Hearing Tribunals on Cisco Webex, a videoconference platform.

In a relatively short period of time, conducting business on virtual platforms became commonplace. This represented a steep learning curve for a lot of our members. It is important to remind ourselves that although social work services over an electronic platform are permissible, they are not to be entered into lightly. Our Standards of Practice outline:

“A social worker will address the identifiable risks, benefits, and limitations of social work services provided through the electronic medium chosen when obtaining consent to provide services electronically.” - Standard E.3(k) of the ACSW Standards of Practice (2019)

The identifiable risks of providing services via an online platform concern protocols and safety measures taken to maintain client confidentiality and privacy. Professional liability insurance should also be considered. The identifiable limitations involve nonface-to-face interaction. Mehrabian (2007) discovered 7 percent of communication is represented by the words we choose, an additional 38 percent is represented by tone of voice and 55 percent is conveyed by body language. Practically speaking, an e-mail communication is limited to the choice of words. A telephone conversation enhances communication by adding tone of voice. A virtual video meeting provides a more fulsome communication by including facial expression and body language, making it an attractive option for many. Social workers who can not interact with clients in person need to be aware of these risks and limitations. More details can be found on the ACSW website under Virtual Social Work in the COVID-19 section.

The identifiable benefits of providing social work remotely during a pandemic are clear. It fulfills the requirement for physical distancing, prevents the spread of disease and ensures the health of participants.

We are not through the woods yet. The spread of the virus, and the second wave, continue. We have yet to see what the “new normal” looks like. Yet, there is one certainty. Social workers will rise to the challenge to ensure the safe and competent delivery of services. .

References available by emailing MemberActivitiesLead@acsw.ab.ca.

BRUCE LLEWELLYN is a Manager, Regulatory Practice / Complaints Director with the Alberta College of Social Workers.