About Us

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Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) serves as the regulatory body for the profession of social work in Alberta. Its regulatory obligations are legislated by under the Health Professions Act (HPA) that came into force for social work on April 1, 2003. The HPA has requirements for mandatory registration, continuing competency activities, the practice of restricted activities and a specialty register for clinical social workers. It provides control of title and a broadly defined scope of practice. The HPA applies to 30 professions and comes into force in stages as the schedules and regulations for each respective profession are approved.

Under the HPA mandated objectives of the ACSW are:

  • to serve and protect the public interest
  • to provide direction and to regulate the profession
  • to establish, maintain and enforce standards for registration, continuing competence and standards of practice
  • to establish, maintain and enforce a code of ethics
  • to approve educational programs for registration purposes

The ACSW also represents the social work profession in Alberta. It supports membership activities that promote skilled and ethical social work practice such as annual conferences and regional events. Under its auspices, ACSW members are able to meet around areas of interest such as children’s issues, gerontology, health and private practice.

To complement its legislated obligations, the ACSW advocates for policies, programs and services that serve the public interest. Over the years, ACSW has established relationships with numerous external organizations involved in advancing social justice initiatives.

The ACSW is a member of the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators and the Association of Social Work Boards and is a friend of the International Federation of Social Workers.

The ACSW is governed by a Council comprised of ten members elected by its membership, four public members appointed by the government and the chair of the Aboriginal Social Work Committee.

The ACSW maintains an office in Edmonton, Alberta with four social work staff and eight administrative staff.

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