Increasingly, social work services including counselling and therapy can be offered across provincial and national boundaries by electronic means. If you are a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and are receiving social work services through the use of a computer, smart phone or video technology from a social worker in another Canadian province, please review the following information.
Social workers registered to practice in another Canadian province may practice electronically in NL if they meet the following criteria and provide verification to NLCSW:
- registered in good standing in the province in which they reside
- bachelors, masters or doctoral degree in social work accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education, the Council on Social Work Education or international equivalent
- clear certificate of conduct/criminal records check
- valid professional liability insurance
Social workers from other provinces who provide electronic services to clients in NL are required to inform clients where they are registered and the name of their provincial social work regulatory body. They must be aware of resources in NL to assist clients and provide clear and explicit guidance to clients who may require crisis services when the social worker is unavailable.
All social workers who practice in NL, regardless of where they reside, must adhere to the following code of ethics and standards:
Please note that if a social worker is residing in NL, they are required to be registered with NLCSW to provide all forms of social work services including electronic services. Regardless of their registration status, social workers residing in countries other than Canada are not permitted to provide social work services to clients in NL.