NSCSW Workshop: Anti-oppressive documentation for social workers

Nova Scotia College of Social Workers

A workshop exploring how social workers can disrupt harmful documentation practices in their work and adopt anti-oppressive strategies.

Documentation has been a core responsibility in helping and social work settings for many years. No matter the agency or sector, social workers have and exercise power through the facts, information, and stories they record in their work. But, what do those stories and information tell and who potentially benefits from / is harmed by these stories and information? While documentation remains an integral aspect of quality healthcare by supporting reflection, analysis, communication, and quality improvement, it nonetheless remains a power-laden practice, one that can contribute to or work against oppression (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35524034" title="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35524034" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Healy et al., 2022</a>; <a href="https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=740174&article_id=4226527&view=articleBrowser" title="https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=740174&article_id=4226527&view=articleBrowser" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">MacLachlan &amp; Grenier, 2022</a>). As social workers, we have a timely responsibility to align ourselves with socially just, anti-oppressive, and ethical documentation practices. To do this, we can begin by critically reflect on current practices and brainstorm/apply practices grounded in anti-oppression and human rights. This half-day workshop equips social work professionals with foundational knowledge of anti-oppressive documentation practices and explores concrete tools to begin applying anti-oppressive documentation strategies to their current practice. During the first part of the workshop, the presenters will introduce participants to important concepts of anti-oppressive documentation practices in a lecture format. During the second part, participants will have the opportunity to practise applying learned concepts and discuss current challenges and opportunities in practice in small and large, with the support of presenters. Please note that this workshop will not be added to the <a href="https://youtube.com/@nscsw" title="https://youtube.com/@nscsw" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">NSCSW webinar archive on YouTube</a>, and so will only be available to the participants who register and attend. <h3>Speakers</h3><h4>Marie-Lyne Grenier, MScOT, DOT, PhD(c), erg.</h4>Marie-Lyne Grenier resides and works in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal) on the unceded lands of the Kanien'kehá:ka people. Marie-Lyne has worked as an occupational therapist in the USA and Canada since 2010 in various practice areas, including musculoskeletal rehabilitation, return-to-work rehabilitation, home care, and ergonomics. She is also an Assistant Professor (Professional) in the Occupational Therapy Department at McGill University and a PhD candidate in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education at McGill. Marie-Lyne’s PhD research aims to better understand the educational experiences that support the development/strengthening of a commitment to equity and justice in healthcare contexts.<h4>Janna MacLachlan, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.)</h4>Janna MacLachlan resides and works in Iqaluit, Nunavut, part of Inuit Nunangat, the homeland of Inuit that falls within the borders of Canada. Janna has worked as an occupational therapist since 2006 in various practice areas, including generalist practice, school health, acute care, and global health, and has worked in locations including Nunavut, Ontario, and India. Janna’s doctoral work, completed in 2022, collaboratively engaged Inuit ways of knowing, critical social science approaches and critical reflexivity to examine issues of health inequity, power and privilege, and reconciliation in rehabilitation services offered to Inuit children in Nunavut. She is a Banting Postdoctoral Researcher at the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre. <h3>Objectives</h3> <ul><li>Knowledge: Learn, identify, and understand strategies for anti-oppressive documentation in social work and helping professions.</li></ul><ul><li>Values: Examine and shifts assumptions, beliefs, and/or worldviews related to dominant and oppressive forms of documentation in helping professions; critically reflect on the role of social workers in addressing oppressive norms in documentation and record keeping.</li></ul><ul><li>Skills: Recognize the ways that documentation practices can contribute to or work against oppression, particularly for equity-seeking service users and communities; apply anti-oppressive documentation practices to social work and helping practices.</li></ul><ul><li>Relational: Connect, learn, and practice with other social workers and helping professionals from across Nova Scotia.</li></ul> <h3>Related Code of Ethics &amp; Standards of Practice</h3> <h4>NSCSW:</h4> <ul><li>Value 1: Respecting the Dignity and Worth of All People</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 1.2: Social workers promote the self-determination and autonomy of all People.</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 1.6: Social workers uphold the rights of all People to receive services in a manner that considers intersecting factors of exclusion and respects all manner of diversity.</li></ul><ul><li>Value 2: Promoting Social Justice</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 2.1: Social workers uphold the principles of social justice related to the rights of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to receive fair and equitable access to services, resources, and opportunities and to be free of oppression, racism, and discrimination.</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 2.4: Social workers advocate for the rights of all individuals, families, groups, and communities to be free from oppression, exclusion, racism, and discrimination.</li></ul><ul><li>Value 4: Valuing Relationships</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 4.2: Social workers continually develop self-awareness and practise self-reflection to guide their practice and personal well-being.</li></ul><ul><li>Value 5: Preserving Integrity in Professional Practice</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 5.1: Social workers act with integrity, are honest, responsible, trustworthy, and accountable.</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 5.4: Social workers in private practice act with integrity in all business practices.</li></ul><ul><li>Value 6: Maintaining Privacy and Confidentiality</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 6.1: Social workers uphold the interests of service users, members of the public, and other professionals in developing and safeguarding the trust placed in the confidential relationship.</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 6.2: Social workers respect the right to confidentiality of information shared and documented in a professional context.</li></ul><ul><li>Value 7: Providing Culturally Responsive Competent Professional Services</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 7.1: Social workers are committed to the ongoing development of their professional abilities and knowledge, aiming to ensure the delivery of culturally responsive professional services.</li></ul><ul><li>Guiding Principle 7.2: Social workers practise within their level of competence and seek appropriate guidance when services required are beyond their competence.</li></ul> <h3>Eligibility</h3><h4>NSCSW Members</h4>All active, associate, retired associate, and student members of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers are welcome to attend through the purchase of a $25 member-ticket. This workshop is offered at a subsidized rate through member services funded by annual registration fees.<h4>Community Partners</h4>All allied practitioners in Nova Scotia/Mi'kma'ki interested in this topic are eligible to sign up for a $50 partner ticket; just let us know which profession you are apart of when you register. <h3>Professional development tracking</h3>For members of NSCSW, participating in this event is eligible to fulfill the annual requirement for professional development related to anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice. Members who have already completed that requirement for the year may instead categorize this session as formal professional development.Visit<a href="https://nscsw.org/practice/professional-development-standards/" title="https://nscsw.org/practice/professional-development-standards/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> nscsw.org/pd</a> for more information about the updated professional development requirements for Nova Scotia social workers. <h3>Questions?</h3>If you have questions about our advocacy events or professional development program, please contact the College's Professional Development Consultant, Tyler Colbourne at <a href="mailto:tyler.colbourne@nscsw.org" title="mailto:tyler.colbourne@nscsw.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">tyler.colbourne@nscsw.org</a>.If you RSVP'd and are having trouble accessing the online event, please contact nscsw@nscsw.org.

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