McMaster’s School of Social Work program places emphasis on the social structuring of individual and community problems, and on social work’s commitment to enhancing social justice and challenging oppression.

Social work has always been concerned with the intersection of private troubles and public issues and is committed to the enhancement of social justice. We aim to prepare students for practice in a wide variety of social and community services and critical reflection on their activities as both professionals and citizens. Through our research and community engagements, we address some of the tensions in contemporary social programs and, in the context of a changing world, strive to understand and challenge various forms and dynamics of social inequality. Our areas of focus include:

• Struggle for Social Justice
• Critical Practice and Leadership
• Advocacy and Support
• Political and Institutional Change

School of Social Work Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation

The School of Social Work does not make any explicit commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

TRC Call to Action # 1

We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care by: 

1. Monitoring and assessing neglect investigations
2. Providing adequate resources to enable Aboriginal communities and child-welfare organizations to keep Aboriginal families together where it is safe to do so, and to keep children in culturally appropriate environments, regardless of where they reside.
3. Ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the history and impacts of residential schools.
4. Ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing.
5. Requiring that all child-welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers.

Mandatory Course: Yes

INDIGST 1A03: Introduction to Indigenous Studies – 3 Units

The course focuses on the histories, societies and politics of First Nation, Metis and Inuit peoples, the distinctive features of Indigenous worldviews and the history of relationships with European settler societies, with attention to treaties, legislation and activism.  

Indigenous Pathways

The McMaster School of Social Work has a broad mission to structure social work education, research, and practice in pursuit of social justice and collective welfare. This includes a desire to focus on Indigenous experiences, knowledge, and approaches towards disrupting colonialism. To this end, the School is identifying Indigenous Pathways through the Bachelor of Social Work program.

The Indigenous Pathway involves nine units of coursework and a focused placement:

INDIGST 1A03: Introduction to Indigenous Studies

INDIGST 3I03: Social Work and Indigenous People

INDIGST 4QQ3: Indigenizing Social Work Practice Approaches

A fourth-year placement in an indigenous-focused agency or setting

Indigenous Pathway AND Minor in Indigenous Studies (Honours BSW students only)

The Indigenous Pathway plus Minor in Indigenous Studies involves twenty-seven units of coursework, and a focused placement.

Faculty of Social Work Commitment to Call to Action 1: 3, 4 and 5: 3 out of 3 = 100%

3	History and impact of residential schools (theory)
	Yes. Mandatory course on the history of relationships with European settler societies (INDIGST 1A03)
4	Potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing (practice)
	Yes, but limited to the Indigenous Pathway coursework.
5	All child welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers
	Yes. See # 3 above

Compliance with CASWE/ACFTS Statement of Complicity and Commitment to Change

At the May 27th, 2017 Board meeting, the Board of Directors of CASWE-ACFTS committed to ensuring that social work education in Canada contributes to transforming Canada’s colonial reality and approved a “Statement of Complicity and Commitment to Change”. “This is an important step in engaging social work education in the reconciliation process and supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action” affirms CASWE-ACFTS President, Dr. Susan Cadel. Of the 12 actions articulated in the “Statement of Complicity and Commitment to Change, the following two are directed at Schools of Social Work

7	Will encourage institutional members to post a territorial acknowledgement on their School’s website and post a link to the CAUT guide to territorial acknowledgement on the CASWE-ACFTS website to assist Schools with this task
	Found on the Student Center section of the website.We acknowledge the traditional territories upon which we gather; McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Haudenosaunee nations, and within the lands protected by the “Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement”. For many thousands of years, the first people sought to walk gently on this land, offering their assistance to the first European travelers and sharing their knowledge for survival in what was at times a harsh climate. We seek a new relationship with the original peoples of this land, one based in honour and deep respect. May we be guided by love and right action as we transform of our personal and institutional relationships with our indigenous friends and neighbours.mcmaster-university-land-acknowledgment-guide.pdf
8	Will encourage and support Canadian schools of social work in revising mission statements, governance processes, curriculum, and pedagogy in ways that both advance the TRC recommendations and the overall indigenization of social work education
	Yes. See Indigenous Pathway.

NOTE: All content has been submitted to the respective faculty for validation to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The McMaster University School of Social Work DID NOT RESPOND to multiple Indigenous Watchdog inquiries. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Lead Researcher: Julia Dubé