If you choose to study social work or criminology at our school, you’ll enjoy an inclusive and stimulating learning environment. We’ll help you develop the critical thinking skills you’ll need to work in your future professional field. You’ll be able to work with people and communities here and abroad.

The Bachelor of Social Work diploma gives access to the reserved title of social worker, issued by the Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec (OTSTCFQ). The degree is also recognized in Canada and the United States, as the program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE).

School of Social Work Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation

In response to Call to Action #1, Laval University’s School of Social Work reports that 2 social work professors have been hired for their expertise on Indigenous issues. Also, at its annual pedagogical assembly, the School of Social Work issues a call to participate in the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Finally, the School of Social Work points out that 2 places are reserved for Indigenous members of Quebec each year in admissions to the Bachelor of Social Work program.

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: None

2 optional courses:

CRI-2110 Justice and Indigenous Peoples

A critical and analytical look at the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the criminal justice system in Canada. Understand how criminal justice has been imposed on Aboriginal peoples and the consequences of this situation. Over-representation of Aboriginals in the Canadian justice system and theories explaining this problem. Political and legislative changes. Cultural adaptations of criminal justice. Actuarial risk management applied to adult Aboriginal offenders.

SVS-4024 Social Work in Aboriginal Contexts 

Exploration of Aboriginal worldviews and values. Study and analysis of policies, laws and practices affecting Aboriginal peoples. Examination of social problems and contemporary issues in social work in Aboriginal contexts. Exploration of various intervention approaches developed by and for aboriginal peoples.

Commitment to Call to Action #1: 0 out of 3 = 0%

3	History and impact of residential schools (theory)
	No, no mandatory course.
4	Potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing (practice)
	No, no mandatory course.
5	All child welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers
	No, no mandatory course.

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
	No land acknowledgement on the School of Social Work website. Land acknowledgement appears in several School of Social Work course outlines:‘We would like to acknowledge that Université Laval is located on Indigenous land, which has never been ceded. In a spirit of friendship and solidarity, Université Laval pays tribute to the First Peoples of these lands. Being at the crossroads of the Niowentsïo of the Huron-Wendat people, the Ndakina of the Wabanaki people, the Nitassinan of the Innu people, the Nitaskinan of the Atikamekw people and the Wolastokuk Malécite, we honor our relationships with one another.”
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
	Moderately, via optional course SVS-4024 Social Work in Aboriginal Contexts

NOTE: All content has been submitted to the respective faculty for validation to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The Université de Laval School of Social Work responded to our submission. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Lead Researcher, Julia Dubé