Actions and Commitments

Call to Action # 1 : Child Welfare (1-5)

Université de Saint-Boniface School of Social Work

June 5, 2024

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is recognized and accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE). The USB School of Social Work is also an institutional member of CASWE.

This French-language Bachelor of Social Work program offers a post-secondary curriculum that trains social workers with the skills required to optimize the interactions of individuals, families, groups and communities with their environment, with an objective of social and individual development.

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 (2)

SWRK 1313: The Emergence of the Canadian Welfare State

The study of transformations over time in the politics of social welfare in Canada. The course focuses on Indigenous societies, the colonial era, the emergence, development and collapse of the Canadian welfare state, and current challenges and future trends in welfare policy.

SWRK 4221: Indigenous People and Social Work Practice 

Analysis of social work practice and welfare policy from an Indigenous perspective. Study of historical and contemporary themes that have influenced the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian state. Exploration of various approaches and practices of change (client and service systems) that will support the survival, self-determination, socio-cultural well-being and resilience of the Indigenous community.

Baccalauréat en travail social – Annuaire 2023 – Université de Saint-Boniface (ustboniface.ca)

Faculty of Social Work Commitment to Call to Action # 1: 3 out of 3 = 100%

3History and impact of residential schools (theory)
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.
4Potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing (practice)
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.
5All child welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers
Yes. See mandatory course descriptions.

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
7Will 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
We acknowledge that we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory, as well as on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree and Dakota peoples, and the homeland of the Métis nation.We also acknowledge that the coming together of the First Nations and French Canadians led to the creation of the Métis nation and their communities of North America.Not located on School of Social Work website, but on the following section of the website: A Dialogue With the First Nations – Université de Saint-Boniface (ustboniface.ca)
8Will 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
Not explicitly addressed
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 Saint-Boniface School of Social Work DID NOT RESPOND to multiple Indigenous Watchdog inquiries.

Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog
Lead Researcher, Julia Dubé