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Faculty of Social Sciences

Social Work

Child Welfare Concurrent Certificate

Child Welfare Concurrent Certificate

The McMaster University School of Social Work has partnered with child welfare agencies in southwestern Ontario to offer an enhanced educational experience to Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students in the areas of child welfare and child protection.

The Concurrent Certificate Critical Practice in Child Welfare emphasizes knowledge, skills and attitudes that underpin child welfare work, and nurtures student attitudes and critical thinking abilities by drawing on current research and best practice from around the world, including Indigenous approaches to child welfare.

This Certificate prepares BSW students for long-term careers in any child protection system in Canada and similar child protection settings internationally. Emphasis will be placed on the policy and practice limitations and possibilities of various child welfare systems that students may work within. Attention is paid to producing graduates with the potential for future leadership within child welfare who can successfully work within the system while also having the ability to think outside them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students in both the Honours BSW and BSW Post Degree programs can participate in the Certificate. Part-time students and BSW Post Degree students should speak with the Academic Department Manager and Advisor to carefully plan their credits.

Eligible and interested BSW students are also encouraged to discuss their interest in the Certificate with the Field Education Coordinator so they can appropriately plan their placement for SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B.

In order to assess and grant permission for students to register for SOCWORK 4SA3, the School of Social Work will utilize evaluations completed as part of SOCWORK 4W03 when possible and also the SOCWORK 3DD6 Field Practicum and Seminar.

If students are exempt from the SOCWORK 3DD6 Field Practicum due to relevant work and/or educational experiences, they will be considered for SOCWORK 4SA3 on a case-by-case basis. Students who have been granted an exemption are asked to contact the Academic Department Manager and Advisor to determine what is required to confirm eligibility for the Certificate.

If students who are interested in the Certificate complete a SOCWORK 3DD6 Summer Block and SOCWORK 4DD6 Concurrent (i.e. back-to-back placements), they will receive conditional acceptance into the Certificate. Acceptance will be confirmed following receipt and review of the SOCWORK 3DD6 mid-term evaluations.

SOCWORK 3DD6 evaluations will be reviewed by the Certificate selection committee to determine eligibility and acceptance into the Certificate, as well as to grant permission to register for SOC WORK 4SA3. The selection committee will be reviewing the overall progress of the student, and confirming whether the student has developed and demonstrated social work knowledge, skills, and attitudes as part of their SOCWORK 3DD6 Field Practicum to the level that makes them ready to succeed in the advanced theory and process course. Particular emphasis will be placed at demonstrable “soft skills,” that is, the student possesses the skills and has demonstrated the ability to engage with clients, foster collaborative working relationships, engage in critical reflexivity and self-reflection, and practice from a social justice and anti-oppressive standpoint.

Students will be notified of their ability to register for the Advanced Theory, Process and Communication course before registration for the Fall/Winter terms opens in Mosaic.

Students will usually complete all of the following: 

  • SOCWORK 4W03 (Child Welfare course);
  • SOCWORK 3D06 Field Placement (in a related area, but not in a child welfare agency); be sure to discuss your interest in the Certificate with the Field Education coordinator who will help you identify a relevant setting;
  • SOCWORK 4SA3 (Advanced Theory Process & Communications: Critical Practice in Child Welfare course, to be taken in 4th year);
  • SOCWORK 4D06 Field Placement (with one of the participating child welfare agencies) 

In addition to the information already shared, students should know the following:

  • Do you have access to a vehicle? Most child welfare agencies require that students have a car while on placement and some agencies are a 30 to 60 minute drive from McMaster University.
  • Plan your units carefully, and have a back-up plan. Three units are needed for the advanced course on case work, and enrollment in this course is capped at 12 students.