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春雨直播 the Presenter

Shawna Paris, ONS, KC, MSW, RSW-CS, BCCH, PhD (std), is an inspiring and highly accomplished African Nova Scotian leading this transformative course. Shawna brings thirty years of legal expertise and twenty years of clinical social work experience to her training as a private practice trauma specialist and licensed social worker. She is the founder of the National Institute of Forensic Social Work in Canada (est. 2016) and the first international member of the Board of Directors for the National Organization of Forensic Social Work in the U.S.A. With her extensive background, Shawna delivers dynamic and practical insights that will equip you to excel in trauma-informed forensic practice.

Workshop Summary

Social work practitioners are employed in workplaces that require familiarity with and knowledge of a variety of legal concepts. When working in the justice system, social workers must have the 鈥渉ands-on鈥� essential skills to be confident and effective practitioners to meet social work standards and ethical obligations of the social work profession. Many of the services that hire social workers in beginner generalist or specialist forensic positions in the legal system offer in-house training specific to the worker鈥檚 tasks in the workplace. Professional development intersectional training in essential practice skills for forensic social work (social-legal skills) is limited or non-existent in Canada at this time yet exists as a vibrant area of practice in other countries. Many schools of social work education in Canada offer academic courses that are evidence and theory-based in law and social work. There are no independent professional development programs that offer 鈥渉ands-on鈥� skills training that is focused on the intersection of law and social work practice (forensic social work) and the development of forensic social work as a sub-specialty of practice outside of the workshops and courses offered through 春雨直播 University School of Social Work Continuing Education and the National Institute of Forensic Social Work. 听

With this emerging field of practice and the demand for access to justice, social workers are taking on new roles in the legal system. The current trend in the practice of law in Canada is to resolve legal matters utilizing less adversarial methods such as settlement conferences, mediation, parenting co-ordination, family conferencing and restorative approaches. We are seeing an increase in the emergence of specialty courts, yet the demand and need for adversarial processes continue to increase, especially in child protection, criminal law, youth justice, adult criminal law, corrections law and human rights. Social workers are usually front and center in the justice process.听 As such, in fulfilling the duties of a forensic social worker in areas such as child protection, private practice social work, probation services, corrections, or forensic hospitals, social workers must understand the processes of the court and the tools used by lawyers, crowns and judges and an understanding of collaborative law practice.听 Having the essential skills and knowledge of legal practice and procedures will align the work of a forensic social worker with that of the legal practitioner, the courts and the justice system.

Forensic social work practice is dynamic, demanding and an evolving sub-specialty in Canada. This engaging and interactive four-week workshop on Essential Skills for Forensic Social Work Practice has a lecture and 鈥渉ands-on鈥� skills-based components that will increase your practice skills when engaged with the legal system. The workshop is designed to develop the learner鈥檚 confidence, knowledge of legal processes, courtroom skills, writing and drafting skills of court documents, critical thinking skills and use of contemporary approaches that are grounded in core competencies for social workers such as anti-oppressive practice, anti-racist, cultural competence and humility, trauma-informed, and professional ethical commitment. Through introductory-level interactive exercises, critical reflections, thought-provoking case studies, and skills-building exercises such as affidavit writing, forensic interviewing from a cultural lens, submission of expert evidence and testifying in court, you will learn to improve your forensic skills and increase your awareness of the law. Learners will gain skills that are realistic and best practice-based.

The combination of theory and practice was super. ~ course participant

Target Audience

If your work is related to the justice system or you are new to social work practice and have an interest in attaining the skills and knowledge to work as a generalist in forensic social work, then this is a 鈥渕ust-have鈥� workshop for you.

This workshop is geared towards those who have an interest in developing a sub-specialty hands-on skill set in forensic social work. 听The workshop is ideal for the generalist social work practitioner who is familiar with common legal concepts that impact social work and human service practice in the legal system.

The social work practitioners most likely to benefit from this workshop are private practice clinicians, legal system navigators, litigation support social workers, court social workers, family court assessors, parenting coordinators, hospital clinical social workers, those in corrections law, child protection services, psychiatric social work practice, mental health, youth justice, adult justice, those who do community practice with grassroots organizations and those with a general interest in forensic social work practice.听

Learning Goals & Objectives

The focus of this workshop is specific to the practice of social work in the justice system. It is a skills-based interactive online workshop. As participants/learners, you will be introduced to the basics of forensic social work practice from a skills-based social-legal lens in keeping with the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. You will rely on your theoretical training in social work from previous academic studies and continuing education training in forensic social work practice. 听As a learner, you will increase your knowledge and develop essential skills for forensic social work practice based on 4 weekly 4-hour modules that include:

1.听听听听 Core Competencies for Forensic Social Work Practice听focuses on building forensic skills and enhancing knowledge for workshop learners regarding cultural competence and humility, critical thinking, unconscious bias, anti-oppressive, trauma-informed forensic interviewing, and working with diverse populations in legal systems.

2.听听听听 Tools for the Court听focus on creating awareness and competence and developing听skills in the drafting of court documents such as affidavits, assessments, cultural plans, reports, and the organization and readiness of the 鈥渂usiness record鈥�, to name a few.

3.听听听听 You the Expert听will guide the learner to develop the skills and knowledge for forensic social work practice in the courts by providing information and instruction specific to courtroom etiquette, presenting expert reports, testifying in court, advocacy and other core skills.

4.听听听听 Collaborative Inter-Professional Practice听will consider best practice models used in collaborative social-legal settings and other common inter-professional workplaces. An emphasis will be placed on standards of practice, codes of ethics and liability issues that may arise for both professions in shared workplaces to address possible conflicts such as competing ethics. Information will be shared specific to career opportunities in forensic social work practice and available resources.

At the end of the 4-week workshop, you will have increased your understanding, working knowledge and legal drafting skills as a beginner generalist or specialist forensic social worker practitioner. Overall, you will have gained new skills and knowledge that enhance your confidence, and competence and prepare you for new opportunities to the benefit of your career, your clients and your employer(s).

I enjoyed the opportunity to write the PSR/Workplan. It is not something I have ever done but it is great to have the exercise. ~ course participant

Format

This workshop is comprised of 4 weekly modules. Each module requires approximately 4 hours of online work. Participants are required to complete all 4 modules and pass a short quiz at the end of each module or complete a skill-building exercise.听 听听

Speed of learning and ease with technology will affect the time it takes to complete the course exercises. Basic technical and computer skills are required to watch online videos, post questions and comments, and navigate the website.

Loved that it was well-organized and easy to navigate. ~ course participant

There are no scheduled lecture times. The course site is available 24/7.听16 continuing education credit hours.