If the Order concludes that the member’s level of competence is insufficient to ensure the protection of the public, it may impose a refresher training period on a social worker or a marriage and family therapist who:
- Registers on the membership roll of the Order more than 5 years after obtaining the degree allowing access to the Order, or
- Has re-registered for the membership roll of the Order after an absence of more than 5 years.
If you are in either of these situations when you submit your application for admission or re-registration, the Regulation respecting refresher training periods for members of the Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec applies to you (C-26, r. 296).
Review of the candidate’s application
Imposition of refresher training is not automatic. A review of the file, conducted after the receipt of all required documents and payments, allows the Order to evaluate the candidate’s professional experience.
We can review such applications at any time once we have received all payments and documents required to complete your file.
Please note that if we conclude that your work experience over the last 5 years does not constitute the practice of the profession, your file will be submitted to the next meeting of the Admissions and Equivalences Committee. The Committee may recommend that the Executive Committee impose a refresher training period that can include a practical experience and courses offered by the Order. The issue of your permit and registration on the membership role cannot occur before the imposition of refresher training by the Executive Committee pursuant to the Regulation respecting refresher training of members of the OTSTCFQ (in French only).
However, if a review of your file allows the Order to determine that your professional activities constituted the practice of the social work or the marriage and family therapy profession during the last 5 years, the Admissions Service will recommend the issue of a permit and registration on the membership roll of the Order. This can occur quickly without any additional requirements.
Work experience
If your work experience over the last 5 years does not demonstrate 800 hours of professional activities constituting the practice of the social work or the marriage and family therapy profession, the Admissions Service will recommend imposing a period of refresher training. You will then be notified of this by registered mail.
Once you have received this recommendation to impose refresher training, you can, if you consider it relevant, be heard according to the following steps:
- Submit supplementary information in writing, OR
- Be heard by the Admissions and Equivalences Committee.
If the Admissions and Equivalences Committee maintains the recommendation to impose refresher training, you also have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee. This Committee meets about 6 times per year. You can expect a delay of up to 12 weeks for the processing of your application starting from the date when we receive all required documents and payments.
If the Executive Committee imposes a refresher training period upon admission, you are required to comply with that decision.
If your name is withdrawn from the Membership roll of the Order (for non-renewal, non-payment, etc.) before the refresher training period has been completed, it remains enforceable upon application for re-registration.
Moreover, the Order could impose new conditions, in case of legislative or regulatory amendments.
Please note that any hours of professional practice performed between being struck from the roll and re-registration cannot in any case be recognized by the Order.
