Developmental services workers may get their own professional college
Most people aren't too sure what
a developmental services worker
does. A new move — creating its
own college — aims to change that.
Mark Benner, a professor in the developmental services worker program at Fanshawe, summed up the two-year, four-semester program. After graduating with a DSW diploma, "they'll be supporting people — adults and children — who have various types of developmental disabilities. That would include intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, spina bifida or learning disabilities — those are different types of developmental disabilities," he explained.
Currently, there is a movement in Ontario towards developing a professional association of developmental services workers. This is the first step towards forming a college, which would be similar to those of the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario and the College of Psychologists of Ontario. The program itself would stay the same, but creating an association would have many benefits.
According to a document put together by Benner, an association would create and enhance the workers' image in the field, set standards for practice, empower members and give them a voice. Overall, "it further legitimizes the DSW diploma and the idea of professionalism, that there are standards," said Benner.
Standards are important to set when dealing with a vulnerable sector of the population, he added. "The bottom line here is that we want to make sure that there is ethical, quality care and support for people with disabilities," he explained.
"If you were a parent who had a child with a disability, you would probably feel a little more secure knowing that the individual providing support to your son or daughter had qualifications, was educated and trained and experienced in supporting people with disabilities."
The association stage of the process takes some time. "(Right now, we're) getting people organized, having focus groups and informing people through the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities website." The end goal is to create a College of Developmental Services Workers. "It's going to take five years or more to get that far."
Benner said he hopes creating a college will attract more people to the field. "There's a lot of attention being paid to the DSW. There have been issues in the past because there are just not enough DSWs in the workforce. This is good for DSWs because they're going to get jobs. The Ministry (of Community and Social Services) is trying to figure out why that is."
Benner said he thinks the lack of interest is "partly because people don't understand what a disability is, or what it involves. They don't understand what a DSW does, and people aren't typically interested in working with people with disabilities. The Ministry of Community and Social Services is looking at spending a fair amount of time and resources ... trying to come up with strategies to address this. There's a lot of work being done."
For more information on Fanshawe's developmental services worker program, visit tinyurl.com/fanshawedsw. To learn more about the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities, visit www.OADD.org. For more information about the Ministry of Community and Social Services, visit www.mcss.gov.on.ca.
Mark Benner, a professor in the developmental services worker program at Fanshawe, summed up the two-year, four-semester program. After graduating with a DSW diploma, "they'll be supporting people — adults and children — who have various types of developmental disabilities. That would include intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, spina bifida or learning disabilities — those are different types of developmental disabilities," he explained.
Currently, there is a movement in Ontario towards developing a professional association of developmental services workers. This is the first step towards forming a college, which would be similar to those of the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario and the College of Psychologists of Ontario. The program itself would stay the same, but creating an association would have many benefits.
According to a document put together by Benner, an association would create and enhance the workers' image in the field, set standards for practice, empower members and give them a voice. Overall, "it further legitimizes the DSW diploma and the idea of professionalism, that there are standards," said Benner.
Standards are important to set when dealing with a vulnerable sector of the population, he added. "The bottom line here is that we want to make sure that there is ethical, quality care and support for people with disabilities," he explained.
"If you were a parent who had a child with a disability, you would probably feel a little more secure knowing that the individual providing support to your son or daughter had qualifications, was educated and trained and experienced in supporting people with disabilities."
The association stage of the process takes some time. "(Right now, we're) getting people organized, having focus groups and informing people through the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities website." The end goal is to create a College of Developmental Services Workers. "It's going to take five years or more to get that far."
Benner said he hopes creating a college will attract more people to the field. "There's a lot of attention being paid to the DSW. There have been issues in the past because there are just not enough DSWs in the workforce. This is good for DSWs because they're going to get jobs. The Ministry (of Community and Social Services) is trying to figure out why that is."
Benner said he thinks the lack of interest is "partly because people don't understand what a disability is, or what it involves. They don't understand what a DSW does, and people aren't typically interested in working with people with disabilities. The Ministry of Community and Social Services is looking at spending a fair amount of time and resources ... trying to come up with strategies to address this. There's a lot of work being done."
For more information on Fanshawe's developmental services worker program, visit tinyurl.com/fanshawedsw. To learn more about the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities, visit www.OADD.org. For more information about the Ministry of Community and Social Services, visit www.mcss.gov.on.ca.
