Lynn Brogan's exceptional commitment and dedication to social work for over 40 years has been a beacon of inspiration to members of our profession in Nova Scotia.
Lynn holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Sociology) from the University of New Brunswick, a Bachelor of Social Work from Saint Thomas University, and a Master of Social Work from Dalhousie University. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, she has held an impressive range of social work positions during her career, including mental health clinician, frontline child protection social worker, supervisor, manager, program consultant, child welfare specialist, regional administrator, and executive director.
As a Regional Administrator of Community Services, Lynn led a team of over 400 staff delivering vital programs and services in central Nova Scotia. In her role as Executive Director with the Disabled Persons Commission, Lynn was instrumental in designing, developing, and implementing the province’s first accessibility legislation.
Lynn has fulfilled multiple roles at the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW), including volunteer contributions on several committees, a six-month stint on staff as Acting Executive Director/Registrar. Most recently she has been a member of NSCSW Council, as their Treasurer from 2018-2020, and President from 2020-2024, serving with incredible distinction.
In particular, Lynn's unrelenting dedication to child welfare has led to significant policy changes that have direct, positive impacts on countless lives. She helmed the NSCSW’s committee on child welfare, leading them towards the creation of the "Child Welfare on the Brink" campaign in 2019. This campaign was instrumental in persuading the government to recognize and address the crisis in child welfare, and advocated for securing much-needed funding to ensure that vulnerable families could receive the support they need to improve their circumstances and provide a safer, more stable environment for children. Eventually, NSCSW and their community partners were able to win the creation of a stabilization payment for families with children in temporary care and custody whose eligibility for the Canada Child Benefit had been interrupted, to support their journey towards achieving reunification.
Her visionary approach to child welfare is also evident in her contributions to the NSCSW’s 2023 policy paper, Building an Ecosystem for Child and Family Well-being. Lynn has consistently advocated for a practice framework rooted in the values of the social work profession, a policy that was won through Lynn’s leadership, and adopted by government in 2023.
Furthermore, Lynn spearheaded and led advocacy for the creation of a child and youth advocate office in Nova Scotia. This office, which the government has finally agreed to create, will serve an essential voice for that province’s most vulnerable citizens, ensuring their needs and rights are not overlooked or ignored. It represents a major stride in child protection and advocacy, offering an additional layer of support and representation for children and youth within the system.
Promoting the role of social work in child welfare is of paramount importance. Social workers like Lynn play a crucial role in our society, tirelessly dedicating their efforts to protect and enhance the lives of people who would otherwise struggle to make their voices heard.