Social Service Workforce Strengthening

A strong social service workforce is critical to meeting the needs of children without adequate family care. From government policy-makers, local administrators, researchers and social workers, to educators, community workers and care providers, social service actors play a key role in protecting girls and boys and promoting their care.

The development of a skilled and well-supported social service workforce is particularly important as countries move toward reforming their care systems and work to reduce reliance on residential care, strengthen families, prevent separation and promote family and community-based alternative care options. This is a challenging undertaking that requires social service actors from national to community level who are competent and willing to make changes to the way they deliver care, and are able to establish and manage a new range of preventive and responsive care services to children and families.

Strengthening the social service workforce in any country is complex. It involves creating supportive legislation and policies; developing recruitment, selection, employment, supervision, support and registration procedures; establishing education and training programmes; improving working conditions, ensuring licensing and practice standards; recognizing the status of care professionals; and raising awareness to change mindsets on care.

All of this requires working with a wide range of actors involved in supporting children and families. Substantial allocation (or redirection) of financial resources is also required, to ensure that sufficient numbers of skilled social service workers are available to work directly with children and their families at the community level, as well as at a higher administrative level to oversee care services and regulations.

This section contains documentation of social service workforce development within the context of national care reform and child protection system strengthening, including guidance, lessons learned and training tools.

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Fostering a culture of family‐centred care: Child welfare professionals' beliefs about fathers, family instability, and the value of relationship education

Jacquelyn K. Mallette, Ted G. Futris, David G. Schramm - Child & Family Social Work, 21 Nov 2017

Guided by the Cultural Competence Attainment Model, the purpose of this study is to examine how socio‐demographic and work characteristics are associated with variations in child welfare professionals' (CWPs) attitudes about father involvement and family instability and how these attitudes are linked with whether they view relationship and marriage education as relevant to their efforts to support families.

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Independence and effectiveness: Messages from the role of Independent Reviewing Officers in England

Chris Beckett, Jonathan Dickens, Gillian Schofield, Georgia Philip and Julie Young - Children and Youth Services Review , 05 Nov 2017

The paper draws on a mixed methods study the role and effectiveness of Independent Reviewing Officers in England.

A Relational Approach to Practice: An Ethical Alternative to Working With Parents in Out-of-Home Care Processes

Elizabeth Claire Reimer - Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 01 Nov 2017

This qualitative study explored a relational practice approach with parents whose children have been removed into out-of-home care in Australia.

The Family Support Service Practical Guide: A set of Methodological Guidelines for the Regional Social Assistance Structures

Tatiana Dnestrean, Svetlana Rîjicova, & Stela Grigoraș - Partnerships for Every Child, Advancing Partners and Communities, 01 Nov 2017

This guide represents a methodological support that describes the procedures for the provision, organization and operation of the Family Support Service.

Case Management Practical Guide: A set of Methodological Guidelines for the Regional Social Assistance Structures

Svetlana Rîjicova & Stela Grigoraș - Partnerships for Every Child, Government of the Republic of Moldova & Advancing Partners and Communities, 01 Nov 2017

This guide is designed for social workers employed in the social services addressed to families and children in Moldova. In this version, the case management methodology focuses on family strengthening and the development of family’s competences, with the ultimate aim of achieving every child’s well-being.

Building a working alliance between professionals and service users in family preservation. A multiple case study

Roos Julie Steens, Koen Hermans, Tine Van Regenmortel - Child & Family Social Work, 17 Oct 2017

The authors of this article performed a multiple case study to gather information about barriers and facilitators in building a working alliance between social workers and families.

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Violence Against Children in All Care Settings: Africa Expert Consultation (Annex)

African Child Policy Forum & Better Care Network, 09 Oct 2017

This Annex compiles the presentations delivered at the 21-22 June 2017 Africa Expert Consultation on Violence Against Children in All Care Settings and is intended to accompany the Final Report of the meeting.

Preventing and Responding to Violence against Children in All Care Settings in Africa: A Call to Action

Inter-Agency Group, 09 Oct 2017

Resulting from the June 2017 Africa Expert Consultation on Violence against Children in All Care Settings and adopted by all participants, this Declaration calls upon leaders at national, sub-regional, pan-African and global levels for further action to fulfill their obligation to protect children against violence in all care settings, with emphasis on alternative care.

Violence Against Children in All Care Settings: Africa Expert Consultation (Final Report)

African Child Policy Forum & Better Care Network, 09 Oct 2017

This report describes the details of the Africa Expert Consultation: Violence Against Children in All Care Settings, which took place 21-22 June 2017.

Guidelines on Registration and Support for Voluntary Organisations (in Myanmar language)

Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of Myanmar & UNICEF, 26 Sep 2017

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of Myanmar, with the support of UNICEF, launched a set of guidelines and minimum standards, alongside monitoring and oversight plans, aimed at bettering the lives of children in residential care.