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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Global Report 2017: Ending Violence in Childhood

Know Violence in Childhood , 26 Sep 2017

The report compiles information from a series of global research papers commissioned by Know Violence, presenting the scale and scope of childhood violence globally. Examples of preventative efforts from governments, communities, and organizations are provided to illustrate the feasibility of preventing violence on local and national levels.

Minimum Standards of Care and Protection for Children (MSC) in Residential Facilities (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.

Care Reform in Moldova: Timeline of System Achievements

MEASURE Evaluation & USAID, 15 Sep 2017

This infographic provides a historical timeline of the alternative care reform process in Moldova, marking key achievements in the establishment of policies, guidelines, procedures, and programs to improve the quality of care and protection for children without adequate family care.

Care Reform in Armenia: Timeline of System Achievements

MEASURE Evaluation and USAID, 15 Sep 2017

This infographic provides a historical timeline of the alternative care reform process in Armenia, marking key achievements in the establishment of policies, strategies, guidelines, procedures, and programs to improve the quality of care and protection for children without adequate family care.

Starting with the end in view: Designing OVC programs with responsible exit planning for families, programs and national systems

4Children/OVCsupport.org, 12 Sep 2017

In this webinar recording, 4Children and KIDSS share learning about how to prepare and plan, at the family and programmatic level, for exiting out of OVC programs.

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Good practices in case management: How your OVC program can be ready for a Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS) Assessment

Kelley Bunkers & Tom Ventimiglia - 4Children/CRS, 01 Sep 2017

This guide has been written in order to assist OVC program personnel to understand key terms and concepts used in the Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS) Community Tool, specifically the section on case management services for OVC.

Case Study on Improving HIV Testing and Services for Children Orphaned or made Vulnerable by HIV (OVC): Approaches of the Yekokeb Berhan Program for Highly Vulnerable Children in Ethiopia

Francesca Stuer & Kate Greenaway - 4Children/CRS, 25 Aug 2017

In this case study, Coordinating Comprehensive Care of Children (4Children) documents and evaluates the work of Pact's Yekokeb Berhan Program for Highly Vulnerable Children in Ethiopia.

Case Study on Improving HIV Testing and Services for Children Orphaned or made Vulnerable by HIV (OVC): Approaches of the Leo Toto and APHIAplus Nuru ya Bonde Programs in Kenya

Francesca Stuer & Kate Greenaway - 4Children/Catholic Relief Services, 25 Aug 2017

In this case study, Coordinating Comprehensive Care of Children (4Children) documents and evaluates the work of COGRI’s Lea Toto program and the FHI360 led APHIAplus program in Kenya.

Case Study on Improving HIV Testing and Services for Children Orphaned or Made Vulnerable by HIV (OVC): Approaches of the Expanded Impact Program in Zimbabwe

Francesca Stuer & Kate Greenaway - 4Children/Catholic Relief Services, 25 Aug 2017

In this case study, Coordinating Comprehensive Care of Children (4Children) documents and evaluates the work of the World Education/Bantwana Expanded IMPACT program in Zimbabwe.

Thoughts on public policy to increase family-based care and decrease institutional care

Gary W. Newton - Child Abuse & Neglect , 01 Aug 2017

This article highlights the challenges to reforming care policy and provides recommendations for those working to create policies that increase family-based care and decrease institutional care at the national level.