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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Child Neglect in Guyana

ChildLinK with support from Guyana Childcare & Protection Agency, the European Union and Family for Every Child, 01 Aug 2017

This study, commissioned by ChildLinK, critically examines the factors of child neglect by caregivers in Guyana and offers recommendations for key stakeholders across various disciplines.

Radical practice in a risk-averse environment: Learning from ATD Fourth World UK

Hannah Blumhardt, ATD Fourth World UK, and Anna Gupta - Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 31 Jul 2017

This report examines and shares learnings from ATD Fourth World UK's social work practice framework with families experiencing poverty, discussing its strengths-based collaborative approach to build relationships and reduce power imbalances between practitioners and families. Implications for the feasibility of implementing this framework in child protection social work practice and policy in Aotearoa New Zealand is also addressed.

Africa Expert Consultation on Violence against Children in All Care Settings

Better Care Network & African Child Policy Forum, with support from CRS, Family for Every Child, Hope and Homes for Children and Save the Children , 21 Jul 2017

On 21-22 June 2017, the African Child Policy Forum and Better Care Network - with the support of Catholic Relief Services, Family for Every Child, Hope and Homes for Children and Save the Children - convened 40 leaders representing child rights bodies, regional economic communities, national governments and civil society in Nairobi, Kenya for the Africa Expert Consultation: Violence Against Children in All Care Settings.

Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Caseworkers

Child Welfare Information Gateway, 01 Jul 2017

This bulletin for professionals in the child welfare field explores how caseworkers can identify and support children who are victims of human trafficking as well as children who are at greater risk for future victimization.

Strengthening the Social Welfare Workforce to address Violence against Children in care

Jonna Karlsson - UNICEF, 23 Jun 2017

This UNICEF presentation describes the need for social service workforce strengthening in East and Southern Africa and presents recommendations based on a case example from Rwanda.

Minimum Standards on Comprehensive Services for Children and Young People in the East African Community

Rebecca Theuri & Isabel de Bruin Cardoso - Save the Children & Maestral International/East African Community, 22 Jun 2017

This presentation provides a background on the East African Community (EAC) Child Policy (2016) and describes the minimum standards and corresponding framework and strategies for providing services to children and young people within the East African Community.

Strengthening the care workforce in how to prevent and respond to VAC and care

Beatrice Ongalo – SOS Children’s Villages, 21 Jun 2017

This presentation describes the issue of violence against children in alternative care settings in East and Southern Africa and offers recommendations on how to strengthen the care workforce to ensure it is equipped to prevent and respond to violence against children in alternative care.

Case Management for Children Orphaned or Made Vulnerable by HIV (OVC)

4Children - Catholic Relief Services , 13 Jun 2017

This publication provides a description of 4Children's approach to case management for children orphaned or made vulnerable to HIV and their families.

From the ground up: Developing a national case management system for highly vulnerable children - An experience in Zimbabwe

N. Beth Bradford - Coordinating Comprehensive Care for Children (4Children), Catholic Relief Services, 01 Jun 2017

This case study describes the adaptation of a community-based case management model to a national case management framework for highly vulnerable children in Zimbabwe.

Building a User-Friendly and Government-Owned Case Management System for Highly Vulnerable Children: The Yekokeb Berhan Program Experience in Ethiopia

Kelley Bunkers & Suzanne Andrews - 4Children/CRS, 01 Jun 2017

This case study describes the coordinated care and case management system for highly vulnerable children and their caregivers implemented by the Yekokeb Berhan program in Ethiopia.