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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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.

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 (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.

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.

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.

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

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.