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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Mutual Support for the Care Reform Community

Janestic Twikirize and Florence Martin - GSSWA and BCN, 05 May 2016

This presentation by Janestic Twikirize and Florence Martin of the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance (GSSWA) and Better Care Network (BCN) respectively, given at the Zambia National Consultation to Accelerate Care Reform, describes the work of both organizations and highlights the importance of mutual supporting in advancing care reform efforts.

In-Country Training Opportunities for the Social Services Workforce - Zambia

Benson Chisanga, Ph.D. - University of Zambia, Department of Social Development Studies, 05 May 2016

This presentation from Benson Chisanga, of the University of Zambia’s Department of Social Development Studies, given at the Zambia National Consultation to Accelerate Care Reform, provides basic information on opportunities for the training of the social service workforce in Zambia, focusing on levels of training, challenges, and future prospects.

Status of Child and Youth Care Workers in Zambia & Their Role in Care Reform

Status of Child and Youth Care Workers in Zambia & Their Role in Care Reform, 05 May 2016

This presentation from Fr. Robert Sihubwa, Chairperson of the Zambia Association of Child Care Workers, given at the Zambia National Consultation to Accelerate Care Reform, provides an overview of the status of child care workers in Zambia and their role in, and contributions to, care reform.

Adopted Youth in Residential Care: Prevalence Rate and Professional Training Needs

David Brodzinsky, John Santa & Susan Livingston Smith - Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 18 Apr 2016

In this study, clinical program directors from 59 residential treatment facilities in the US responded to an online survey addressing the representation of adopted youth currently being served by their organization, the extent to which adoption issues are incorporated into clinical intake and treatment processes, and the training needs of clinical staff related to adoption.

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Investing in the relationship: practitioners’ relationships with looked-after children and care leavers in Social Work Practices

Julie Ridley, Cath Larkins, Nicola Farrelly, Shereen Hussein, Helen Austerberry, Jill Manthorpe and Nicky Stanley - Child and Family Social Work, 01 Feb 2016

This paper uses findings from interviews with 169 children and young people across 11 local authorities in England and 5 Social Work Practices (SWPs), undertaken as part of a 3-year national matched control evaluation of pilot SWPs, to identify key elements of good quality practitioner relationships with children or young people.

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Making sense, discovering what works… Cross-agency collaboration in Child Welfare and Protection in Norway and Quebec

Oscar E. Firbank - Journal of Comparative Social Work, 01 Feb 2016

This study seeks to understand collaboration dynamics in social services for determining what strategies work best in facilitating collaborative endeavors in specific policy and institutional environments.

Un Futuro Mejor es Posible: Promover la Vida Familiar para Niños con Discapacidad en Institución - Manual para Profesionales

Servicio Social Internacionale, 2016

Este manual proporciona orientación a los profesionales que trabajan con niños con discapacidades en el cuidado residencial.

Supervision Guideline for Pusan Dukungan Anak dan Keluarga (PDAK) Child and Family Support Centre Social Workers in Working with Children and Families

Susan Morwood, 2016

This Supervision Guideline document from Save the Children contains guidelines and underlying principles for Pusan Dukungan Anak dan Keluarga (PDAK) child and family support centre social workers in working with children and families.

Case Management in Child and Family Support Centre / Pusat Dukungan Anak dan Keluarga (PDAK)

Tata Sudrajat, Dr. Kanya Eka Santi, Nurjannah - Yayasan Sayangi Tunas Cilik , 2016

This book introduces the PDAK – Pusat Dukungan Anak dan Keluarga (Child and Family Support Centre) in Indonesia and the case management system utilized within the centre.

The Community Mapping Toolkit: A Guide to Community Asset Mapping for Community Groups and Local Organisations

Preston City Council, 2016

This toolkit explains the process behind asset mapping, looks at how to carry out a Community Street Audit, provides advice on making asset mapping meaningful and ensuring it leads to constructive action, and on involving different sections of the community - including community residents, elected councillors and representatives from local services. Finally it looks at the tools you may need, and how to keep community and local agencies informed of any action plans arising from the asset mapping.