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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Building Blocks: Africa-wide Briefing Notes: Psychosocial Support

International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2003

Outlines the psychosocial impacts of HIV/AIDS on children and suggests principles and activities to strengthen psychosocial support. Includes a brief list of follow-up resources.

So You Want to Consult with Children? A Toolkit of Good Practice

Save the Children, 2003

A toolkit of good practices for involving children in consultation and policy processes. Includes an extensive guide to additional resources.

Foundations: Working with Children: Resource Pack

Action for the Rights of Children, 2001

Resource pack for a course introducing the skills necessary for communicating with children. Includes facilitator’s notes, exercises, and handouts, as well as a list of relevant resources.

Foundations: Community Mobilisation: Resource Pack

Action for the Rights of Children, 2001

Discusses the importance, benefits and challenges to community mobilisation for refugees and other displaced persons, with a particular emphasis on children. Includes facilitators notes, participatory exercises, overheads, and handouts.

Foundations: Child and Adolescent Development: Resource Pack

Action for the Rights of Children, 2001

Resource pack for a course in child and adolescent development. Emphasis on identifying threats to childhood development and strategies to promote development in adverse conditions. Includes facilitators notes, participatory exercises, overheads, and handouts.

Foundations: Child and Adolescent Development: Resource Pack

Action for the Rights of Children, 2001

Child Needs Assessment Tool Kit

N/A, 2001

A comprehensive tool kit providing a methodology, questionnaire and software for assessing the needs of young children affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Used to help design of service programs, secure funding, and monitor and evaluate programs specifically targeting the needs of young children and their families.

Residential Child Care Staff Selection: Choose with Care

Meredith Kiraly , 2001

Residential Child Care Staff Selection: Choose With Care draws upon international research and the experience of practitioners to help you improve your ability to recruit the best staff in residential care settings for children.

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Education in Emergencies and for Reconstruction: A Developmental Approach

Mary Joy Pigozzi, 1999

Outlines strategies for responding to education needs in communities affected by crisis or chronic instability. Includes a summary of UNICEF’s approach, some practical information on implementation, and an identification of areas where more work is needed.

The Social Worker’s Role in Preventing Violence Against Children

Rutgers University,

This infographic explores the "shocking" statistics behind child abuse and neglect in the United States and how social workers can help children who have been maltreated and make efforts to prevent further abuse.