SOCIAL SERVICE WORKFORCE

The social service system can be defined as the system of interventions, programs and benefits that are provided by governmental, civil society and community actors to ensure the welfare and protection of socially or economically disadvantaged individuals and families. (1) A functioning social welfare system serves as a vital safety net for children and families who are vulnerable to HIV and AIDS and other challenging circumstances.  When the system functions effectively, families and children have access to an array of integrated, quality services that promote wellness and protection from harm.  Services include family support and early intervention, child protection to address abuse and neglect, and alternative care for children separated from their family of origin.  Historically, the social welfare workforce has played a critical role within social welfare systems, from provision of direct services, to administration of government agencies, policy development, research, workforce education and preparation, and advocacy.

Who is the social service workforce?

The social service workforce can be broadly defined to describe a variety of workers – paid and unpaid, governmental and nongovernmental – who staff the social service system and contribute to the care of vulnerable populations.  The workforce is comprised of both formal and less formal or traditional groups and individuals, including social workers, paraprofessionals, civil society organizations, community groups, and volunteers.   These child advocates work at multiple levels of the system — government, civil society, community, and family — and work across different sectors (e.g., health, education, justice) to provide more integrated, comprehensive services.

Strengthening the social service workforce – strengthening programs for the most vulnerable children

Strengthening the social service workforce contributes to the larger social welfare system and fundamentally promotes the wellbeing and protection of vulnerable children and families.  A well-planned, well-trained, supported workforce can better address the needs of the most vulnerable children and families and build on families’ existing strengths.  When effective planning, training and support processes are in place, social service workers can more effectively coordinate to provide more comprehensive services for children and families affected by HIV and AIDS, and, ultimately, prevent and respond to risks of violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect and family separation. (2)

A framework for supporting the social service workforce:  investing in those who care for children

Refined at the 2010 Social Service Workforce Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, The Framework for Supporting the Social Service Workforce is intended as a guide to support country efforts to strengthen the social service workforce and systems.

The framework – like the work of the social welfare workforce – is situated within a country-specific context that includes social welfare, child protection, justice, education and health systems, and cultural, legislative, labor market and economic factors that have an impact on the three areas of the framework – planning, developing and supporting the social service workforce.

Strengthening the social services workforce across the different levels of the social service system

Supporting an effective response to children and families affected by HIV and AIDS requires strengthening the social service workforce at all levels from family and community to civil society (non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations) to government Ministries of Social Welfare.  The strength of the social service workforce depends upon: 1) effective interactions among workers at different levels of the system — from community to government at local, district, regional and national levels, and 2) successful collaboration with other systems such as health, education and justice.  (3) Workforce coordination must also connect the formal social service system and the less formal traditional, community, and family structures that often serve as first responders to children and families in crisis. (4)

Technology, including the internet, social media sites, and mobile technology, has the potential to connect social service workers and to coordinate information and services as never before.  Where it is available and affordable, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may transform workforce operations to provide a more integrated care model. (5)  ICT can strengthen collaboration, coordination and referrals among service providers, government offices, partners, and donors.  Mobile technology, such as cell phones for text messaging, improves the speed and cost of information sharing and often allows greater program participation and integration than might otherwise be possible. (6)

Family and Community

A well-functioning social service system creates an environment for families and communities to care for children to the best of their ability.  Families and communities, though often through informal roles, are the heart of the local social service response.  Although families are ideally a child’s primary caregiver, many families find this role challenging without community support.  Community members play a critical role within the social service workforce – they have experience with the challenges in their work environment and can serve as effective liaisons between vulnerable families and the more formal social service system.  For communities to effectively provide children and families with access to a range of essential services, they must have the support of- and linkages to- civil society and government.

Key activities to strengthen the social service workforce

• Support and build on families existing strengths.  Empower families to provide a nurturing environment and meet children’s most critical care needs such as love, food security, and physical and mental health.
• Engage families as full partners in all efforts to strengthen their capacity to care for their children.
• Provide children, families, and caregivers with life-skills training and education to build self-esteem, resiliency and awareness of available support services.
• Help children and families to build internal and external resources through parenting classes and family support groups, kids’ clubs or peer support groups, and safe social spaces for children and youth. (7)
• Strengthen child–caregiver interactions and increase families’ access to health, nutrition, livelihood, and education to enhance child, family, and community well-being.
• Help community-based social- and para-social workers to identify child welfare services and support family access to these services in specific communities.
• Help community social workers to build relationships and links with other communities, CSOs, and government offices to broaden families’ access to coordinated care.
• Carry out regular human resources capacity assessments of community member roles and responsibilities; identify gaps and recruit community members to fill those gaps to support vulnerable children.  Train and support community members in their new roles.
• Work with communities to establish systems for supporting, appreciating, and compensating volunteers.
• Help to deliver training programs to social service workers and help workers to access additional training opportunities.

Civil Society

Targeted workforce strengthening of CSOs can be highly effective and generate positive results such as increases in funding and posts, more efficient staffing plans and better coverage.  Specialized, skilled trainers can strengthen human resource capacity of CSOs by training and mentoring CSO staff.  Trainers can work with CSOs to develop tailored training plans that meet system goals and objectives and correspond to government social service workforce standards.

Key activities to strengthen the social service workforce:

• Work with civil society organizations (NGOs, CBOs, FBOs) to do capacity assessments and develop human resources information systems and recruitment and deployment plans.
• Help civil society organizations coordinate with social service ministries and in-country donors to complement existing programs and maximize financial and human resources.
• Encourage networking and mutual support among social service professionals through communities of practice, mobile technology (e.g. text messages), social media, and other technologies.
• Hold regular OVC coordination consultations and help CSO workers coordinate and collaborate with other development partners across local, regional, and national levels.
• Support CSOs by carrying out skills assessments – review job descriptions, staffing plans, recruitment and hiring mechanisms, and recommend improvements.  Assist with recruitment on a temporary, emergency basis.
• Provide targeted training to social service workers.  Help CSOs to access training or second staff to provide on-the-job training and mentorship.
• Help to develop good supervision models, train and mentor supervisors, and develop performance improvement planning tools and resources.
• Support the development or strengthening of accrediting and licensing mechanisms and codes of ethics.

Government

Coordinating within and across levels of the social service workforce is one of the greatest challenges to maintaining a well-functioning, sustainable social service system.  However, government ministries can address workforce challenges by virtue of their unique roles and responsibilities within the system.  OVC programs can support governments to strengthen the social service workforce by increasing human resource capacity and retention, improving workforce readiness, and facilitating enhanced training and multi-sectoral collaboration.

 Key activities to strengthen the Social Service Workforce:

• Strengthen the Ministry of Social Welfare’s ability to collect and manage program data to inform workforce needs.
• Work with ministries to establish or strengthen human resources information systems, conduct capacity assessments, and utilize human resources data to fill serious staff shortages.
• Assist Social Welfare Ministries with cost and budget analysis to help them advocate for increased human and financial resources.  Help ministries to demonstrate how strengthening the social welfare workforce contributes to HIV and AIDS results. (8)
• Aid workforce recruitment on a temporary, emergency basis.  Review job descriptions and help to develop recruitment and deployment plans.
• Carry out skills assessments to determine government workers’ additional training needs and, where applicable, second staff to provide temporary on-the-job training and mentorship
• Train and mentor workforce supervisors and develop performance improvement tools and resources.
• Work to strengthen the capacity of social service training institutions in essential areas.
• Support development and strengthening of accrediting and licensing mechanisms and codes of ethics.
• Facilitate regular meetings to foster Ministry partner collaboration and coordination across local, regional, national and global levels.
• Assist ministries in connecting formal and informal groups in the social service workforce through regular meetings and networking opportunities.