The Alliance has developed, collated or collaborated on a number of resources to raise the profile of the social service workforce through greater understanding and appreciation of the composition and role of the workforce. The Alliance has also compiled data to show trends and the importance of an adequate workforce to address needs of vulnerable groups. Alliance members and others are encouraged to use these tools to advocate for greater planning, development and support of the workforce.
Background Information
- Framework for Strengthening the Social Service Workforce – A framework for planning, developing and supporting the workforce, also available in French
- Global Social Service Workforce Alliance Overview – Information on the social service workforce, need for strengthening and purpose of Alliance
- Also learn about our global impact into social service workforce strengthening
State of the Social Service Workforce Reports
- State of the Social Service Workforce Report 2018: Trends and Recommendations for Strengthening the Social Service Workforce - This 4th annual report includes a multi-country, four region review of the state of the social service workforce. Through Alliance-led mappings and assessments in three regions in collaboration with UNICEF, and information from mappings and assessments in a fourth region, this report consolidates trends and data and makes recommendations for better planning, development and support to this frontline workforce. The report also makes connections to the Alliance's Call to Action for Strengthening the Social Service Workforce to Better Protect Children and Achieve the SDGs.
- State of the Social Service Workforce Report 2017: Stories of Workforce Efforts to Address Violence Against Children - This third annual report includes qualitative analyses of survey data and a storytelling approach to provide insight into workers’ backgrounds, training, education, services provided and organizational factors to demonstrate the value of multidisciplinary approaches to addressing violence against children.
- 2016 State of the Social Service Workforce Report: A review of five years of workforce strengthening – Assesses the evolution of the social service workforce over the past five years by examining efforts to strengthen and diversify the workforce in the eight countries that participated in the Social Welfare Strengthening Conference in 2010.
- State of the Social Service Workforce Report 2015: A Multi-Country Review - A review of the current state of the workforce in 15 countries. An executive summary is also available.
Regional Workforce Reviews
The purpose of regional, multi-country reviews, undertaken by UNICEF Regional Offices and the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance, is to provide an overview of the current status of the social service workforce in the region and to identify good and promising practices for workforce strengthening, in order to inform advocacy, legal, policy and strategy development, and investment. Each report was compiled through a participatory mapping process outlined in the Social Service Workforce Mapping Toolkit.
- The Social Service Workforce in the East Asia and Pacific Region: A multi-country review
- Multi-Country Review of the State of the Social Service Workforce in the Middle East and North Africa Region
- State of the Social Service Workforce in South Asia Report 2018
Other Reports and Toolkits
- Social Service Workforce Strengthening Toolkit - This toolkit includes several tools and resources to support participatory planning, development and support to the social service workforce. Toolkit components include:
- Guidance Note on Defining the Social Service Workforce
- Results Matrix for Social Service Workforce Strengthening
- Social Service Workforce Mapping Toolkit
- Guidance Note on Developing a Ratio of Social Service Workers to Child Population (in draft)
- Compilation of Resources to Strengthen the Para Professional Social Service Workforce
- Guidance Manual on Strengthening Supervision for the Social Service Workforce - The purpose of this manual is to offer guidance on supervision to individuals working to provide, manage or coordinate social services. This manual defines what is meant by supervision in social services, outlines the key elements of good practice in supervision and summarizes the different forms of supervision.
- Case Management Compendium - This compilation of case management tools and resources represents the work of the Alliance Case Management Interest Group. Members developed Core Concepts and Principles of Effective Case Management: Approaches for the Social Service Workforce as well as a compendium intended to be useful to audiences of various workforce levels and organizations, representing practices from humanitarian and development perspectives across different regions.
- Review of Legislation and Policies that Support the Social Service Workforce in Low- and Middle-Income Countries – A snapshot of social service workforce-supportive policies and legislation in selected countries and provides examples of aspects of legislation that feature the workforce
- Evidence Base on the Social Service Workforce: Current Knowledge, Gaps and Future Research Direction – This report aims to establish a clearer picture of the state of the current evidence, identify evidence gaps and suggest priority research needs
- Evidence Matrix for the Social Service Workforce – The matrix was developed using key words and accessing multiple data libraries and search engines to explore academic and grey literature as it relates to the Framework for Strengthening the Social Service Workforce Alliance. This document is meant to be a "living" document and was used to inform the Evidence Base Report.
- The Role of Social Service Workforce Development in Care Reform – Explores the topic of social service workforce strengthening as it relates to child care reform drawing from examples in Indonesia, Moldova and Rwanda
- Para Professionals in the Social Service Workforce: Guiding Principles, Functions and Competencies - Guiding principles for developing programs and activities related to how para professionals can be trained, developed, deployed and supported, and a competency framework to provide program guidance, accountability and ultimately inform both training and supervision. The first edition was released in September 2015 and second edition in 2017. The second edition includes competencies for two new sets of workers - Para Professional Social Workers (PSWs) and Para Professional Community Development Workers - and updates other elements of the document. En français aussi- Les Para-Professionnels dans le Personnel des Services Sociaux : Principes directeurs, fonctions et compétences
- The Composition of the Social Service Workforce in HIV/AIDS-Affected Contexts – Provides a description of the composition of the social service workforce, including typical functions, titles, and levels and types of education and training
- Under Recognized Cadres of HRH in Africa: Professionalizing the Social Service Workforce – Data and examples of the workforce in Africa, including recommendations for greater support
- Recruitment and Retention of Social Work Faculty: A multi-country review - Consolidates main challenges and effective strategies related to faculty recruitment and retention around the world.
Symposia
The Alliance has held six annual symposia to bring attention to data and trends affecting the social service workforce. Alliance Symposia bring together diverse stakeholders to exchange knowledge and discuss ways to strengthen this workforce. View the full recordings, event summaries and presentations.
Additional Resources
- Case studies, stories and worker profiles that capture the efforts and successes of this workforce
- Social Service Workforce Week – Blogs and resources related to annual themes that highlight the value and contributions of the social service workforce
Advocacy Tools
A Call to Action: Strengthening the Social Service Workforce to Better Protect Children and Achieve the SDGs is an advocacy document intended for government and decision-makers. It includes country level and global level recommended actions for strengthening the social service workforce. To date, 35 organizations have added their logo in support of workforce strengthening efforts. Download the Call to Action in English and Spanish.- The Global Advocacy Toolkit for the Social Service Workforce provides advocates with a common set of tools and messages with which to bring about greater political and programmatic priority for strengthening the social service workforce. It includes infographics, case studies, fact sheets and worksheets for advocacy, which can be used individually or together. Download the full toolkit from our website.
