Symposium
Supporting Families, Building a Better Tomorrow for Children:
The Role of the Social Service Workforce
April 29, 2014
View the Full Program here
View the Symposium Report here
The Symposium was intended to contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding the role of the social service workforce in promoting strong families and better futures for children. Expert presenters discussed current initiatives underway to strengthen the social service workforce and improve systems and services that keep families and children at the heart of the work and promote wellbeing, protection and healthy development.
- Symposium Welcome and Overview by Amy Bess, Coordinator, Global Social Service Workforce Alliance
- Keynote Address by Dr. Susan Bissell, Associate Director, Chief, Child Protection, Programmes, UNICEF
- Remarks by Dr. Caroline Ryan, Deputy Coordinator for Technical Leadership, Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator
- Panel 1: How Social Service Workers Support Families to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being of Children
- Moderator: Dr. Kate Tulenko, MD, MPH, Mphil, Senior Director, Health Systems Innovation, IntraHealth International and Director, CapacityPlus Project
- PowerPoint on Strengthening Families through Para Professionals in the Social Service Workforce by Dr. Nathan Linsk, Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center, University of Illinois at Chicago
- PowerPoint on The Isibindi Model: Introducing Community Child and Youth Care Workers by Ms. Zeni Thumbadoo, Deputy Director, National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers, South Africa
- PowerPoint on The Impact of Community Caregivers on OVC in Cote d’Ivoire by Ms. Kendra Blackett-Dibinga, Director, Child Protection, Department of Child Protection and HIV/AIDS, Save the Children
- Panel 2: How Social Service Workers Support and Equip Community Members Engaged in Child Protection
- Moderator: Dr. Nicole Behnam, Senior Orphans and Vulnerable Children Advisor at PEPFAR/ OGAC
- PowerPoint for How Can Community-Based Child Protection Mechanisms Be Supported? by Dr. Mike Wessells, Professor, Columbia University Program on Forced Migration and Health
- PowerPoint for Community Based Initiatives: Building capacity of community groups and families in care and protection of children by Mr. Patrick Onyango Mangen, Country Director, TPO Uganda
- Panel 3: How Social Service Workers Promote Integrated Service Strategies by Linking Institutions, Communities and Families
- Moderator: Dr. Jim McCaffery, Alliance Steering Committee Chairperson and Senior Advisor, TRG and CapacityPlus
- Ms. Joyce Nakuta, Deputy Director, Ministry of Social Welfare, Namibia
- Ms. Patience Ndlovu, Bantwana Initiative Country Director, Zimbabwe
- Dr. Bernadette Madrid, Executive Director, Child Protection Unit Network, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines
- (note the third panel was held in discussion format and there were no PowerPoints)
Hosted by the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance
Sponsored by PEPFAR/USAID and the National Association of Social Workers Foundation
