Resources Database

Abstract: Beginning in 1988, the social work profession undertook a twenty-five year endeavor to enhance its research capacity and to assure greater representation of social work research needs, priorities and findings at the federal level, where major policy initiatives take place. Described here are some of the key processes, highlighting the efforts to achieve professional solidarity, and the interventions, by social workers, federal “insiders” and outside advocacy agents that carried the work forward.

Abstract: This article analyzes the role of social work in the context of the special political, economic, cultural, and historical background in China. A historical perspective is used to understand the evolution of the Chinese welfare system and explain the timing of reintroducing the social work profession. A pluralistic perspective is adopted to define social work relating to different stakeholders in social welfare and services. The government starts to diminish its role as a direct service provider. The traditional family and community have less capacity to take care of people.

Abstract: Child abuse and neglect in the United States resulted in 676,569 reports in 2011 (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 2012). Workers in this field struggle with low pay, high caseloads, inadequate training and supervision, and risk of violence, all of which contribute to worker burnout and poor worker retention rates. Worker self-efficacy is predictive of worker retention, job performance, and persistence in this difficult field. This paper reports the development of a new measure of self-efficacy from a sample of 395 child welfare workers.

This report presents findings from a randomized controlled trial of a parenting and family skills intervention for Burmese migrant and displaced families living on the Thai–Burmese border.  The evaluation was carried out by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Duke University. The study examined whether the parenting and family skills intervention had an impact on parenting practices, family functioning, child behavior, psychosocial wellbeing, and resilience.

This report presents findings from a parenting intervention that was implemented in post-conflict Liberia, where young children face many of the risk factors identified as detrimental to their development. In 2012–2013, the IRC implemented a parenting intervention, called Parents Make the Difference, in Lofa County, Liberia. The IRC collaborated with Duke University to undertake an impact evaluation of the program using a randomized controlled trial design.

This report provides an assessment of a three-year project, Strengthening Systems to Protect Vulnerable Children and Families in Cambodia, which ran from 2009 – 2012.

This review provides an overview of the current situation of social work practice in Cambodia.  It examines the degree of professionalization and institutionalization of the social work profession and practice in government, assesses UNICEF-supported social work trainings, and recommends methods for strengthening the practice of social work in both the short- and long- term.

This document provides an overview of the National Child Protection Curriculum developed in Uganda. The development of this Child Protection Curriculum and related training materials is recognized as a first step by the Ministry of Gender, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Child Protection Working Group in Uganda, and selected academic institutions to professionalize the child protection sector within the broader realm of social service workforce development in Uganda.

This report presents findings and insights generated through a mapping and assessment of 6 state child protection systems in Nigeria. The process began in September 2013 and was completed in 2014. The goal of the mapping was to provide State actors with a profile of existing child protection systems and to provide recommendations to remedy existing gaps as revealed through the mapping exercise. This report serves as a guide towards strengthening the existing formal and informal child protection components (including the social service workforce), functions and local context.

This report presents findings and insights generated through a mapping and assessment of 6 state child protection systems in Nigeria. The process began in September 2013 and was completed in 2014. The goal of the mapping was to provide State actors with a profile of existing child protection systems and to provide recommendations to remedy existing gaps as revealed through the mapping exercise. This report serves as a guide towards strengthening the existing formal and informal child protection components (including the social service workforce), functions and local context.

This report presents findings and insights generated through a mapping and assessment of 6 state child protection systems in Nigeria. The process began in September 2013 and was completed in 2014. The goal of the mapping was to provide State actors with a profile of existing child protection systems and to provide recommendations to remedy existing gaps as revealed through the mapping exercise. This report serves as a guide towards strengthening the existing formal and informal child protection components (including the social service workforce), functions and local context.

This report presents findings and insights generated through a mapping and assessment of 6 state child protection systems in Nigeria. The process began in September 2013 and was completed in 2014. The goal of the mapping was to provide State actors with a profile of existing child protection systems and to provide recommendations to remedy existing gaps as revealed through the mapping exercise. This report serves as a guide towards strengthening the existing formal and informal child protection components (including the social service workforce), functions and local context.

This report presents findings and insights generated through a mapping and assessment of 6 state child protection systems in Nigeria. The process began in September 2013 and was completed in 2014. The goal of the mapping was to provide State actors with a profile of existing child protection systems and to provide recommendations to remedy existing gaps as revealed through the mapping exercise. This report serves as a guide towards strengthening the existing formal and informal child protection components (including the social service workforce), functions and local context.

This report presents findings and insights generated through a mapping and assessment of 6 state child protection systems in Nigeria. The process began in September 2013 and was completed in 2014. The goal of the mapping was to provide State actors with a profile of existing child protection systems and to provide recommendations to remedy existing gaps as revealed through the mapping exercise. This report serves as a guide towards strengthening the existing formal and informal child protection components (including the social service workforce), functions and local context.

The social welfare workforce assessment was undertaken in order to establish the existing situation and composition of the social welfare workforce within Tanzania, including a review of the policy and legal environment which give mandate and legitimacy to its work. Specifically the assessment has sought to gather demographic information of social welfare workers currently working in Tanzania, document the social welfare services being provided by social welfare institutions/agencies, and provide a profile of social welfare workers, their expected roles and activities.

The purpose of this technical report is to provide a description of the composition of the social service workforce, including typical functions, titles, and levels and types of education and training. The report is intended to stimulate discussion and help the field move toward a common understanding of 1) functions associated with different cadres within the social service workforce, 2) titles associated with workers who perform these functions, and 3) education or training that is typically associated with these cadres.

The Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in Liberia, in consultation with stakeholders, has prioritized development of a new social welfare program focusing on Children Without Appropriate Care.  The objective of this context assessment was to collect all relevant information to support the development of the DSW’s institutional capacities to execute the new framework for alternative care in Liberia, for the benefit of children without appropriate care.  The assessment will help lead to the development of a capacity building plan to guide the process of building the DSW’s capacities to implem

This paper provides a review of international and Ugandan literature on social care and support services particularly focusing on identifying key lessons that are relevant to the Ugandan context. The paper was developed as the first stage of a study carried out by Oxford Policy Management which aims to provide advice to develop the vision, strategic approach and priority areas of intervention for social care services policy and programming in Uganda.

Building on the momentum created during the 2011 National Child Welfare Evaluation Summit, the Children’s Bureau convened three Child Welfare Research and Evaluation Workgroups. Each workgroup examined a particular evaluation topic or issue, with the goal of improving child welfare research and evaluation and strengthening the link between research and practice.  This document is a practical guide for strengthening child welfare systems.

In recognition of the need to address the psychosocial needs of older caregivers HelpAge collaborated with REPSSI to develop Policy Guidelines for Psychosocial Care and Support for Older Carers of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children affected by HIV and AIDS. The Policy Guidelines document is intended to offer a concise description of the concept of psychosocial support and how it relates to older careers of orphaned and vulnerable children in a time of HIV and AIDS. It offers recommended strategic focus areas which may be used to influence policies which provide support for older carers.