RAISING PROFESSIONALISM OF SOCIAL WORKERS

Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Community Development if he will review service standards by professionalising social workers through a programme of accreditation which will require mandatory training and regular upgrading of required counselling and therapy skills.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: The issue of accreditation and registration of social workers has been studied by the Ministry of Community Development (MCD) together with the Department of Social Work and Psychology of the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW).

In principle, we support the proposal to accredit and register not only social workers but also other human services and helping professions (such as family counsellors, family therapists and others) and to raise their professionalism. The issue is how and when such a move should be implemented as it has wide implications.

A good number of people currently in social work do not have social work qualifications. However, they have accumulated good experience and knowledge through attendance at various courses and years of work experience. How this pool of good workers will be treated and other issues would need to be resolved.

My Ministry together with the Department of Social Work and Psychology of NUS and the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) will continue to study the matter and accreditation is one of the issues being considered.