09:06, 23/06/2021

Promoting social work

Over years, Khanh Hoa Province has promoted social work, contributing to improving care for vulnerable people and raising social security efficiency...

Over years, Khanh Hoa Province has promoted social work, contributing to improving care and support for vulnerable people and raising social security efficiency. With initial achievements, local social work continues to be further promoted in the coming time.
 
Remarkable results
 
Thanks to the social work development project, period 2010 – 2020 in Khanh Hoa Province, social work has developed steadily. 136 communes, wards and towns in Khanh Hoa have professional social workers, meeting vulnerable people’s needs. 20 public and private social support instructions have social workers to serve 1,135 orphans, abandoned and disabled seniors. More than 400,000 people in the community are benefiting from social work service, mainly social welfare, and 44,000 are receiving monthly social grants.
 
In addition, in 2015, the province founded the Provincial Social Work Center (presently Khanh Hoa Social Work Center and Children’s Fund) and Ninh Hoa Town Social Support and Social Work, providing sufficient social services for residents. The Social Work Center has provided assistance and advocated for thousands. Besides, social work sections have been set up to assess patients’ needs at all hospitals in the province  Universities, colleges and high schools have established social work sections to help students.
 

 

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A social worker in Suoi Hiep Commune, Dien Khanh District gives aid to vulnerable people.
 
 
 
To improve social workers’ competence, the Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs sector has sent more than 40 staff to take professional development courses. Annually, the sector organizes 2 professional development courses on social work for staff in social support settings, communes, wards and towns. Therefore, the social work has gradually developed, contributing to ensuring social welfare in the locality.
 
Targets set higher over periods
 
Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee has issued a plan to implement a social work development program, period 2021 – 2030 in the province. Accordingly, the targets in the 2021 – 2025 period include 60% agencies and organizations staffed with social workers; the proportion of trained social workers reaching at least 30%; 50% social, medical and educational support institutions providing social work services and the number of people accessing help and advice up by 20% compared with the year 2020; and adequate social work services reaching 85% of orphan, disabled, HIV-infected children and those affected by natural disasters and diseases. In the 2026-2030 period, the targets include 90% agencies and organizations staffed with social workers;; 60% social, medical and educational support institutions providing social work services and the number of people accessing help and advice up by 30% at least compared with the year 2025; the proportion of trained social workers reaching 40% and adequate social work services reaching 85% of orphan, disabled, HIV-infected children and those affected by natural disasters and diseases
 
According to Van Dinh Tri, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, in order to achieve the targets, authorities at all levels and localities will focus on developing the network of social work services in socio-political organizations and sectors; expanding the model of social work services at social support settings, and the model of comprehensive social work services; providing livelihood support for people in need; double-checking and arranging social work staff in agencies and units; prioritizing social assistance for social protection beneficiaries, drug addiction treatment, help for released prisoners to turn their lives around, and solution to social issues. 
 
In addition, the province has also fostered carreer training for social workers; diversified propaganda to raise public awareness of social work; and promoted international cooperation in social work in order to take advantage of international organizations’ experience, human and financial resources.
 
Van Giang
Translated by N.T