Question NW1925 to the Minister of Social Development
04 July 2022 - NW1925
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Social Development
Given that the Republic has a shortage of social workers, as only 17 500 of them are providing these services currently whilst 70 000 are needed to implement the Children's Act, Act 38 of 2005, what is the breakdown of the total number of social workers needed to implement all other departmental programmes, such as the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, Act 70 of 2008 and The Older Persons Programme?
Reply:
The need for social service professionals is identified in the National Development Plan and other key policy documents such as the HWSETA skills sector plan. According to the NDP, the ranks of social services professionals should be boosted to 55 000 to meet the demand for appropriate basic social welfare services. This is because social welfare services are becoming more development orientated, focusing on serving vulnerable people in families and in communities.
As a category of social service professionals, social workers are located across Provinces and District offices, where they render an integrated basket across the life stages of beneficiaries, which are prevention and promotion, early intervention, psychosocial care, and support, statutory and protection, re-integration and aftercare services.
Currently we have 17503 social service professionals who render a range of services.
For the Department to perform the integrated basket of services across the life stages, it will require the total number of social workers and social auxiliary workers, which are reflected in the below table:
|
Legislation & Policies |
Social Workers |
Social Auxiliary workers |
Total |
|
Children’s Act & Children’s Amendment Bill |
6, 575 |
3, 113 |
9, 688 |
|
Older Persons Act |
298 |
87 |
385 |
|
Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse |
517 |
94 |
611 |
|
Probation Services Act |
547 |
153 |
700 |
|
Victim Empowerment Bill (Act) |
1040 |
58 |
1098 |
|
Policy for Disabilities |
227 |
83 |
310 |
|
Prevention, Care and Support for HIV and Aids |
502 |
112 |
614 |
|
White Paper for Families |
951 |
309 |
1260 |
|
Total |
10, 657 |
4, 009 |
14, 666 |