Investments in Strengthening the Social Service Workforce: Global Synthesis Report

Investments in Strengthening the Social Service Workforce: Global Synthesis Report
Investments in Strengthening the Social Service Workforce (SSW) report cover
Abstract: A strong, well-trained social service workforce (SSW) consisting of diverse categories of social workers and other social service personnel with different levels of training and qualifications is necessary for the wellbeing of children, families, persons with disabilities, and other groups facing difficult circumstances or challenges (Global Social Service Workforce Alliance, 2010). The United States Government is committed to investing in strategies to support the SSW in keeping with its Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity strategy and implementation plan. This whole-of-government approach aims to ensure comprehensive and coordinated efforts to strengthen systems for protecting and caring for children worldwide.

When a country has a well-planned, developed, and supported SSW at national and subnational levels, these workers are enabled to perform a range of functions to provide a continuum of child care and protection services to children and families. These services span three areas: 1) promotive work at the macro level that enables better functionality of the social service system; 2) preventive work that can help connect families at risk to essential services, education, and other support; and 3) response services for children and families who have experienced violence, abuse, or exploitation.

The USAID Children in Adversity Team engaged D4I to assess the activities it supports across three countries—Armenia, Cambodia, and Rwanda—that involve strengthening the SSW and broader system related to child care and protection. The goal of the assessment was to identify specific approaches that USAID and country partners should consider advocating for and making future investments in, which will contribute to a more robust SSW and overall sustainable social services systems in these three countries and as applicable in other countries.
Shortname: TR-24-566 D4I
Author(s): Alex Collins, Caitlin Showalter, Irit Sinai
Year: 2024
Language: English
Region(s): ARMENIA, CAMBODIA, RWANDA