Social workers have warned that some of their duties are being carried out by unqualified individuals, including case reviews and sensitive risk assessments of vulnerable children.
They claim that these individuals – engaged by the state as ‘social welfare professionals’ – sometimes even refer to themselves as social workers with other professionals and with people who use their services.
So-called social welfare professionals need a degree in humanities to qualify for the job. But the concern is that they have not done the necessary training, are not regulated by the social work profession board, are not obliged to abide by the social workers’ code of ethics and are not bound by the Social Work Profession Act.
Social workers who spoke to Times of Malta said some social welfare professionals, who seem to have been engaged to assist social workers, are themselves carrying out work that is usually done by social workers. This work includes case reviews, conferences, consultations with other professionals and risk assessments, including in child protection services.
When contacted, Maltese Association of Social Workers chair Michael Farrugia said the group was raising concern about the lack of a clear distinction between social workers and social welfare professionals.
“Clients assisted by social welfare professionals are often misled into thinking they are being seen to by a warranted or a newly qualified social worker, while there is no formal job description and a minimal pay difference between the two.”
The association acknowledged that social welfare professionals were being engaged to address a shortage in the social work profession. However, it insists the solution to staff shortage is not replacing “such a vital role in society with unqualified staff and allocating sensitive cases to them as the lead professionals”.
The government could, among others, increase the wages of warranted social workers to attract new social work students or incentivise social welfare professionals to read for a master’s in social work.
Students reading for a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work spend the last three years of their four-year course specialising in social work. This includes a total of 700 hours, spread over two years
It could also review current practices to avoid duplication of work when multiple social workers from different entities are allocated to the same service user.
As things stand, students reading for a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work spend the last three years of their four-year course specialising in social work. This includes a total of 700 hours, spread over two years, in the field.
During this practical placement, students are under the guidance of a warranted social worker and a tutor. The placement varies, and could be within a state entity such as Aġenzija Sapport or the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Mount Carmel Hospital or with the various NGOs.
Once social workers graduate, they spend the next two years as ‘newly qualified social workers’ and are supervised on the job, before eventually becoming ‘warranted social workers’.
On the other hand, social welfare professionals qualify for the job if they have a degree in humanities.
Yesterday, the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Malta said in a statement that it “fully shared” social workers’ concerns.
“These graduates are widely reported to be performing social work tasks for which they are not trained… The deployment of unqualified graduates as ‘professionals’ is both misleading and potentially harmful to both service users and to untrained workers themselves.
The department also recognised the acute shortage of social workers but insisted that solutions must be found in consultation with stakeholders and in line with the law that regulates the profession.
Ministry’s reaction to concerns
A spokesperson for the Social Policy Ministry told Times of Malta that the shortage in the caring professions was a worldwide phenomenon.
“In order to keep on delivering a timely and effective service, social welfare professionals are engaged to assist social workers during the execution of their duties. There is a clear distinction between the two roles.”
She added that social work graduates had a guaranteed job within the FSWS, while newly qualified social workers’ wages at FSWS have seen a gross rise of 45 per cent over the years.
“Having said all this, the government, through the Social Policy Ministry, works closely with the Faculty for Social Wellbeing to possibly increase the number of students who choose social work as a career path.
“We will surely not turn this issue into a partisan political one, but rather work with everyone and seek what is the best solution for the Maltese context, especially for the vulnerable people we are here to serve.”