ABOUT SOCIAL WORK

Overview

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Who are Social Workers?

Social Workers are professionals who care about people and the social conditions in which they live in. They are primarily dedicated to:

As professionals, they provide developmental, preventive and remedial intervention utilizing social work principles, knowledge, skills and ethics in discharging their responsibilities.  This requires that the social worker attains a Degree in Social Work or a Graduate Diploma in Social Work or other accredited Social Work degree qualifications.

Click here to listen to a Social Worker share about her life as a Social Worker
(Video courtesy of Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports)

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What do Social Workers Do?

Social Work encompasses working with families, individuals, organisations and the community on areas such as:

  • Poverty

  • Relationship Problems

  • Domestic Violence & Abuse

  • Substance Addiction & Abuse

  • Family Life Education & Parenting

  • Interpersonal Communication & Social Skills Training

  • Mediation & Negotiation

  • Child Welfare

  • People with Special Needs

  • Youth Work

  • Clinical / Mental Health

  • Disability Services

  • Care of Older Persons

  • Social Work Administration & Policy

  • Social Work Education & Research

  • Consultancy Services

  • Community Work

Social Workers therefore must be versatile, knowledgeable and skilful in interpersonal communication skills when working with others and competent in networking skills so as to be able to enhance the lives and well-being of the people and the community they live in.

They are found in direct practice, in administrative, management and policy planning positions in many organisations as well as in government ministries.

 

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What are the Earning Potentials of a Social Worker?

Newly graduated Social Workers can expect a starting salary within the range of S$1800 and S$2400.

SASW FACTSHEET ON SOCIAL WORKERS’ PAY INCREASE

  1. On 20 January 2007, MCYS announced that funding to VWOs will be increased, partly due to higher salary norms for social workers. This increase was intended to result in higher pay for social workers.

  2. The additional funds are channelled to VWO programmes that are already funded by MCYS and NCSS. Hence, the pay increase only applies to social workers in VWOs that offer MCYS- and NCSS-funded programmes.

  3. The increased funding was disbursed to VWOs in April 2007. In other words, additional government funding targeted at higher pay for social workers became available from April 2007.

  4. NCSS does not stipulate rules or regulations for VWOs to manage the additional funding. No VWO has been instructed to enact pay increments of any particular amount or withhold increments to existing staff. Instead, NCSS encourages VWOs to channel part of the additional funding towards social workers’ pay, so as to promote the retention of professional manpower.

  5. We encourage social workers to speak to their management or human resource personnel if they wish to seek clarifications regarding the implementation of the pay increase in their individual agencies.

  6. SASW members may also seek clarifications or provide feedback on the pay issue by contacting us at president@sasw.org.sg.

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What are the Professional Development Opportunities?

Post-graduate educational opportunities such as Masters, PhD, Post-graduate Diplomas and Specialist training are available locally and overseas.

They can choose to specialise in different areas of work such as:

  • Child Protection Services

  • Counselling & Therapy

  • Family Social Work

  • School Social Work

  • Youth Work

  • Gerontological Social Work

  • Medical Social Work

  • Working with People with Disabilities

  • Community Work

  • Rehabilitation of Offenders

  • Management of Social Services

  • Policy & Planning Services

  • Social Research & Programme Evaluation Service

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IFSW's Definition of Social Work

The International Federation of Social Workers define the social work profession as follows:

The social work profession promotes

Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.

Social work in its various forms addresses the multiple, complex transactions between people and their environments. Its mission is to all people to develop their full potential, enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction. Professional social work is focused on problem solving and change. As such, social workers are change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve. Social work is an interrelated system of values, theory and practice.

Values

Social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic ideals, and its values are based on respect for the equality, worth, and dignity of all people. Since its beginnings over a century ago, social work practice has focused on meeting human needs and developing human potential. Human rights and social social justice serve as the motivation and justification folr social work action. In solidarity with those who are disadvantaged, the profession strives to alleviate poverty and to liberate vulnerable and oppressed people in order to promote social inclusion. Social work values are embodied in the profession's national and international codes of ethics.

Theory

Social work bases its methodology on a systematic body of evidenced-based knowledge derived from research and practice evaluation, including local and indigenous knowledge specific to its context. It recognises the complexity of interactions between human beings and their environment, and the capacity of people both to be affected by and to alter the multiple influences upon them including bio-psychosocial factors. The social work profession draws on theories of human development and behaviour and social systems to analyse complex situations and to facilitate individual, organisational, social and cultural changes.

Practice

Social work addresses the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in society. It responds to crises and emergencies as well as to everyday personal and social problems. Social work utiltises a variety of skills, techniques, and activities consistent with its holistic focus on persons and their environments. Social work interventions range from primarily person-focused psychosocial processes to involvement in social policy, planning and development. These include counselling, clinical social social work, group work, social pedagogical work, and family treatment and therapy as well as efforts to help people obtain services and resources in the community. Interventions also include agency administration, community organisation and engaging in social and political action to impact social policy and economic development. The holistic focus of social work is universal, but the priorities of social work practice will vary from country to country and from time to time depending on cultural, historical, and socio-economic conditions.

The Many Faces of a Social Worker ...

Social workers take on specialised roles in the following settings:

(This is a non-exhaustive listing of the many work areas opened to social workers, dependent on the extent of specialised training received)

You may read the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) Ethical Document “Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles” here.

 

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The Makings of a Social Worker?

A social worker would have ...

What a social worker is not ...

What a social worker is ...

 

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Educational Qualifications Requirements

 

A graphical overview of the training pathway to be a social worker is as follows:


Click on image for a bigger image

 


Source: The Sunday Times -
Recruit Section, July 4 2004
Click on image for a bigger image

The Strategic Manpower Conversion Programme

The SMCP is a programme for people interested to pursue a career in social work as a social worker or a social work assistant.

Read more about the Strategic Manpower Conversion Programme.

Avenue 3: Foreign Social Work Degree Programmes

As far as recognition of foreign degree programmes in social work is concerned, SASW will look into recognising social work programmes completed by full-time or part-time study and also having fulfilled one of these two conditions:

  1. whether the educational institution is accredited at the national level, and that its social work programme is registrable with the national association of social workers where it is located; or
  2. whether the social work programme is accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.

SASW has yet to recognise any undergraduate or graduate degree in social work offered through off-shore study / distance-learning except for the social work degrees offered by Monash University. A Task Force has been formed to look into accrediting off-shore / distance-learning social work degrees by setting minimum standards. If in doubt, please view our FAQ Segment. You may also drop us an electronic mail at membership@sasw.org.sg.

SASW does not keep a list of foreign social work programmes. For enquiry with respective social work associations on their recognition of social work programmes in their country, please visit here

 

   Avenue 1: NUS Bachelor of Arts (Social Work) / Graduate Diploma in Social Work

In Singapore, the minimum educational qualification to be a social worker is a recognised full-time / part-time undergraduate degree in Social Work or a Graduate Diploma in Social Work from an accredited tertiary institution.

 

Avenue 2: Monash University BA/BSW Programme

In addition, SASW has accorded in-principle approval to Monash University to offer the BA/BSW (a 4 year programme) and BSW (a two-year accelerated programme) in Singapore. The entry requirements shall be as follows:

  1. Admission Criteria for Candidates for the BA/BSW Programme (4 Years):

    The basic admission criteria will be:

    1. GCE “A” level or its equivalent; or
    2. A polytechnic diploma; or
    3. Any other qualifications and experience as SASW may require from time to time.

    For mature students, the criteria will be:

    1. At least a GCE “O” level with 5 credit passes or its equivalent; or

Any other qualifications and experience as SASW may require from time to time; or

In lieu of the minimum entry requirement, participation in a university bridging programme to ensure that the candidate has the ability and aptitude and

  1. at least 5 years of relevant working experience.
  1. Admission Criteria for Candidates for the BSW Accelerated Programme (2 Years):

The basic admission criteria will be:

  1. a recognised degree in any disciplines from an accreditated university; or
  2. the Diploma in Business Management (Community Service Management) from Nanyang Polytechnic and with the successful completion of 2 bridgiing Social Work Modules.

All other diplomas to qualify for the accelerated degree is still under consideration by Monash University, SSTI and the Australian Association of Social Workers.

The Executive Committee and the Professional Standards, Practice & Accreditation Task Force (PSPA) had been reviewing Monash University's proposal to offer the BA/BSW and BSW Programmes for the past one year to ensure that the two programmes meet the minimum requirement for professional practice in Singapore.

Our Task Force Members had also met up with the Australian Association of Social Workers' (AASW) appointed advisor on the accreditation of the two programmes. The AASW advisor will be recommending in-principle approval / accreditation of the two programmes by AASW.

 
 

Other Useful Sites:

Australia: http://www.aasw.asn.au/
Canada: http://www.casw-acts.ca/
(See also 'Assessment of Credentials')
UK: http://www.basw.co.uk/
USA: http://www.cswe.org/
(Look under Member Programme Directory)

 

 

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Keen on a Career in Social Work ?

We welcome members of the public, student social workers and current social workers who are either contemplating taking up social work as a career option, who wish to have a change in social work practice area or who have questions about the profession to contact us through electronic mail at pr@sasw.org.sg. You may also call us at the Association at Tel: 6775 4776.

Click here for our "Frequently Asked Questions" Segment.

You may also wish to visit the Virtual Guide to Social Service Career Choices website at http://www.socialservicecareers.com.sg/

You may also read about social work as a profession and career at the OSCAR (Orientation System for Careers) website for career guidance and planning by the National Institute of Education at http://oscar.nie.edu.sg.

 

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Outstanding Social Worker Award (OSWA)

 

The Outstanding Social Worker Award, organised by the National Council of Social Service, aims to accord recognition to outstanding social workers for their consistent and professional contributions towards the improvement of social services in Singapore.

 

The past OSWA Recipients include:

 

OSWA 1998

OSWA 1999

OSWA 2000

OSWA 2001

OSWA 2002

OSWA 2003

OSWA 2004

For more information, please refer to the NCSS OSWA Page at http://www.ncss.org.sg/ncss/highlights/highlights_oswa.html

 

 

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