5.1.5 Increase The Number and Improve The Performance Management of Social Workers
Social workers are PKSA’s main tool for counseling caregivers and children, for linking them to social service organizations and for achieving
behavioral change at family and community level. However, only a small number of LKSAs have been supplied by PKSA with social workers.
More than 90 percent of LKSAs have no social workers and therefore are unable to apply the full PKSA concept. It is therefore imperative that
PKSA increases the number of social workers from presently 686 to at least 5,000 andor train district and sub-district level social workers to
perform PKSA functions. In order to make full use of the potential ofadequately trained social
workers their working conditions e.g. job security, career prospects, work load have to be improved. They require precise job descriptions,
on-the–job training based on a competency model, followed by adequate guidance and supervision. They need a legal status and authority to
intervene in child protection issues and have to be organized in teams. Assuming that PKSA will continue to expand its coverage and that the
main role of the social workers is to facilitate of the social rehabilitation, then the way of managing the performance of social workers has to
be improved.Even if PKSA does not go beyond the current number of social workers, it is time to develop a systematic human resource
management system. This system should address all aspects of human resource management including recruitment system, works design and
organization, the development of working capabilities and attitudes, supervision, working conditions, as well as a performance and reward
system to maintain motivation. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS
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A competency model for an effective social worker can be based on the job descriptions given in the Social Workers Guidebook. But, a fresh
graduated social worker is far from being able to overcome the challenges involved in working with disadvantaged children and their families. Using
the experience gained in several years of the PKSA implementation, a more accurate model of competency can be developed. Well performing
social workers the ‘stars’ can serve as examples how social work should be done in practice. This model can serve as base for the recruitment
process and for designing of training programs, which should be used to replace the current inappropriate 3-4 day training.
All this is difficult to provide in a centralized setting where PKSA leadership is hundreds of miles away from their social workers that are thinly spread
over the country and work in isolation. It can also not be provided by the LKSAs, who are heterogeneous organizations that follow their own rules,
regulations and agendas and are not effectively supervised by PKSA structure at national level. Providing social workers with the working
conditions they require can best be organized by integrating them into Local Government structures
5. RECOMMENDATIONS
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