They will add to the close to 200 social workers who are already engaged in these spaces and at the Ministry’s head office in Kingston, said Portfolio Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr.
He was delivering the keynote address at the One Step Forward Consultancy (OSFC) International Social Work Conference held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday, March 18 under the theme ‘Transformative Change for a Better Future in Social Work’.
Minister Charles Jr highlighted the growing need for social workers.
“In my Ministry, I wish I could triple the amount of social workers that I have. Matter of fact, we have now designed a new organisational structure, which sees us with a multiplying of the number of social workers and the multiplying of the impact,” he said.
As part of this expansion, the Ministry is deploying satellite offices with space for social workers to provide support for those in need.
Buses will also be procured for two agencies under the Ministry, in the 2025/2026 financial year, to assist social workers in their duties.
In the meantime, the Minister expressed appreciation for the various duties that social workers carry out.
He called on non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academic institutions and the private sector to collaborate with the Government to encourage students to pursue studies in social work through scholarships.
“We have to find more ways, I think, and I want to encourage it, to expand the access for students who want to study in social work or related areas [through] access to scholarships and grants,” he said.
Minister Charles Jr. commended the organisers of the conference, part proceeds of which will go towards the professional development of persons in the social work discipline across the island.
“Social work practitioners who are here today and across Jamaica and perhaps those who are watching online, whether you are still in the field or whether you are still in training, we want to recognise you and indicate to you that we deeply appreciate your role,” he expressed.
Bringing remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, invoked the lyrics of the National Anthem in highlighting the importance of social workers in caring for the weak amongst us.
“At the very heart of our gathering today is that we are honouring the work that you do. We are recognising the importance of social work in the knitting together of the fabric of our society,” she said.
Minister Johnson Smith noted the impact of the social workers in creating better families and communities that result in better societies and an improved country as a whole.
Opposition Spokesperson on Social Transformation and Social Protection, Patricia Duncan-Sutherland, for her part, proposed that social work take a family-centred approach by engaging with families as a unit rather than focusing solely on individuals.
She further suggested integrating the various social programmes, including Social Development Commission (SDC), Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) to focus on support for families to create long-term social change.
