Improving the quality of human resources in child and family welfare

Perspectives on a national certification training system

Abstract

We will discuss the content of the achievement goals that define the expertise (specialized knowledge, skills, and attitudes) that child and family social workers need to acquire to provide appropriate consultation on a wide range of children's problems and promote their overall wellbeing and development. Thus, the following four points are put forth:

(1) The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Working Group on Qualifications and Other Measures for Improving the Qualifications of Those Who Provide Support Requiring Specialized Knowledge and Skills in the Field of Child and Family Welfare has examined the following issues concerning the enhancement of the expertise of supporters in the field of child and family welfare: (1) the nature of qualifications in the field of child and family welfare, (2) the nature of training and human resource development, and (3) the nature of national qualifications.

(2) In the Notification of the Director-General of the Bureau of the Equal Opportunity Employment and Family Affairs, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, titled “Implementation of Training for Child Welfare Officers and Persons in Charge of Coordination at Child Welfare Institutions for Children in Need of Protection,” specific examples are provided based on the attainment goals of post-appointment training for child welfare officers, which is mandatory training.　

(3) In terms of the training curriculum necessary to meet the attainment goals of a child and family social worker, it was stated that gaining practical experience while being supervised in the field of practice is an effective means of acquiring expertise.

(4) Currently, university education for a nationally qualified social worker must be knowledge-oriented, a situation that presents difficulties.

To address the difficulties associated with acquiring practical skills and enhancing practical abilities, it is necessary to consider a mechanism that solves these problems, such as adding conditions.

like having a certain amount of work experience and practical training experience for the training of child and family social workers to attain national qualification.