The Social Welfare Services (SWS) have accomplished important goals for more than 70 years, their mission since the beginning of their operation being that of the provision of personal social services according to the needs arising during each social period. Over the years, the role of SWS was adapted to the new requirements in order to better service disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals and families, always in accordance with the means and resources available.
However, the aggravation of social problems as well as the obligation of the Social Welfare Services, as the competent government agency, to provide social services which will constantly upgrade its role, led to the implementation of the "Social Welfare Services Restructuring Plan".
The vision of the SWS Restructuring Plan is to modernise the Services in order to provide accessible, affordable, friendly and personalised social services for a holistic support of the individuals and their family, in a human-centered, multidisciplinary and efficient manner.
The key objective of the restructuring plan is to empower and safeguard the dignity and the rights of vulnerable groups of the population, improving their standard of living and assisting them to achieve the maximum of their potential.
The Plan was published on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance on 15/04/2019 and was subsequently put to Public Consultation, and later a public debate was carried out on 12/10/2019. The Framework for the Restructuring of the Social Welfare Services is also posted on the website of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare.
Specific actions were decided by the Council of Ministers on 02/10/2019 and 18/12/2019 respectively, concerning the implementation of the Restructuring Plan which will be promoted along with a possible co-funding of the Project by the European Union’s European Social Fund.
Within this spirit of reform and restructuring, the SWS welcomes the openness and direct communication with citizens, in an effort to facilitate the provision of information to citizens, by applying a strategy of a systematic provision of information to the public concerning the programmes and services offered by the SWS, direct notification of the public of any changes through the website of the Services, and also through the development of communication channels with citizens concerning complaints and / or recommendations.
Within this context, citizens are called upon to act as active members of our society and submit their own recommendations all along this process, by sending their comments, observations, remarks and recommendations electronically to: central.sws@sws.dmsw.gov.cy,or to the postal address: 63 Prodromou Street, 1468 Lefkosia or through facsimile (fax) at: 22667907.
Key Axes / Pillars of the Social Welfare Services Restructuring Plan
Axis / Pillar 1: First Axis / Pillar of the Restructuring Plan includes the following actions:
1. Recruitment of 30 fixed-term Social Service Officers for the purposes of the Restructuring Plan.
2. Obtain the services of a Management Team for the Social Welfare Services Restructuring Plan, which will undertake the management of the Plan and the organisation, promotion and monitoring of the necessary actions.
Axis / Pillar 2: Second Axis / Pillar of the Restructuring Plan includes the following actions:
1. Obtain the services of professional psychologists, psychiatrists, child psychiatrists, lawyers, social needs assessors. The aim is to contribute to the multidimensional nature of the interventions as well as to the assessment of social needs.
2. Obtain the services of Escorts/ Mentors for children and persons with disabilities residing in State Institutions of the Social Welfare Services or staying with families.
3. Establish Central and District Multidisciplinary Teams, whose duties will be to pursue a holistic assessment and intervention according to the needs of each individual and their family, by professionals of various specialties and by government services.
4. Operate 24hour call centres for reports from citizens in need of assistance.
5. Establish a Pilot Program for Recruiting Social Workers in communities or clusters of Communities and in Local Self-Government Authorities. The aim is to introduce and develop the institution of Social Work with the Community by involving the local community in the identification and reporting of cases of vulnerable individuals and any social problems in the community for swift handling and response by the SWS.
6. Establish an Ad hoc Ministerial Committee for Child Protection.
Such Committee will consist of the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, the Ministers of Health, Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, the Minister of Justice and Public Order as well as a Technical Committee for Child Protection in Cyprus. The purpose of the Ad hoc Ministerial Committee, which will be assisted by the Technical Committee, is to build up cooperation in the fields of child protection, to develop more effective policies and actions, to establish a coherent and integrated Strategy for Child Protection in Cyprus, develop a monitoring mechanism for the implementation of the Strategy and for the needs, to set up a mechanism for keeping statistical data and information on vulnerable groups of children and families and the factors that make children vulnerable.
7. Establish and operate a Team for a Direct Management of Emergencies.
8. Establish new Thematic Working Groups as provided in the Restructuring Framework.
Axis / Pillar 3: The Third Axis / Pillar of the Restructuring Plan concerns the modernisation of the Services provided, through scientific methods and other actions which will support the work of the professional SWS Officers by:
1. providing professional supervision services to Social Welfare Services Officers;
2. obtaining the services of experts to modernise the organisation, the methods and working principles of the Social Welfare Services. Modernisation of the services provided through scientific working methods, and other actions to support the professional Social Welfare Services Officers;
3. Improving and enhancing the training framework of officers of the Social Welfare Services;
4. upgrading the computerised system of the Services.
Implementation of the Restructuring Plan
The implementation of the Restructuring Plan:
- creates challenges in order to contribute towards modernisation;
- requires time to fully develop;
- creates updated working frameworks/procedures, new working practices, training perspectives to improve the services provided;
- creates conditions for new working practices and development;
- contributes towards improving the image of the Social Welfare Services;
- feedback and addition to the framework during the implementation stage;
- contribution of additional professionals, synergies with other services, Local Government Authorities and other stakeholders.