A four-day training workshop was held from Monday, 26 to Thursday, 29 August 2024 at the mini Assembly conference hall for all staff of Social Welfare and Community Development, and two staff in the Information Technology(IT) Unit.
The office of the head of the local government service (OHLGS) in collaboration with the ministries of Gender, children and social protection (MoGCSP) and Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development (MLGDRD) among others organized a coaching exercise targeting the newly selected 10 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country of which Techiman north district was fortunate to be part of the selected (MMDAs). This is supported by the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to implement Integrated Social Services and to ensure a holistic service delivery mechanism.
This training exercise was basically, on Case Management, Standard Operating systems (SOPs), Referral pathways ways, Social Welfare Information Management systems (SWIMS), as well as Budgeting and Reporting.
The Regional Social Welfare Director, Madam EVELYN LANSAH welcomed the team from The Office of the Head of Local Government Service, Ministry Of Gender Children and Social Protection, and to crown it all, the representative from UNICEF the proud sponsors of the training and the integrated social services program as a whole.
She was swift to add that, the District has been fortunate when it comes to the selection of districts for the program and this coaching exercise has come at the right time to enhance the capacity of her Social Welfare and Community Development officers to deliver Social Services at its best.
She urged all participants to take the coaching exercise seriously and participate effectively to save our Orphan and vulnerable children as well as women, from all forms of abuse and other social vises.
Social Welfare Information Management System – to document and report on providing social welfare services (child protection, social protection, and GBV) based on national standard data collection forms, workflows, referral pathways, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
For use across four broad activities:
- Case Management ,Family Reunification & Alternative Care ,Complaint & Incident Monitoring ,Monitoring & Reporting
Why SWIMS?
To enhance case management, Accountability, Data Security, Confidentiality Access on a ‘need to know’ basis, and Informed consent, Guided by the Best Interest of the Child principle.
For Social Workers
Prioritize work, Flag issues to supervisors, Automatic referral & transfer of cases to other SWIMS users, Online & offline input of data, Mobile and computer access, Evidence of CP implementation >> advocacy for resources
Children in need of care and protection
The Children’s Act, 1998 defines a child in need of care and protection:
- Is an orphan or is deserted by his relatives;
- Has been neglected or ill-treated by the person who has the care and custody of the child;
- Has a parent or guardian who does not exercise proper guardianship;
- Is destitute;
- Is under the care of a parent or guardian who, because of abuse of substance, is unfit to have the care of the child; (Children’s Amendment Act, 2016, Act 937)
- Is under the care of a parent or guardian who because of a criminal conviction, particularly concerning child abuse is unfit to have the care of the child. (Act 937)
- street children or begging
- Is a person to whom an offense has been committed or attempted under section 314 of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) on slave dealing;
- Is below the age of criminal responsibility under the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) and is involved in an offense other than a minor criminal matter; or
- Is otherwise exposed to moral or physical danger.
Case Management Steps
Case identification and intake, Assessment, Case planning, Case implementation, Case Review/Monitoring, and Case closure.
What are the Guiding Principles of Case Management?
The best interest of the child, Preference for the child to be kept with a parent, guardian, or relative, Empowering children, adolescents, and families to build on their strengths, Nondiscrimination, No harm, Confidentiality, Age and gender sensitivity, Coordination and collaborate.
However, after all the knowledge acquired from the coaching, there was a practical session where all participants were required to engage themselves at any point in time in the case management system to familiarize themselves with the system to enable participants to enter cases live into the national platform.
She encourage all officers to collaborate for effective and efficient social service delivery in terms of case management and integrated social service as a whole.
The representative from the office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS) at the end of the four days of coaching on SWIMS, urged the District Authorities to always support the Department to carry out all its planned activities including child protection activities for sustainable service delivery services to the populates in the district.
