Malaysia urged to table the Social Work Profession Bill

KUALA LUMPUR, 3 October – As the Parliament of Malaysia sits for the third meeting next week, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW) are calling on lawmakers to table the Social Work Profession Bill.

“Social workers hold the edges of society together. Social workers protect and prevent children and their families from experiencing violence, promote social justice, reduce the effects of discrimination, address inequality, and contribute to the eradication of poverty. Social workers help ensure that no one is left behind,” said Robert Gass, UNICEF Representative in Malaysia.

The Social Welfare Department recorded 18,750 cases of child abuse between 2020 and 2022. Social workers responding to social issues such as these must receive adequate resources, training and support, as well as proper recognition and investment. Enacting the Social Work Profession Bill acknowledges the role of social work in community development in line with the Government’s vision for Malaysia Madani.

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has made promising steps in taking the country closer to enacting the Social Work Profession Bill. Setting up the Children’s Development Department, and the recent coordination meeting for the preparation of the Social Work Profession Bill demonstrates their commitment to social work and enhancing child protection systems. UNICEF and MASW stand ready to support the government as they take strategic steps to address social issues through empowering social workers.

“Social work is unique because it deals with human problems within the societal context. Guided by professional values and ethics, social workers utilize their knowledge on human behaviour, social systems, law and policies to assist clients in navigating complex structures like the court system, as well as providing psycho-social care and support. The decisions they make may impact a client’s life forever. That is why they need to be trained and supported, so that they can confidently support their clients. Social workers care for others, and they in turn need to be taken care of,” said Dr Teoh Ai Hua, President of Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW).

Social workers still face challenges in their current practice in Malaysia:

• Social work is unregulated as a profession affecting service demand and investment. By comparison, social work is regulated in the Philippines (1965), Singapore (2009), Thailand (2013), and Indonesia (2019).
• There is a shortage of social workers in Malaysia. According to statistics by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), there is an estimated 1 social worker for every 8,576 people in Malaysia. In comparison, the social workers to population ratio in other countries are 1:490 in the United States of America, 1:1,040 in Australia, 1:3,025 in the United Kingdom and 1:3,448 in Singapore.
• There is limited public understanding of the role of a social worker. It is often thought that social workers carry out charity or voluntary work. As a result, their work is not valued, or given due recognition or investment.

The Social Workers Bill Social work is not regulated or recognised as a profession by law in Malaysia. While the drafting of the Social Work Profession Bill began in 2010, it is yet to be tabled in Parliament. Adopting this legislation to regulate the profession of social work is critical to:

• Public Interest: It informs the public of professional standards, expectations, and consequences for non-compliance.
• Public Monitoring: Helps the public to identify professional social workers and ensures their competence.
• Public Safety: Prevents harm through competent and ethical social work practice.
• Service Quality: Prescribes qualifications and competencies for effective social work.
• Professional Status: Recognises social work as a valued profession, encouraging recruitment and retention.

“By establishing social work as a profession, we expect more people will be interested in the profession, eventually addressing the current shortfall, and raising standards among the social workers labour force in Malaysia. This will improve availability of social workers to people who need them the most. When individuals are cared for and supported, their communities flourish, and as a result, the country prospers,” said Dr Teoh Ai Hua, President of Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW).

Heroes Among Us

With the recently launched Heroes Among Us campaign, UNICEF and MASW outline a vision for Malaysia where every child and vulnerable person will have timely access to qualified and competent social workers, when required. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of the critical role that social workers play in the lives of children, families and communities in Malaysia.

"Heroes Among Us is a call to action to demonstrate our support of social workers and to value their work. Social workers make sure that no one gets left behind. Today we are saying, let’s not leave our social workers behind. Support social workers. Support these heroes among us and the adoption of the Social Work Profession Bill,” said Robert Gass, UNICEF Representative in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, trained and qualified social workers are employed by diverse government agencies such as the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, and its Department of Social Welfare at national, state and district levels, Ministry of Health, and the National AntiDrugs Agency. They also work in civil society organisations (CSOs) such as in shelters for survivors of intimate partner violence.

Through the Heroes Among Us campaign, UNICEF and MASW shine a light on the critical and indispensable contribution of social workers in Malaysia. Adopting a Social Work Profession Bill would bring the country closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and its commitment to Leave No One Behind.

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Note to Editor: Learn more about the Heroes Among Us campaign at https://www.masw.org.my/heroesamong-us

Download the Factsheet: Professionalising Social Work in Malaysia

About MASW

The Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW) has championed professional social work for five decades, including actively providing training for social workers in government and civil society sectors. It is the only professional association for social workers, comprising of social work educators and practitioners. For more information about MASW and its work, visit: https://www.masw.org.my/