Shortage of social workers in Europe

Recommendation 466 (1966)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly Debate on 29th September 1966 (14th Sitting) (see Doc. 2132, report of the Social Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29th September 1966 (14th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Whereas the notion of social work as an activity designed to encourage a better mutual adjustment - material, moral and psychological -between individuals, families and groups on the one hand and their social environment on the other is accepted in all member countries of the Council of Europe and incorporated in Article 14 of the European Social Charter ;

2. Whereas in most European countries there is a shortage of social workers, the principal agents of social service, due to many leaving the profession and to some lack of interest in specialised educational establishments ;

3. Whereas the causes of this crisis are mainly to be found in a relative deterioration in the material, moral and legal position of the profession ;

4. Having noted that the role, training and status of social workers takes a prominent place in the 1966 intergovernmental Programme of Work of the Council of Europe ;

5. Having taken note of the report of its Social Committee (Doc. 2132),

6. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers, in its decisions on this subject in the near future, should take account of the critical situation caused by the shortage of social workers and should envisage ways and means of remedying it, in particular :

a improvement of the public image and the morale of social workers ;

b the establishment or strengthening, as the case may be, of regulations for the profession, comprising in particular legal protection for the title "social worker" ;

c harmonisation of the relevant regulations in Council of Europe member countries ;

d increased instruction, especially through supplementary training, in-service training and refresher courses, of social workers already employed and of persons wishing to return to the profession after having left it ;

e better pay and working conditions ;

f increase in number and amount of the study grants held by pupils of specialised educational establishments ;

g better promotion prospects, through the creation of a proper career which would attract a higher proportion of men ;

7. Further recommends the Committee of Ministers to include in the Programme of Work for the intergovernmental activities of the Council of Europe the study of the future role of social work in the social structure and policy of member countries.