'Employing unqualified social workers potentially harmful', says University Department

The Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Malta is concerned about the unqualified graduates that are being employed as social welfare professionals.

In a statement on Saturday, the department said it fully shares the concerns already expressed by the Maltese Association of Social Workers and the Social Work Profession Board.

“The deployment of unqualified graduates as ‘professionals’ is both misleading and potentially harmful to both service users and to untrained workers themselves,” the department said.

The practice of social work is regulated by the Social Work Profession Act.

The Department said it recognised the “acute” shortage of social workers but emphasised that solutions must be found in consultation with stakeholders and in line with the Act that regulates the profession.

“The Department will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to address this shortage and to take further initiatives to attract and prepare students to enter the profession.”

Recently Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon admitted to the media that the government was employing social work professionals to assist social workers.