Government to create new social services authority

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Social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia today announced plans to create a new authority that will replace the Foundation for Social Welfare Services.

The foundation, which incorporates governmental agencies Appogg, Sapport and Sedqa, will be replaced by a new body that would have a stronger legal identity.

The existing agencies together with a new community services agency will become "the authority's operational arms, under a central administrative body," Farrugia said, adding that this would facilitate matters when applying for funds.

Moreover, Farrugia announced that a committee, made of representatives from his ministry, governmental agencies and NGOs, would be tasked with proposing the terms of reference for the new authority.

The committee will review how government agencies currently operate and come up with recommendations to strengthen “collaboration between all stakeholders.”

“One of the main priorities is that of finding ways to better utilise the limited resources at hand,” the minister said, noting that the new authority will be looking at ways to circumvent duplication of resources and energies.

He added that this would eventually lead to having different entities specialising in particular fields. 

The committee will also come up with proposals to address waiting lists and the shortage of social workers by recruiting new ones while encouraging experienced social workers to progress in their career without removing them from the daily operations.