Head of Department
Madam Pwamang Fati Ernestina, is the department head for Social Welfare. She is a professional social worker with over 25 years of experience in providing high quality care and support to vulnerable, disadvantaged, disabled and socially excluded persons and those experiencing problems in their lives. I have a track record of working successfully with individuals, families and groups, all within a variety of settings. I possess in-depth understanding of relevant legislation, procedures and techniques required to handle adoption, juvenile justice, and family tribunal cases. In addition, I have the requisite knowledge of social work principles, techniques, practices and their application to complex cases, group work, and community engagement.
She was the Adoption Officer of the Social welfare, Regional Office and performed the duty of attending court to present social enquiry Report and educating people and groups on adoption. Also rose through the ranks to become a Generic Social Worker, Rehabilitation officer, Court officer attending to family tribunals and court as a probation officer and conducting social enquiries ordered by the court and writing reports making recommendation to the court for deciding custody matters among others.
What we do
The Department of Social Welfare and Community development, initially known as Social Welfare (DSW) and housing was established in 1946 and derived its mandate from statutory orders that made it responsible for social services encompassing health, housing, education and agriculture. Over the years its mandate has been redefined under various ministries. Presently the Head Office of the DSW is an integral part of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Also with the promulgation of LI 1961, the Department of Community Development and Department Of Social Welfare at the local level have now been merged to become a Department of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies with the new name Department of Social Welfare and Community Development. This department is structured into the Social Welfare unit and Community Development unit which are decentralized Government Statutory Agencies currently within the La Dade – Kotopon Municipal Assembly with the mandate to assist the Assembly in the formulation and implementation of Social welfare and Community Development policies within the framework of national policy.
Vision:To take the lead in integrating the disadvantaged, vulnerable and excluded in mainstream of development
Mission:Working in partnership with people in the communities to improve their well-being through promoting development with equity for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and the excluded.
Our hotline: 0249210613/0550005577
Objectives
- To provide Community Based Rehabilitation programs in all communities
- To provide professional Social welfare services within the municipality, ensuring that the statutory responsibilities of the unit are carried out in the field of Justice administration and Child rights, promotion and protection
- To promote access to Social services for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalized groups
- To co-ordinate and regulate specialized residential services for children, underprivileged youth and the disabled
- To facilitate opportunities for NGOs to develop social services in collaboration with the communities
- To collaborate with the Health directorate within the Assembly and other Agencies to promote community care strategies and create awareness on the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS
- To create awareness on population issues and family planning
- o promote social, economic and emotional stability in families
- To promote poverty alleviation and ensure income security amongst the vulnerable, marginalized and disadvantaged groups
The statutory obligations of the Social Welfare unit include the following:
- The promotion and protection of the rights of children
- Justice Administration on child related issues
- Community care
- Budgeting, Planning and Monitoring
While that of the Community Development include:
- Economic Empowerment
- Adult Education
- Personal social welfare services
- Hospital welfare services
- Assistance to street children, child survival and development
- Socio-economic and emotional stability in families.
- Arbitration
Activities
Some of the activities evolving from these statutory obligations include:
- Identification and monitoring of Early Childhood Development centres
- Facilitation of community-based rehabilitation of persons with disabilities
- Assistance and facilitation in the provision of community care services which include:
- Registration of persons with disabilities
- Assistance to the aged
- Facilitating the registration and supervision of Non-governmental organizations and their activities within the municipality
Activities
- Assist in the organisation of community development programmes to improve and enrich rural life (Income generation for rural women, Provision of vocational training for the poor and disabled, teaching deprived or rural women home management and child care)
- Maintenance of children
- Child custody
- Paternity
- Family reconciliation
- Prison aftercare
- Running of children‘s homes
- Adoption
- Psychiatric social work services
- Services for the destitute
- Poverty alleviation through LEAP