Code of conduct for social service workers announced

A code of conduct and practice for workers and employers in the social service was launched this morning.

The two complementary codes – for employers and workers – are included in the same leaflet that was launched during a press conference at the Ministry for Family and Social Solidarity.

The Code of Conduct and Practice for employers of Social Service Workers sets down the responsibilities of employers towards employees and requires that employers adhere to standards and support workers in abiding with their own code. It also requires them to take appropriate action when the expected standards of conduct are not met.

The code for the workers is a list of statements that describe the standards of professional conduct and practice required of social service workers.

The code will also benefit the public who will now know what standards to expect from the social service sector.

These codes are a key step in the eventual introduction of a system of regulation of social care by the Department of Social Welfare Standards, department director Kenneth Grech said.

Such regulation will include the licensing of service providers and the registration of persons working in social care, with the exception of workers who are already registered with their respective statutory professional bodies.Further information is available from www.welfarestandards.gov.mt