1. Department of Social Development1 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the Transformation of Welfare Services 15 April 2003

2. Department of Social Development2 MINMEC Review MINMEC decision to review Financing Policy in February 2001 Review was motivated by: Concerns raised by internal and external stakeholders, including Portfolio Committee MINMEC observations about protracted process of implementation Confusion about status of the Financing Policy

3. Department of Social Development3 Key Recommendations Overall conclusion: Policy has good intentions, but lacks direction to advance implementation Implementation of policy to be held in abeyance until detailed review is done Funding to continue on current basis Principles of policy to be retained

4. Department of Social Development4 Key Recommendations Detailed review and revision to include: Legislation/regulation to be developed to enforce policy Costing of policy to consider financial implications for government and partners

5. Department of Social Development5 Transformation Agenda Proposal from National Department to MINMEC to adopt more comprehensive approach to transformation of welfare services Motivation for comprehensive approach: Financing Policy is one of many transformation initiatives Fragmentation of different initiatives

6. Department of Social Development6 Outputs of Review Norms and standards for services: Human Resource Issues Improving infrastructure Review of welfare policies and legislation Financial Issues Monitoring and evaluation Implementation Plan

7. Department of Social Development7 Norms and standards for services ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward A gap analysis between service needs and service provision Mapping of services done and migration plans initiated Some of the activities need to be outsourced Service Standards director post to be filled – urgent An audit of service provision by the national and provincial departments Types of welfare services rendered at both levels identified Gap analysis results will be used to determine quality of service delivery Impact of services rendered cannot be measured due to unreliable information received from provinces

8. Department of Social Development8 Norms and standards for services ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward An audit of service provision by subsidized welfare organizations, including national councils Desk-top study of profile and services rendered by National Councils completed Some initial information could be obtained from Provinces – results will determine whether this task should be outsourced

9. Department of Social Development9 Norms and standards for services ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Norms and Standards for services Minimum Standards developed for children, youth, disabled persons and older persons DQA process developed and implemented in most provinces Uniform approach needed for all service fields Similar process used for Social Security to be followed Treasury promised support

10. Department of Social Development10 Human Resource Issues ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Finalise HRD Strategy for sector HRD Strategy finalised See slides 12 to 23 Revise curriculum for social service professionals in sector Initial discussions undertaken with Tertiary and other training institutions

11. Department of Social Development11 Human Resource Issues ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Review and revise service conditions of social service professionals to address issues of low morale and low retention Involvement in development of CORE Piece-meal work attempted by SACSSP No competency at both national and provincial levels to effectively assess problem Conference planned to address crisis Low morale has definite link to poor salaries - Situation worse in NGOs

12. Department of Social Development12 PURPOSE HRD Strategy: To facilitate the delivery of the 10- point plan and it’s statutory obligations. To expedite the government’s commitment to the public service transformation.

13. Department of Social Development13 OBJECTIVES OF THE HRD STRATEGY Analyse key elements of the functional strategies: provincial and national. Analyse skill, service delivery and personnel audit reports from provinces (where they exist). Examine workplace skill plans: relevancy and linkages. Determine current education and training supply in the sector

14. Department of Social Development14 OBJECTIVES OF THE HRD STRATEGY (continues) Investigate institutional arrangements for successful HRD. Determine generic employee profile (existent vs. ideal). Collate and assimilate into HRD strategy and tactical plans

15. Department of Social Development15 THE SUCCESS TRIANGLE For a value adding strategy, there are three key cornerstones that have to be considered: The organisational culture itself – and how enabling it is. The process of ensuring that other systems and processes are complementary. The process of ensuring that the strategy adds value to the business and the HRD function.

16. Department of Social Development16 AREAS OF THE STRATEGY Transformation of services. Transformation of the curriculum. Proffessionalisation of social work. Financing mechanism.

17. Department of Social Development17 ROLE PLAYERS Govt. departments. Professional Bodies. Universities (Training providers). NGO’s. HWSETA. SAQA.

18. Department of Social Development18 THE STRATEGY Ensure the appropriate training, education and employment of a new category of social workers: Recruitment of new workers: moving from traditional forms of Welfare and social work to a developmental form. A sufficient skills pool in terms of numbers and quality of graduates and future incumbents.

19. Department of Social Development19 THE STRATEGY (continues) X number of employees at all provinces to undergo reorientation training. A standard pilot programme to be piloted at nine universities across all provinces.

20. Department of Social Development20 THE STRATEGY Relationship with Universities A Forum of key stakeholders established to develop common, multi-skilling foundation to curricula at NQF levels 5 and 6. Professional qualification thresholds established for Community Development, Probation, Child and Youth Care Workers.

21. Department of Social Development21 THE STRATEGY (continues) Department / academic partnerships established to promote relevant development of curricula productive research, student coaching and appropriate staff forecasting / absorption.

22. Department of Social Development22 PROGRESS MADE: The JUC activities has been revived Council is looking into the notion of Continuous Development Programme (CDP). The strategy has been submitted to the HWSETA to inform to process of developing a Sector Skills Plan.

23. Department of Social Development23 CHALLENGES: There is slow progress in the development of the tools for transformation e.g. financing mechanism. Instability at the line-function SETA (Health and Welfare). Slow progress in SAQA processes. Current working conditions for social workers.

24. Department of Social Development24 Improving Infrastructure ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Location of service centres and service points, focus on rural areas, informal settlements Equipment of service centres No in-depth work undertaken - will piggy back on Social Security processes Poor and or lack of offices, systems, equipment etc compounds low morale

25. Department of Social Development25 Improving Infrastructure ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Upgrading or establishing facilities for target groups in rural areas and under- serviced urban areas Existing services in all provinces mapped – need to be updated Some facilities needing upgrading have been identified Some provinces have embarked on the establishment of new facilities Lack of a coherent data-base on facilities Problem compounded by discounting of loans issue Need to link this output to broader SD process of addressing the infra-structure problem

26. Department of Social Development26 Review of policies and legislation ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Rewriting of Financing Policy Some aspects have been reviewed Recommendation made to separate three issues namely transformation of services, financing of services and the DQA in new document DG/HSD to appoint small task team rewrite financing policy to concentrate only on the financing of welfare services Policy and guidelines on Quality Assurance to be rewritten

27. Department of Social Development27 Review of policies and legislation ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward New policy and legislation : Older Persons Draft policy document on the status of older persons consulted Zero draft Bill ready to be submitted to Cabinet Committee Directorate Older Persons established and Director appointed Lack of capacity at both national and provincial departments Other departments to show commitment Costing process to be initiated

28. Department of Social Development28 Review of policies and legislation ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Review of Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act Gaps in Act identified Task team to develop discussion paper established Act still a national competency – It should be assigned to provinces Amendments to be affected to deal with flaws Review of Probation Services Act Amendment Act finalised Align with Child Justice Bill Appointment of POs and Assistant POs – cost implications of Child Justice Bill

29. Department of Social Development29 Review of policies and legislation ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward New Child Care legislation Discussion Paper finalised and to consulted Draft bill discussed with other departments Process drawn out Policy issues suggested in Discussion Paper to be discussed, amended or adopted before it is written into law Act to be costed

30. Department of Social Development30 Financing issues ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Costing of servicesHistorical and present information of expenditure and amount budgeted in process of being captured Process to be informed by norms and standards Costing exercised to be outsourced Simplifying options for financing of services provided by NGOs and CBOs HSD team appointed to develop uniform funding formula Assistance from Treasury to be enlisted

31. Department of Social Development31 Financing issues ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Costing implementation of transformation programme and identification of sources of funding Cost incurred thus far not captured Transformation programme to be project managed and therefore costed

32. Department of Social Development32 Monitoring and evaluation ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Key performance Indicators identified Some indicators identified Process to finalise KPIs to be expedited Design system for data collection System not yet designed IT directorate to assist Commission impact evaluation studies Outsource

33. Department of Social Development33 Implementation Plan ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Set out institutional arrangements To be addressed when project is implemented Guidance on the what and how sought Procedure manuals for officials, NGOs, CBOs Training programme in new approach

34. Department of Social Development34 Implementation Plan ActivityProgressConstraints/ Way Forward Ongoing communication programme for all role players Outdated – need to be redesigned New communication strategy to be developed Consultation with broad spectrum of role players OngoingA well thought out consultation process to be implemented

35. Department of Social Development35 Issues and Challenges Scope of project requires dedicated financial and human resources How to draw in existing initiatives without slowing down their progress Sequencing the various elements of the project Developing a sensible interim funding policy for NGOs and CBOs