The Department of Social Welfare is mandated to work in partnership with individuals, families, and communities to improve social and economic wellbeing. The Department promotes equitable development with particular focus on the disadvantaged, vulnerable, and socially excluded groups within the Municipality.
General Services of the Social Welfare Unit
Child and Family Welfare Programme
The Department provides comprehensive child and family welfare services, including:
- General case management and mediation in matters such as child custody, paternity, maintenance, non maintenance cases, family reconciliation, and child abuse.
- Provision of alternative care for children without parental care.
- Supervision, monitoring, and facilitation of the registration of Day Care Centres.
- Preparation of Social Investigation Reports for abandoned children, orphans, abused children, victims of trafficking, and child labour cases.
- Family tracing of missing children and stranded persons, including family reunification, reintegration, and settlement.
- Public sensitization on child rights, protection, and responsibilities.
- Rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims of Trafficking in Persons.
- Support and management of domestic violence and spousal abuse cases.
- Engagement with street children and their families towards removal, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
- Investigation, protection, and promotion of the rights of children within the Municipality.
Justice Administration Services
Under justice administration, the Department:
- Provides probation services for juveniles and families.
- Represents cases at Juvenile and Family Tribunal Courts.
- Prepares and submits Social Enquiry Reports to courts upon request.
- Ensures the establishment and effective functioning of Child Panels within the Municipality.
- Liaises with the Police and health facilities and prepares Social Investigation Reports for the Regional Social Welfare Office for missing, abandoned, or vulnerable children.
- Undertakes probation supervision and prison after care services.
Community Care Programme
The Community Care Programme focuses on vulnerable groups and social protection, and includes:
- Identification, registration, and continuous updating of data on Persons with Disabilities.
- Assistance in rehabilitation, skills development, and job placement for Persons with Disabilities
- Facilitation of skills training programmes for Persons with Disabilities.
- Implementation support for the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme.
- Inspection, supervision, and monitoring of residential facilities and shelters for abused persons and the elderly.
- Preparation of Social Investigation Reports for licensing and compliance with national standards for residential homes.
- Physical, medical, and psychosocial needs assessments for vulnerable groups.
- Provision of psychosocial counselling for persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV and AIDS, and their families.
- Delivery of hospital welfare services.
- Support for destitute persons, psychiatric patients, and stranded individuals.
- Sensitization and social education on emerging and persistent social problems.
- Supervision and monitoring of social intervention programmes such as the School Feeding Programme and gender related initiatives.
- Supervision, monitoring, and facilitation of the registration of Non Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations within the Municipality.
- Intervention in cases involving children engaged in the worst forms of child labour.
Community Development Unit
The Community Development Unit undertakes programmes aimed at empowering communities and strengthening local participation in development, including:
- Implementation of adult education programmes.
- Conduct of community entry processes for programme initiation, monitoring, and evaluation.
- Organization of community briefing sessions on the roles of the Assembly and its Departments with key stakeholders and residents.
- Identification, maintenance, and updating of data on community groups and associations.
- Conduct of community needs assessments and surveys, and compilation of community profiles.
- Mobilization of resources for community development interventions.
- Mobilization of community members for communal labour and self help projects.
- Training of women in home management, child care, and entrepreneurial skills.
- Provision of technical support to development partners.
- Facilitation of the rollout of child protection toolkits through community engagement and dialogue.
- Home visits and support for the reintegration of school dropouts into the education system.
- Support for the activities of all Water and Sanitation Committees in the Municipality.
- Advocacy for group formation to promote economic and social ventures.
- Ensuring that community development projects are implemented in the best interest of the communities.
Contact Information
Hotline: 059 323 5422
Email: swcdjda@gmail.com
The Department remains committed to promoting social justice, inclusion, and sustainable community development across the Municipality.
