Global Social Work: 300,000 Social Workers in China

China has 300,000 social workers, government reports

International Federation of Social Workers, 14 August 2013.

The number of specialized social workers in China has reached 300,000, including over 80,000 who qualified after passing the government exam, according to a government report published in Beijing on 12 August 2013, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency in Beijing.

“A Report on the Development of Social Work in China (2011-2012)” was published by the Social Work Research Center, under the Ministry of Civil Affairs, in collaboration with the Social Sciences Academic Press, under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

It is the second report of its kind to be published in the country. The first covered 2009-2010.

In China, “Social Work” refers to such sectors as social welfare, social assistance, poverty elimination, marriage and family affairs, mental health, disabled persons’ rehabilitation, employment assistance, and prevention of crimes.

By 2015 and 2020, the number of Chinese social specialists is projected to top 500,000 and 1.45 million, respectively, according to a government plan which calls for greater efforts to train more social-work specialists.

The country has had five national tests on the qualification of social workers so far.

China is reported to have more than 320 colleges and universities, including 266 colleges of social work undergraduate education and 60 vocational colleges offering specialist social work education.

Ministry of Civil Affairs Social Work Research Centre party secretary, Wang Jiexiu, said that in terms of practical needs, there are still gaps in the number of social work professionals.  He called for improved personnel training and increased recruitment.

IFSW works with our member organisation in China, the China Association of Social Workers.

Source


See also China Daily and Daily News