May 2023 target for amalgamation of social services

All systems are being put in place for the island’s social services agencies to come under one state entity by May 2023, says Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey.

While the Government earlier this year announced that the Child Care Board, National Disabilities Unit, National Assistance Board (NAB) and the Welfare Department would be amalgamated, Humphrey said he was comfortable that the new Department of Family Services would be in place by the given timeline.

“I had hoped to be able to finalise it by the end of March 2023, but obviously some of these things take time,” he said.

“Hopefully by May, we will be able to say that we have amalgamated the social services and that we have the best design in terms of the regional approach to delivering social services, but also one of the best practices in the world, and to be able to reach the vast majority of persons who need support at the community level, which is the difference between our current model and the model that we are working on.”

Humphrey disclosed that a governance framework for the department has already been decided on, and authorities have started visiting sites across the island to place the various family services units.

“So, we have looked at 15 sites and we have been going around and we have been determining what we need to make them disabled-friendly, to look at the lighting, to look at the security because these days you have to look at security more than before,” he said.

“The idea is that when you walk in Brittons Hill, for example, to a family services office, nobody knows why you are walking in. So it’s not that you are going to welfare for welfare support. It is not that you are going to NAB for elderly support or child care for child care support. Nobody knows when you go in, it’s much more confidential. You can also file online and we are also putting in place that the officers can go into the community.”

With most of the groundwork completed, Minister Humphrey said the focus is now on looking at what jobs would be necessary for the new amalgamated entity.

Noting that plans to roll out the Department of Family Services were at an advanced stage, he said: “We have had all of the conversations, we have looked at various models. We have met with all of the staff of all the departments – and I mean all the staff in all the departments.

“We have met with the seniors several times. We have met with the unions and we have given the unions our total and complete commitment that we will not do anything without the support of the union. We have been having conversations with the staff in relation to whether they would be more comfortable with a board, whether they would be more comfortable in mainstream government, and that conversation is ongoing. We want to build a participatory approach,” Humphrey added.

Noting that the staff of the social services sector have been extremely frustrated with their current work conditions, the Minister acknowledged that it was not easy being a social worker responsible for as many as 50 families.

He said discussions were ongoing regarding allowing social workers to have flexible work hours, among other arrangements.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb