Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners warns against employment of underage children

By Linda Ike

The Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria has warned Nigerians against employing underaged children in their homes.

The National President of the institute, Prof. Oluyemisi Obashoro-John gave the warning on Tuesday while briefing House of Representatives press corps in Abuja.

She said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) states that any child below the age of fifteen, should not be employed in any home or offices.

Prof.John cautioned that employing underage house help is punishable by law.

She assured that the institute is working with the standard regulation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on who is qualified to be a worker.

She urged Nigerians to report to the Institute any person found employing children as house helps

Prof. John commended the National Assembly for ensuring the swift passage of the bill, and expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari, for assenting to the Act

” The Institute is delighted to inform Policy makers, Legislators, Heads of MDAs, Civil Society groups, International Development Agencies, Concerned Professionals and the general public of the current position of the law in respect to the profession of social work in Nigeria as enshrined in the Act establishing the Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria (Act No. 25 of 2022) for the purpose of registration, regulation and control of the profession in Nigeria.

She said that a closer and professional look at the general society shows that the difference between the advanced world and the developing world lies mainly in the level of social work practiced, hence, the importance of the profession in Nigeria.

She added that for over a decade of existence in Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria is set to reposition the profession taking into account the tremendous strides of heroes past in ensuring the practice gains her pride of place in Nigeria and more important among disciplines of interest in contemporary times.

The president.called on all the State Governors and State Houses of Assembly yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to expedite action towards that hence the Act provides for registration, regulation and control of the Social Works in Nigeria.

“According to Act No. 25 of 2022, Social Work means an applied or behavioral profession that simply promotes human rights, social justice, peace and conflict resolutions, engendering social change, problem solving and sustainable development in human relationship focusing on the empowerment and liberation of people and enhancing the well-being of individuals, families, groups and communities, and utilising the theories of human behavior and social system”, she stated.

She disclosed that the role of social workers in the society is to “identify people and communities in need of help; assess clients’ needs, situations, strengths and support networks to determine their goals; help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as illness, divorce or unemployment; research into, refer and advocate for community resources, such as food stamps, childcare and health care to assist and improve a client’s well-being.

Explaining the difference between a social worker and a house help the National President said the institute is for the practice of the professional activities of the practice and the idea.

She stated, “House helps are not the kind of professionals that we are, they are not social workers. A social worker is trained to do that job, a house help is an assistant in a house and is not a social worker and it is just taking up a job If the individual has reached the age of taking up a job. So where you have a child who has not reached the age of taking up a job, then there is a problem, that is where social Work will now step in to ensure that the child is not given a job because he is not supposed to be doing any kind of job. But a house help is not a social worker”.

“In addition, Social Workers are expected to respond to crisis situations such as child abuse and mental health emergencies and follow up on clients to ensure that their situations have improved; maintain case files and records; develop and evaluate programs and services to ensure that basic client needs are met; and provide psychotherapy services.

She continued, “For over a decade of existence in Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria (formerly Institute of Social Work of Nigeria) is set to reposition the profession taking into account the tremendous strides of heroes past in ensuring the practice gains her pride of place in Nigeria and more important among disciplines of interest in contemporary times.

“In Nigeria today, there are particularly challenges relating to social development which have hindered national growth. In response to these challenges, the Nigerian government, established the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to contain the very many problems.

“The entrance of this Chartered Institute will help galvanise professionals and control the professional practice.

*Considering the critical shortage of social workers in our nation’s schools, where professionals are needed to help young people deal with complex issues such as trauma, poverty, increasing addiction crises, the Institute’s new status is a great stride in the right direction.

The Executive Secretary of the Institute, Mr. Aniekan Michael, explained that a huge number of institutions in Nigeria offer Social Work as a discipline at First Degree level, Second Degree and beyond that.

He said, “Now this is what we do at the chartered institute, we are aware of the fact that there is quackery, now just because you own a First Degree isn’t enough to make you a member, so there is a need to have a refreshers programme when we bring you into the space and then begin to offer you certain professional practice where you can come up to speed on what you need to know and what qualifies you is a First Degree to be able to attain that level of membership within the Chartered Institute.

“And going forward there is also something we call Social Work proficiency certificate examination. This can be likened to the likes of ICAN, and every other Association we know who are currently doing same”.

By Linda Ike

The Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria has warned Nigerians against employing underaged children in their homes.

The National President of the institute, Prof. Oluyemisi Obashoro-John gave the warning on Tuesday while briefing House of Representatives press corps in Abuja.

She said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) states that any child below the age of fifteen, should not be employed in any home or offices.

Prof.John cautioned that employing underage house help is punishable by law.

She assured that the institute is working with the standard regulation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on who is qualified to be a worker.

She urged Nigerians to report to the Institute any person found employing children as house helps

Prof. John commended the National Assembly for ensuring the swift passage of the bill, and expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari, for assenting to the Act

” The Institute is delighted to inform Policy makers, Legislators, Heads of MDAs, Civil Society groups, International Development Agencies, Concerned Professionals and the general public of the current position of the law in respect to the profession of social work in Nigeria as enshrined in the Act establishing the Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria (Act No. 25 of 2022) for the purpose of registration, regulation and control of the profession in Nigeria.

She said that a closer and professional look at the general society shows that the difference between the advanced world and the developing world lies mainly in the level of social work practiced, hence, the importance of the profession in Nigeria.

She added that for over a decade of existence in Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria is set to reposition the profession taking into account the tremendous strides of heroes past in ensuring the practice gains her pride of place in Nigeria and more important among disciplines of interest in contemporary times.

The president.called on all the State Governors and State Houses of Assembly yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to expedite action towards that hence the Act provides for registration, regulation and control of the Social Works in Nigeria.

“According to Act No. 25 of 2022, Social Work means an applied or behavioral profession that simply promotes human rights, social justice, peace and conflict resolutions, engendering social change, problem solving and sustainable development in human relationship focusing on the empowerment and liberation of people and enhancing the well-being of individuals, families, groups and communities, and utilising the theories of human behavior and social system”, she stated.

She disclosed that the role of social workers in the society is to “identify people and communities in need of help; assess clients’ needs, situations, strengths and support networks to determine their goals; help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as illness, divorce or unemployment; research into, refer and advocate for community resources, such as food stamps, childcare and health care to assist and improve a client’s well-being.

Explaining the difference between a social worker and a house help the National President said the institute is for the practice of the professional activities of the practice and the idea.

She stated, “House helps are not the kind of professionals that we are, they are not social workers. A social worker is trained to do that job, a house help is an assistant in a house and is not a social worker and it is just taking up a job If the individual has reached the age of taking up a job. So where you have a child who has not reached the age of taking up a job, then there is a problem, that is where social Work will now step in to ensure that the child is not given a job because he is not supposed to be doing any kind of job. But a house help is not a social worker”.

“In addition, Social Workers are expected to respond to crisis situations such as child abuse and mental health emergencies and follow up on clients to ensure that their situations have improved; maintain case files and records; develop and evaluate programs and services to ensure that basic client needs are met; and provide psychotherapy services.

She continued, “For over a decade of existence in Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria (formerly Institute of Social Work of Nigeria) is set to reposition the profession taking into account the tremendous strides of heroes past in ensuring the practice gains her pride of place in Nigeria and more important among disciplines of interest in contemporary times.

“In Nigeria today, there are particularly challenges relating to social development which have hindered national growth. In response to these challenges, the Nigerian government, established the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to contain the very many problems.

“The entrance of this Chartered Institute will help galvanise professionals and control the professional practice.

*Considering the critical shortage of social workers in our nation’s schools, where professionals are needed to help young people deal with complex issues such as trauma, poverty, increasing addiction crises, the Institute’s new status is a great stride in the right direction.

The Executive Secretary of the Institute, Mr. Aniekan Michael, explained that a huge number of institutions in Nigeria offer Social Work as a discipline at First Degree level, Second Degree and beyond that.

He said, “Now this is what we do at the chartered institute, we are aware of the fact that there is quackery, now just because you own a First Degree isn’t enough to make you a member, so there is a need to have a refreshers programme when we bring you into the space and then begin to offer you certain professional practice where you can come up to speed on what you need to know and what qualifies you is a First Degree to be able to attain that level of membership within the Chartered Institute.

“And going forward there is also something we call Social Work proficiency certificate examination. This can be likened to the likes of ICAN, and every other Association we know who are currently doing same”.