NSWCF Issue 12:Environmental Systems and Social Policies

Issue 12
Core Knowledge and Skill Competencies:
Environmental Systems and Social Policies
In addition to the Systems Linkage, Analysis and Development competency highlighted
in the last issue, another core knowledge and skill competency is the Environmental
Systems and Social Policies.
The 4 proficiency levels for this are:
Foundational
• Knowledge of the local community, context,
political and larger system impacting clients/
families/ community.
• Knowledge and ability to interpret relevant
policies/ schemes that impact on client
groups.
Intermediate
• Knowledge of interdependencies between policies
with respect to application to client groups.
• Ability to anticipate emerging trends and gaps in
the environment (e.g. health access, special needs of
families in the community).
Advanced
• Ability to identify policy implementations' unintended
consequences to vulnerable groups.
• Ability to contribute to policy enhancement by
identifying limitations of current policy interventions
and tabling for discussion.
• Ability to identify new and emerging societal trends
and communicate service and policy gaps to the right
platform.
Expert
Produced by the Office of the Director of Social
Welfare | Nov 2017
Source: National Social Work Competency
Framework, p. 56 & 57
Find out more: http://www.ssi.sg/nswcf
• Ability to critically analyse policies in context of
complex systems and changing social trends to
suggest revisions, highlight gaps, articulate
cohesive perspective and recommend solutions.
• Ability to address gaps and ensure that social
system is able to support the community safety net
• Ability to influence policy-making through
feedback and advocacy.