With the promulgation of LI 1961, the Department of Community Development and Department of Social Welfare at the local level have now been merged to become a Department of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies with the new name Department of Social Welfare and Community Development.
Vision: To take the lead in integrating the disadvantaged, vulnerable and excluded in mainstream of development
Mission: To work in partnership with individuals, families, groups and communities to improve their social wellbeing through their active participation in promoting development with equity.
General Objective of the Department
The Social Welfare and Community Development Department exists to:
- Facilitate the mobilization and use of available human and material resources to improve the living standards of individuals, groups, families and communities within an effectively decentralized system of administration
- Prevent and respond to social exclusion and mal adjustment within context of National and sub National Development efforts
Specific Objectives
- Shall assist the Assembly to formulate and implement Social Welfare and Community Development policies within the framework of national policy.
- Shall assist and facilitate provision of community care services
- Shall assist to maintain specialized residential services in the Districts
- Shall facilitate the registration and supervision of Non-Government Organizations and their activities in the District
- Shall assist to organize Community Development programmes to improve and enrich the socio-economic lives of the populace
- Shall train community groups in employable skills to improve their income levels
- Shall collaborate and network with Governmental and Non-Government Institutions
The Social Welfare and Community Development Department shall assist the Assembly to formulate and implement social welfare and community development policies within the framework of national policy.
2. The Department shall: a) facilitate community-based rehabilitation of persons with disabilities;
b) Assist and facilitate provision of community care services including:
i. registration of persons with disabilities;
ii. Assistance to the aged;
iii. Personal Social welfare services;
iv. Hospital welfare services;
v. assistance to street children, child survival and development;
vi. Socio-economic and emotional stability in families;
vii. Facilitate livelihood empowerment against poverty programme
ix. Provide gender empowerment and mainstreaming activities (OKDEF)
x. promote to end gender based violence
xi. indigenes registration onto NHIS
c. child right promotion and protection;
i. handling case pertaining to, custody, paternity, maintenance
ii. Monitor and supervise early childhood development centers
d) Assist to maintain specialized residential services in the districts;
e) Facilitate the registration and supervision of non-profit organizations and their activities in the district;
f) Assist to organize community development programmes to improve and enrich rural life through: i. Literacy and adult education classes;
ii. Voluntary contribution and communal labour for the provision of facilities and services such as water, schools, library, community centers and public places of convenience or
iii. Teaching deprived or rural women in home management and child care.
g. Assist justice and Admiration through;
i. assist the family tribunal to take decision
ii. Investigate and write social enquiry report
iii. Recommend to court on juvenile cases