KIHASA has published this year's July issue of Health and Welfare Forum, No. 297 with a focus on the paradigm shift of social welfare protective services.

Foreword: “Paradigm Shift of Social Welfare Protective Services” by Je Cheolung

Article I: “A Study of Workforce Management for Child Protective Service: Focusing on the Child Protection Agency” by Lee Sewon

Manpower is a prerequisite for the social work protection service system to fully function. In addition, the professionalism of social service protection personnel is enhanced through appropriate management. In this paper, I examined the tasks of child protection agencies and the adequacy of the supply and demand for child protection services. And, by analyzing the results of the protection service workers survey, I suggest that the effort to improve workforce management for child protection agencies should consist of reduction of workload, betterment of labor conditions, improved worker compensation. In addition, building on the momentum gained from the recent increase in the public sector’s role in child protective services, further trust-building and cooperation should take place between the public and private sectors in order for Korea’s child protection system to function properly.

Article II: “Tasks and Working Conditions of Elder Protective Service Workers” by Kim Yuhwi

This paper examines the tasks and working conditions of elder protective service workers, focusing on Elder Protective Service Agencies, and to present suggestions for policy improvement. The main tasks of workers in Elder Protective Service Agencies are to respond to elder abuse and prevent elder abuse, and they are responsible for individual abuse investigations, facility abuse investigations, reporting abuse cases, and case management. The wages, working hours, safety and protection in the workplace, and training of workers in Elder Protective Service Agencies were examined. The findings of this paper suggest that efforts should be made to reduce the workloads, improve the standard of wages for workers, reduce overtime work, increase worker safety, reduce worker burnout, strengthen the training and supervision system, and encourage workers’ participation in training.

Article III: “Ways to Improve Workforce Management in Advocacy Services for Disabled People” by Lee Hanna

The purpose of this article is to understand the current state of workforce management of the Advocacy Agency for Persons with Disabilities (AAPD). For this, the workforce management of AAPD was investigated in three categories; job duties, education and training, and work condition. Quantitative and qualitative data from ‘Research on Protective Service Workforce Policy’ carried out by KIHASA in 2020 were analyzed. The result showed that workers at AAPD had experienced difficulties concerning poorly-defined job responsibilities, excessive workload, low-level treatment, and work safety hazards. Based on the result, this article presents policy suggestions for improving job clarification, education and training, work conditions for the workforce of AAPD.

Article IV: “Service Workers in Domestic Violence Prevention and Their Policy Issues” by Choi Sunyoung

This study examines the situation of service providers in the domestic violence response service field, focusing on the workers of domestic violence counseling centers. The core task of the Domestic Violence Counseling Center is to provide counseling for victims. However, institutional guidelines and support for enhancing professional competence are lacking. Accordingly, counselors seek alternative ways of receiving education or completing a degree program using personal means. The level of salaries of counselors was very low, and the salary system was a flat rate pay system that did not compensate for experience and years of service. Support is needed to raise the salary level and enhance professionalism.

Article V: “Job Description and Characteristics of Protective Service Workers: Using the DACUM Method” by Lee Jung Eun

The purpose of this article is to confirm the job description and characteristics of protective service workers. For this purpose, DACUM (Developing A Curriculum), a job analysis method, was used. We checked the specific job contents and characteristics of protective service workers. This article proposes to develop a curriculum for the training and work of protective service workers and the integrated job development of protective services.