CHECK IT 0UT! APASWE No.14(2011-2013) August

From

The National Council for the Schools of Social Work in Thailand has been launched

Decha Sungkawan, PhD

Prologue Social work education and social work Establishing the Juvenile and Family profession had been introduced and Courts Act 2011. established in Thailand along with the socioeconomic and social welfare development since1950s. Social work code of ethics guided by the The first western model of social welfare Social Worker Association of Thailand agency, the Department of Public founded in 1957 as a national Welfare and the training institution for association for social workers. The pioneer social work practitioners were Association of Thai Medical Social founded in 1940s. Worker and the Association of Psychiatric Social Worker are recently Faculty of Social Administration had established as the guideline bodies for been founded in 1954 at Thammasat the social workers in these specific areas University to offer the social work of practice. degree program of study that was firstly The medical social workers are on their developed to serve the Department of way to call for licensing of practice in Public Welfare. The approximate these specific procedures; social numbers of 1,500 social workers are assessment/diagnosis and social employed mainly in the public welfare treatment, social surveillance and agencies while a few are employed in prevention, social promotion and local government and non-government rehabilitation, social resource agencies. Thai social workers are now management, community work and working under number of social advocacy, and research and development. legislations include; the Social Security Act 1990. the Labor Protection Act 1998, The draft of the Social Work Profession the Criminal Procedure Act Amendment Act is on its way to be promulgated and in 1999, the Narcotics Addict enforced. The social work profession is Rehabilitation Act 2002, the Child recognized and will be registered under Protection Act 2003, the Social Welfare the new Act. The Council of Social Work Promotion Act 2003, the Welfare for Profession will be established to provide Elderly Act 2003, the Domestic Violence the standard guidelines for the social Victim Protection Act 2007, the Mental workers and social work practice. Health Act 2008, the Anti Human Trafficking Act 2008, and the

1 The social work curriculum are now TASWE approved and accredited by the Commission on Higher Education, Thai Association of Social Work Ministry of Education and the and Social Welfare Education curriculum also need to gain recognition of the Office of Civil Service Commission. The national council of social work education is being developed under Thai Association of Social Work and Social Welfare Education (TASWE). The founding members of TASWE are the Social Worker Association of Thailand and the universities in Thailand that offer social work education programs either at undergraduate or graduate levels include; 1. The Faculty of Social Administration, 2. The Faculty of Social Work and

Social Welfare, Hua Chiew

Chalermprakiat University Thai Association of Social Work and 3. The Faculty of Liberal Arts, Social Welfare Education has been Krirk University legally registered with three specific 4. The Faculty of Social Science, objectives; to develop and promotion of Mahachulalongkorn social work and social welfare education, Rajwittayalai University to support the study, research and (Buddhist University) develop body of knowledge for social 5. The Faculty of Humanities and work and social welfare practices, and to Social Science, Prince of support social work and social welfare Songkhla University networking at both national and 6. The Faculty of Social Science, international levels. TASWE has been registered to the address at 2 Pra Chand 7. The Faculty of Humanities, Road, Pranakorn District, 10200 Thailand and its first President is

Decha Sungkawan, Ph.D. Dean, the Faculty of Social Administration, Thammasat University

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