Staffing support coming for Social Development amid ‘grants shift’
Now that assistance grants have shifted from the control of district representatives to the Ministry of Health & Social Development, plans are being implemented to bolster the staff at the Social Development Department.
This is according to Health Minister Marlon Penn who met with members of the department and addressed staffing issues, among other things.
“The burden is now placed on the Social Development Department to process all these levels of assistance without additional staff or resources. So, I understand the struggle that you face when people are frustrated and they sometimes take the frustration out on you. But I just want to let you know that you have my support,” Penn told the members of staff.
Minister Penn advised the department that he has met with Permanent Secretary Petrona Davies and discussed “support for the staff to be better able to offer the increase in service to the public because of the shift.”
“We have just completed the initial report in terms of how we reform the social systems, the social network, and we are also about to take that to Cabinet with those recommendations,” Penn told members of staff. “Those reforms have implications and will impact how you do your work and it is important for you to be a part of this process so there are no surprises and that you are equipped to offer those services to the public when they come calling.”
The minister encouraged the staff to continue providing what he described as ‘excellent service’ and reiterated his commitment to support the team as they continue to execute their duties.
The House of Assembly (HOA) moved assistance grants — previously facilitated through House members and ministries — to the Social Development Department last year after the release of a damning Commission of Inquiry (COI) report.
COI Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom concluded that it was highly likely that serious dishonesty may have taken place and said nothing was being done to prevent or discourage such conduct so he proposed that, “House of Assembly Members’ Assistance Grants and the Government Ministries’ Assistance Grants in their current form should cease forthwith.”
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These guys are useless and clueless. You pass the buck to the department making an entire clusterf**k now you are saying help is ‘coming’. Why not staff and prepare them before making the shift? Now people continue to suffer while the elected officials live lavish.
Too many greenhands in government
What exactly are the roles of Social Development?
Do they fulfill them?
On the government’s website this is what is listed but if you ask me none of these get fulfilled and any that are existing, i.e. the aged care services is downtrodden.
• Family, Children, Protective Services (Adoption, Foster Care, Children Residential Services, Children and Family Support Services)
• Social Protection (Public Assistance, Day Care Assistance, Social Housing, Legal Aid)
• Aged Care Services (Home Care Services, Seniors’ Recreational Services, Seniors’ Engagement)
• Disability Services (Early Intervention, Autism, Vocational Services/BVI Services-Job Placement)
• Community Services (Community Development, Offender Management Services)
Also, I remember years ago a friend of mine told me she called
Social Development to report that she was being abused by her father and was seeking to be removed from her home and when the person who answered the phone heard her father’s name they laughed it off because they are good friends with him. They also went back and told him that his daughter called and he beat her black and blue for trying to “embarrass” him.
Questionable department with even more questionable staff.
A COI must be done on the Social Development Department.
Many of us has had similar experiences with the staff from top down brushing things under the rug, lying, and leaking information to “who they know” that are a part and cause of a problem while endangering the lives of those they are mandated to protect.
People in that department should not be there period!
These types of jobs require people who take the welfare of the public especially children seriously and they do not.
I to had a similar situation with them, the social worker was really cool with a friend of who I was complaining on and would laugh at my complaint and never took it seriously and would go and would go and call the friend and let them know what was said.
Watch the staff disliking the truthful comments.
Yep, check the one they put in charge of the next elections. Damn mouth run like diarrhoea!
I do agree and most of them that works in Social Development Department do not have any care and concern for the welfare of the population they are mandated to serve and protect. Just sad.
That Department don’t even care about their own Staff members must less public. To much of Favoritism and Curry-Favour going on in there.
I agree with (serious question) comment it is very true.
They quickly get rid of people including staff members who they do not like, than helping people.
bothered much are you
I really care about helping people. Wish I could be of service.
Roger Burnett… your mouth and hands are durt now.
Have 6 kids and homeless and still can’t get no help or assistance from social…. Bvi is the dogs!!!! Where is the bvi love ??