Regulations on professional development for social work practitioners in Vietnam

Regulations on professional development for social work practitioners in Vietnam (Image from the internet)

On August 30, 2024, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 110/2024/ND-CP on Social Work, including regulations on the rights and obligations of social work practitioners from October 15, 2024.

Regulations on professional development for social work practitioners in Vietnam

Article 34 of Decree 110/2024/ND-CP stipulates the social work professional development as follows:

- Social work practitioners are responsible for updating their social work knowledge, appropriate to the content of their practice.

- The forms of social work professional development include:

+ Participating in short-term training courses, sessions, workshops, conferences, seminars, or discussions related to social work appropriate to the content of their practice.

+ Participating in the compilation of teaching materials, training materials, or professional documents on social work.

+ Conducting scientific research or teaching related to social work within the scope of their practice.

+ Self-social work professional development and other forms.

- Social work practitioners must undergo training averaging a minimum of 24 hours per year or at least 120 hours over 5 years to update their social work knowledge during their practice. Agencies and units employing social work practitioners have the responsibility to facilitate the updating of knowledge.

- Facilities providing social work services and institutions, centers, and training establishments on social work have the responsibility to organize knowledge updates and issue certificates of social work knowledge update for practitioners according to Form No. 02 appended to Decree 110/2024/ND-CP.

- Plans, content, methods, programs, and materials for updating social work knowledge must be approved by competent authorities.

- Certificates for updating social work knowledge are issued according to Form No. 02 appended to Decree 110/2024/ND-CP.

- The Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall provide detailed guidance for Article 34 of Decree 110/2024/ND-CP.

Regulations on the Conditions for Practicing Social Work in Vietnam from October 15, 2024

To be specific, Vietnamese citizens residing in Vietnam, foreigners, and overseas Vietnamese who comply with the Constitution and laws of Vietnam, possess good moral character, and meet the conditions stipulated in Article 31 of Decree 110/2024/ND-CP are eligible for practicing social work:

- Having graduated with a diploma in social work, sociology, psychology, special education, or other social sciences as stipulated by law at intermediate, college, university, or postgraduate levels.

- Ensuring good health for practicing social work.

- Not falling into the following categories or other cases stipulated by law for handling administrative violations:

+ Individuals convicted of a crime who have not had their criminal records expunged.

+ Subjected to administrative measures such as mandatory education at educational institutions, compulsory detoxification centers, reform schools, or education at commune, ward, or commune-level town.

+ Currently under criminal investigation.

+ Deemed to have lost civil capacity or have difficulties in awareness, behavior control issues, or limited civil capacity and other cases as stipulated by law.

- Possessing a valid certificate of social work practice registration issued by a competent state authority.

(Article 31 of Decree 110/2024/ND-CP)

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