On World Social Work Day, Prime Minister Robert Abela visited the offices of Support in Gwardamanġa and those of FSWS, the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, in Santa Venera.
The Prime Minister also met with the workers of the national telephone line that offers support, the number 179. He started with his visit to the building of the Support Agency within the FSWS where he met with the workers social worker and other professionals in the social field on the occasion of this important day that reflects the strong work plan that the government has in the social field.
Together with FSWS CEO Alfred Grixti, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the work carried out by social workers with the most vulnerable people in Maltese society and noted how the global expenditure linked to social has continued to increase from year to year. In fact, last year the investment in the FSWS exceeded €28 million, almost four times more than ten years ago.
After the visit to the Support building, the Prime Minister also visited those of the FSWS in Santa Venera, which this year is commemorating the 25th anniversary of its establishment and today employs 948 employees of which 80% are social workers and other social professionals who work directly with vulnerable people who need its services. During the last years FSWS has seen a great growth in the number of services it offers which are much more than child protection services, against domestic violence and substance abuse and other dependencies which were the three services that were there in the beginning.
Today the FSWS has a presence in many towns and villages around Malta and Gozo through a number of centers for the family in the community. These are located in the City, Birgu, Fgura, Marsaskala, Qormi, Msida, Qawra, Kirkop, Mosta, Rabat (Malta), Rabat (Gozo) and Marsalforn. With these there are the services in the hospitals where there are social workers in the Mater Dei Hospital, the Monte Karmeli Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital, as well as the San Vincenzo de Paul residence.
Other professionals are also assigned to provide service to various other government entities that work in the social field such as the Agency for Active Aging, the Housing Authority and the Kordin Correctional Facility among others. Also present during the visits was the Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon.
