The Ministry of Community Affairs & Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) are partnering with the University College of the Cayman Islands (UUCI) to implement several initiatives in recognition of Social Work Month.

The Ministry and the Department are supporting the launch of the UCCI Social Work Programme at the college. The launch, later this month, will announce the commencement of the following courses this September:

● Certificate – one-year full-time/two year part-time
● Associate degree – two year full-time/three years part-time, and
● Bachelor of Science – four year full-time

The UCCI Director of Special Projects, Dr. Livingston Smith expressed pleasure at the prospect of the College offering a full range of social work courses. “Given the size of our community and the increasing dysfunctionality and anomie modern living can produce, we were struck by the lack of a social work programme locally to support this expanding field. This programme seeks to meet those needs.”

He also remarked that the introduction of the social work programme will reflect the growing specialisms within the field and its allied branches.The official launch will be held on Wednesday, 28 March 2018 in UCCI’s Sir Vassel Johnson Hall, commencing at 5:30 p.m.

Professor Kirstin Svensson, a social work academic from Lund University, Sweden, will give a keynote lecture and lead a question-and-answer session.Attendees at the launch will have opportunity to participate in the Social Sector Expo that follows set up by UCCI, representatives of public and private sector social service agencies and entities.

“We are delighted to help with the organisation and sponsorship of these initiatives,” said Children and Family Services Director, Felicia Robinson. “The programme that the college is unveiling will have a huge impact on the growth in the number of local social work professionals and will increase the professional development opportunities for advanced training in specialized areas.”

On Thursday, 29th March, the college will host a series of professional development master classes from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. These lectures and discussion sessions will be led by Professor Svensson and, Professor Christine Moriconi from West Chester University’s College of Health Services in the United States.

For information about registration and costs for the professional development master classes, contact Dr. L. Smith at 325-6462 or email [email protected]

All social workers, social work students and allied professionals are invited to attend the programmes launch, free Social Sector Expo and Opening Lecture on Wednesday, 28 March.