The social service workforce plays a critical role across sectors, as part of an integrated child protection system that can protect children from all forms of violence. The workforce can more effectively reach the most vulnerable individuals and communities with support and services by working not only as part of the social protection and social welfare systems, but working in and linked with services and settings in health, education and justice sectors, and in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and resilience.

This ASEAN guidance is part of a set of regional guidance papers developed for ASEAN Member States with the support of UNICEF that explore and outline the role of the workforce in these different sectors and settings. This paper, focusing on the role of social workers and the wider social service workforce in the education sector, is intended to support policy makers and decision makers in the fields of education and social welfare, school leaders and teachers, and managers and members of the social service workforce. It is written to help these stakeholders in ASEAN Member States to consider the ways in which the social service workforce can be most effectively deployed in or linked with schools and pre-school settings.