The regional strategic direction that ASEAN is taking on social welfare and development is guided by the following regional instruments:

• The Senior Officials Meeting on Social Work and Development (SOMSWD) Work Plan 2021-2025 and Its Results Framework
• Regional Guidance on Strengthening the Role of Social Workers and the Wider Social Service Workforce in Social Protection
• Regional Guidance on the Development and Use of Social Service Workforce to Population Ratios in ASEAN
• Regional Guidance for ASEAN Member States on Strengthening the Role of Social Workers and the Wider Social Service Workforce in the Justice Sector
• Regional Guidance for ASEAN Member States on Strengthening the Role of Social Workers and the Wider Social Service Workforce in the Health Sector
• Recommendations of the 17th ASEAN GO-NGOs Forum“ Accelerating the Implementation of ASEAN’s Commitments for Gender Equality through Gender Mainstreaming and Social Inclusion”
• Brunei Darussalam Declaration on Strengthening Family Institution: Caring for the Elderly (2010)
• Ha Noi Declaration on the Enhancement of Welfare and Development of ASEAN Women and Children (2010); 
• Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in ASEAN Community (2011)
• Mobilisation Framework of the ASEAN Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2011-2020)
• ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection (2013)
• The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Elimination of Violence Against Children in ASEAN (2013)
• Regional Framework and Action Plan to Implement the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection (2015)
• Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Ageing: Empowering Older Persons in ASEAN (2015)
• ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children (2015)
• ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2018)
• Declaration on the Protection of Children from All Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN (2019)
• Joint Statement on Reaffirmation of Commitment to Advancing the Rights of the Child in ASEAN (2019)
• ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Children in the Context of Migration (2019)