Malaysia to Establish Social Work Profession Act 2026

Social work in Malaysia, though existing since 1946 through the Department of Social Welfare (JKM), has lacked formal recognition due to the absence of a regulatory body. This is set to change with the proposed Social Work Profession Act 2026.

Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, emphasized that social work is a pure profession requiring formal competencies, knowledge, skills, and training. It involves a structured process from engagement and assessment to intervention and service termination, differentiating it from mere volunteerism.

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Social work is a pure profession for solving problems faced by individuals, groups, or communities so they can function independently again. However, social work cannot be equated with volunteer work alone, as many people assume. Social work is a profession that requires competence, knowledge, skills, and formal training. It involves processes that must be carried out systematically, starting from engagement... with the individual or group to be assisted, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation of the individual or group's condition, until the termination of the services provided.

The act aims to elevate the delivery of social interventions, which encompass high-risk and complex cases. These include child protection for neglected children, support for abuse victims, psychosocial assistance for persons with disabilities (OKU) and the elderly, community rehabilitation, and mental health support.

Efforts to formalize social work education began in the early 2000s, with higher learning institutions introducing social work syllabi and proposing standards. The establishment of the Joint Council on Social Work Education (JCCSWE) in 2000 aimed to draft national policies and standards for social work education and coordinate university curricula. A memorandum in 2010 approved the JKM's proposal to draft the Social Work Act, paving the way for professional recognition and improved service delivery.

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professional activity based on principles, values and ethics, knowledge and skills to help individuals, families, groups and communities improve or restore their social functioning capacity.