Social workers’ career model will come into effect by January 2016 at the latest, Minister of State for Social Affairs and Inclusion Károly Czibere said on Wednesday at a expert-level consultation held in Székesfehérvár.
Mr Czibere said that the model will concern about 70,000 people active in the field and it will be adjusted to the credit system of the renewed educational system of social workers. He stressed that the government aims at showing better appreciation of social workers by integrating the 2014 wage compensations into their wages, which may be complemented with a wage increase as of July.
He pointed out that the European Union approved the Human Resource Development Operational Programme (HRDOP) on Tuesday, which means that over the next six years more than HUF EUR 325 million will be available for the development of social, child welfare and child protection services. He said that calls for proposals worth several hundred million forints will be opened in the coming months.
The Minister of State emphasised that Hungary must become a strong country, a basic requirement for which is social security. According to Mr Czibere the prerequisites of social security are a compassionate and inclusive society, high-quality social services and dedicated social workers. He said the two basic laws governing the social sector – the 1993 social act and the 1997 child protection act – do not require major changes and will only be amended if necessary.