The Department of Social Welfare was established in 1946 by the Local Ordinance Order No. 66 with a mandate for both Social Welfare and Housing Services. In 1950, the Department’s mandate was limited to only Social Welfare Services to take the lead role in Prevention, Protection and Promotion of Policy Guidelines, Regulation, Standards and Programmes for effective and efficient delivery of its Welfare Services

The Department of Community Development is a decentralized Department under the Sector Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. It was established in 1948 through an Administrative Regulation 28 (1942) which has further been strengthened by the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).

 The Department of Social Welfare and Community Development (DSWCD) is established at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as per Second Schedule of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).

The Guiding Principles for functioning of the Social Welfare and Community Development has been formulated as follows:

VISION:

• The Vision of the Department is to take the Lead in Integrating the Disadvantaged, Vulnerable and Excluded into the Mainstream of Development

MISSION:

• The Department is Working in Partnership with Peoplein their Communities to improve their well-being through Promoting Development with Equity for the Disadvantaged, Vulnerable and the Excluded in Society.

GENERAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

THREE (3) MAIN CORE PROGRAMMES

1.CHILD RIGHTS, PROTECTION & PROMOTION

1. Support families and individuals in the handling of Non – Child Maintenance Cases, Child Abuse, Custody, Paternity and Family Reconciliation;
2. Supervises and Monitor the setting up and operations of Residential Homes for Children (RHC)
3. Conduct and write Social Investigation Report for the purposes of Licencing and Compliance of the National Standards for Residential Homes for Children(RHC);
4. Collaborates and Support in Handling Domestic Violence Cases and Spousal Abuse;
5. Supervise, monitor and facilitate the Registration of Day Care Centers and Early Childhood Care Development Centres (ECCDC)
6. To intervene in cases of Children in Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL);
7. Remove, Rehabilitate and Reintegrate Street Children;
8. Rescue, Rehabilitate and Reintegrate Victims of Trafficking in Persons (TIPs)
9. Undertake Sensitization and Social Education on Social Problems; Provide
10. Alternative Care for Children without Parental Care such as Foster Care and Adoption;
11. Supervises and monitors the Implementation of other Child & Family Welfare and Social Intervention related Programmes
12. JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION
13. Prepare and Submit Social Enquiry Reports (SERs) on Juveniles (Children who have come into conflict with the Law) and Children;
14. Undertake Probation and Prison After-Care Services;
15. Make representation at the Juvenile Courts and Family Tribunals as Panel Member;
16. Provide Alternative Care for Children without Parental Care such as Foster Care and Adoption;
17. COMMUNITY CARE
18. Facilitate and Co-ordinate the Implementation of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) activities;
19. Identify and Register and keep Update data on Persons With Disabilities (PWDs);
20. Conduct Physical and Psychosocial Needs Assessments;
21. Facilitate Livelihood Empowerment Programmes for PWDs;
22. Offer Psycho-Social Counseling to affected Persons With Disabilities and HIV-AIDS, and other Vulnerable persons, etc.
23. Collaborate with others Stakeholders to Provide Hospital Social Welfare Services for Vulnerable Persons, including Persons with Mental Health Disabilities / Disorders;
24. Supervises and monitors the implementation of Social Intervention Programmes
25. Assists in the Rehabilitation of PWDs and Promote Job Placement
26. Offer General Counselling Services to PWDs and their families
27. Advocate and lobby for the Social Inclusion of Disadvantaged individuals and groups including children, women, elderly, PWDs, PLWHAs & PWMHDs
28. Organise literacy and adult education programmes
29. Mobilise voluntary contributions and communal labour for the provision of facilities and services such as water, schools, Library, Community Centres and Public Places of Convenience  
30. Teach Deprived or Rural Women Home Management and Child Care
31. Offer employable and sustainable skills training for the youth.
32. Promote and provide alternative livelihood empowerment skills for the deprived in the communities
33. Promote Entrepreneurial Skills, Business Support Services and Linkages to Financial Institutions to beneficiaries of Skills Training Programmes
34. Provide avenue for other institutions to implement community development programmes
35. Mobilise and Train Voluntary Leaders and Community-Based Organisations as Change Agents in the communities
36. Undertake Community Entry processes for Programme Initiation, Monitoring and Evaluation;
37. Organise Adult Education Programmes
38. Hold Community Briefing Sessions on the role of the Assembly and its Departments with Key Stakeholders and Community Members
39. Identify, Maintain and Update Data on various groups in the community;
40. Conduct Community Needs Assessments;
41. Conduct Community Surveys and Compile Profiles;
42. Assists in the mobilization of resources for Community Development Interventions;
43. Mobilise community members for Communal Labour and Self-help Projects
44. Teach women Home Management, Child Care and Entrepreneurial Skills
45. Supports mobilisation of community members for the collection of inputs for the preparation of Medium -Term Development Plan (MTDP) and Budget.
46. Provide Technical support to Development Partners   
47. Compile Activity, Quarterly and Annual Reports
48. GENDER BASED PROGRAMMES
49. Handle Issues relating to Gender Empowerment and Mainstreaming
50. Deals with issues of Sexual & Gender – Based Violence, in collaboration with other Stakeholders.
51. Collaborates with other stakeholders on issues Gender mainstreaming, among others

TELEPHONE NUMBER 0240935075