ABSTRACT
In Eswatini, the academic field of social work is in its infancy and is challenging because of the social problems that the country is facing. This has a direct impact on social work practice and service delivery in the absence of a regulatory body to standardise practice and ethical conduct. There is also the absence of guidelines to regulate the use of the title ‘social worker’. The situation has unfortunately blurred the professional lines as many non-professionals identify as social workers in the country. This chapter contends that this professionalisation challenge has created a sub-par practice of service delivery and confused the public because one cannot clearly identify professional social work. In South Africa, social work is a regulated profession governed by the Social Service Professions Act of 1978. The social work profession falls under the authority of the Minister of Social Development. Still, it is administered daily by the South African Council for Social Service Professions and the Professional Board for Social Work.
