Nairobi, Kenya, 3rd July 2026 — The Sierra Leone Association of Social Workers (SLASW) has made a strong mark on the international stage, actively participating in the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) Annual General Meeting and the Joint Global Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD) 2026 Conference held in Nairobi.
Represented by Secretary General Michael Mitchell Conteh, Esq. and President Prof. Sylvester Amara Lamin, PhD, EdD, LISW, the Sierra Leone delegation engaged in high-level discussions, presented research papers, and contributed to shaping global conversations on the future of the profession.
At the IFSW Annual General Meeting (23–24 June), Mr. Conteh called for the establishment of enduring Global Standards for Social Work Ethics, noting Sierra Leone’s achievement in enacting the Professional Social Work Regulatory Act (2025) — one of the few comprehensive social work laws in Africa. “Sierra Leone is proud to share its blueprint in regulating the social work profession and remains ready to support other countries in this journey,” he said.
The delegation’s impact continued at the SWSD 2026 Conference (26–29 June), where Sierra Leone presented two papers and led a workshop:
Police Social Work and Community Policing — highlighting how integrating social work ethics into policing improves service delivery, particularly through the Family Support Unit.
Child Protection at the Core of Strengthening Families — showcasing Sierra Leone’s progress in child protection laws and policies, while sparking comparative discussions with global participants.
The team also shared national milestones, including Sierra Leone’s first National Social Workers Census (2024) supported by UNICEF, the harmonized undergraduate curriculum, and the pioneering Master of Social Work programme at Fourah Bay College.
On the sidelines, SLASW held strategic meetings with IFSW Africa Region leadership, UNICEF regional representatives, the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance, and the Commonwealth Organisation of Social Workers, paving the way for stronger collaboration ahead of the IFSW Africa Regional Conference in Malawi (2027).
Prof. Lamin, who also teaches at Middle Tennessee State University in the USA, expressed satisfaction with the outcomes: “Our presentations on police social work and child protection demonstrated Sierra Leone’s commitment to innovative, context-relevant solutions that strengthen families and communities.”
Supported by UNICEF Sierra Leone and Middle Tennessee State University, the successful engagement is expected to boost SLASW’s international profile, facilitate knowledge transfer, and open new avenues for technical support to strengthen social services and child protection systems back home.
