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Abu Dhabi develops competency assessments for social care licensing

Department of Community Development aims to ensure best quality of services

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The Department of Community Development (DCD) in Abu Dhabi has formed strategic partnerships with specialised academic institutions to assess and enhance the quality of social care professional licensing procedures in Abu Dhabi.

This is in line with the DCD’s efforts to optimise the social care sector and ensure best quality of services by guaranteeing high capability of social care professionals.

Mubarak Salem Al Ameri, Executive Director of Social Licensing and Control Sector at Department of Community Development (DCD) said: “This partnership is a significant step taken towards regulating the social care sector by automating the assessment process of social care professionals, who wish to practice in Abu Dhabi."

“Furthermore, the DCD has also guaranteed the competence of the specialised experts participating in the assessment and the quality of the test content."

The project will encompass several social care categories specified by DCD, such as psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, and counsellors.

“It is necessary that the social care professionals who seek to acquire the license meet specific qualifications and experience requirements stipulated by the DCD. Before accepting each application, which might take up to three months from submission, the DCD will evaluate applicants' educational backgrounds and work experiences,” Al Ameri added.

DCD had made it mandatory for all professionals providing social care services to obtain the department's license to practice social care professions in the emirate in 2020.

The requirement covers five social care professions, including social workers, non-clinical psychologists, applied behavioural analysts, psychotherapists, and counsellors.

Al Ameri noted that the procedures for the assessments include proficiency testing, verification of the submitted documents, and other requirements mentioned in the Regulations and Procedures Manual issued by the DCD.

Social care professionals must also meet the established standards for education and experience published on the Department’s official website. The license is valid for two years beginning from the date of its issuance and is renewable for a similar period subject to renewal and Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements.

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