By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, April 29, 2025 – The Parliament of Sierra Leone has enacted the Professional Social Workers Regulatory Council Act 2025, a landmark legislation aimed at strengthening the regulation and formalization of the country’s social welfare sector.
The bill, which underwent amendments during the Committee of the Whole House, was read for the third time and passed into law following a unanimous vote. Speaker of Parliament Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas presided over the proceedings, affirming the bill’s importance in ensuring accountability and professionalism in social work.
The newly established Professional Social Workers Regulatory Council will oversee licensing, registration, and disciplinary measures for social workers and welfare institutions operating across the country. The act is expected to tackle longstanding issues such as unlicensed facilities, unregulated practitioners, and misconduct while aligning Sierra Leone’s social work standards with international best practices.
Minister of Social Welfare Melrose Kaimity, who championed the bill, described it as a necessary reform to address challenges related to drug abuse, child protection, gender-based violence, and the oversight of orphanages and care institutions.
The legislation now awaits presidential assent before its full implementation. Once operational, the council will introduce a national registry of social workers, enforce professional codes of conduct, and ensure the welfare sector maintains ethical and legal standards.
The passage of the act has been hailed as a significant milestone in safeguarding the rights and dignity of Sierra Leone’s most vulnerable populations.