The provision of social services by qualified professionals and workers is critical to the delivery of accessible and quality services, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, women and girls, and low-income households.
As part of the social protection reform, in particular the expansion of integrated social services, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection organized the “Developing the Professionals of Tomorrow” event. The aim was to increase the capacity and resources in the field of social services provided by qualified social workers.

Albana Koçiu, Minister of Health and Social Protection, emphasized in her speech that the fight for equality, solidarity and inclusiveness is a significant difference between yesterday and tomorrow’s Albania.

She emphasized that qualified professionals with the necessary skills are ready to provide quality social services in the European Albania of 2030.

“Social workers, social-health operators, personal assistants and professional foster families will be among the new roles that will play an important role in improving the quality of life of those in need. This perspective promotes not only support, but also rehabilitation and active participation of these people in our society,” Koçiu said.

The minister said that there are currently 2,400 psychologists registered with the Order of Psychologists, of which about 1,400 are practicing their profession. In addition, 830 social workers are registered with the Order of Social Workers, of which about 600 are licensed practitioners.

She emphasized that without ongoing support and a strong professional development framework, it would be difficult to provide quality services appropriate for those in need.
“Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate and modernize the current legislation, as well as to develop sub-legal acts to supervise and regulate these professionals. We are working with EU technical assistance on a detailed action plan for all interventions, including the revision of the legal framework, the development and improvement of curricula and modules, and everything else related to the establishment, operationalization and implementation of tomorrow’s professionals,” Koçiu added.

The Minister also discussed the Ministry’s efforts and commitments to further expand the coverage of social protection.

“This coverage, which used to be limited to the capital and a few important cities, is now practically extended throughout Albania. The social protection system currently includes 40 public social care institutions, 25 public residential institutions, and centers for children, the elderly, people with special needs, and victims of violence or trafficking. In addition, the range of community services has grown to more than 70, thanks to a continuous increase in support and funding for social protection, as well as improved coordination with local governments and civil society,” she said.

Speaking about the draft budget for 2025, Minister Koçiu said that for the first time in Albanian history, the budget of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection has exceeded one billion euros.

“Thanks to this budget increase, we will gradually improve the support provided by our social services.” In addition, improved cooperation between the Social Fund and local government bodies aims to better meet the basic needs of the community, wherever they arise. I am pleased that the 2025 budget is based on these priorities, following thorough consultations with our Ministry’s partners and key stakeholders, including coordinators and social workers. As a result, I encourage everyone to proactively identify problems and, more importantly, recommend and discover solutions,” Koçiu said.

According to Hubert Perr, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in Tirana, “The European Union is pleased to support the Ministry in creating a more capable social workforce for Albanian citizens as part of our EU for Social Inclusion program.”
“In the coming months, we will prioritize continuous training for the professional development of social workers, especially at the municipal level. To sustainably strengthen the social protection system, we urge the authorities to establish a strong coordination framework involving all stakeholders, including central and local governments, NGOs, and public and private service providers. Efforts are also needed to establish a continuous development system that can adapt to the changing needs of the target population,” said Perr.

Social workers, social-health workers, personal assistants and professional foster families are among the new roles that will play an important role in improving the quality of life of people in need, enabling them to become independent and integrated into society.
There are currently 3,200 professionals working in various fields, including 230 social workers in education, 155 in social services, 22 in the judicial system and 35 in health.