National Council of Social Work: History, challenges, and prospects

Abstract

This article offers a review of the historical trajectory of the National Council of Social Work (hereinafter CNTS), analyzing the challenges it faces today and the future perspectives that guide its institutional work, as an organization created by Law 53 of 1977, with the mission of exercising inspection, surveillance and control functions over professional practice and ethics, constituting it as a fundamental actor to guarantee the quality, relevance and visibility of Social Work in Colombia. Institutional foresight, understood
as a long-range strategic planning tool, should be oriented towards the continuous improvement of internal processes, the consolidation of participatory, democratic, and inclusive governance, and the promotion of dialogue between academia, the professional community, and public and private institutions with which strategic alliances are planned to be established to achieve greater management reach and efficient results. This requires a rigorous and ongoing assessment of social, cultural, and professional realities, enabling the anticipation of emerging challenges and the leadership of innovation, regulation, and
transformation processes for the benefit of the country’s social workers.