Contact Details
Director-General
Department of Social Welfare Malaysia
Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development
Tingkat 21-24
Menara Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali
Jalan Raja Laut
50562 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel : 603 - 2697 1090
Fax : 603 - 2694 1248
Website : www.jkm.gov.my
Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development
Introduction
The Social Welfare Department Malaysia (JKMM) was established
in 1946 and has been through several structural changes since.
The department started with its involvement in managing
problems that stemmed from World War II. From there, its roles
and functions have expanded to preventive and rehabilitative
services in social issues and the development of the community.
It is one of the agencies under the administration of the Ministry
of Women, Family and Community Development.

Vision
A caring and harmonious society
Mission
Towards a society that is socially harmonious
Motto
The Blessings of Good Deeds
Objectives
- To provide protection and rehabilitation to the department's target groups
- To develop a community through attitudinal change and building capacity towards
self-reliance
- To create a caring society
- To enhance the community's well-being through professional social welfare
services, social development and a strategic sharing of responsibilities
Department's Target Groups
- Children (according to the Child Act 2001)
- People with disabilities
- Older persons
- Destitute persons (according to the Destitute Persons Act 1977)
- Family (women and girls, single parents, victims of domestic violence, the poor and
people with problems)
- Victims of natural disaster
- Voluntary welfare organisations
Programmes and Activities
For Children
The Department is responsible for the provision of care, protection and
rehabilitation of children to ensure their well-being. Programmes are institutionalbased
as well as community-based and implemented with the cooperation and
participation of the community and voluntary organisations. The activities provided
by the institution under the Department include guidance and counselling, formal
education, religious and moral education, recreational activities, as well as health
and medical services. Other services undertaken by the Department include:
- Protection and Rehabilitation for:
- Children in confl ict with the law
- Children who are beyond control
- Children exposed to prostitution
- Urgent protection for children forced into prostitution/illegitimate pregnancy
- Rehabilitation Programmes for Juveniles:
- Preparation of probation reports
- Supervision of probation cases
- District Child Welfare Committees
- Supervision of probation cases
- Care and Protection
- Management of child abuse cases
- Neglected and abandoned children
• "Teledera Hotline"
• Adoption
• Foster Care Application
• Child Protection Teams
• Child Activity Centres
• Celebration of International Children's Day
Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities
The objectives of the rehabilitation services for People with Disabilities (PWDs) are
to assist PWDs to be self-reliant and to achieve their full potential.
Services provided include:
• Registration
• Artificial Aid and Assistive Devices
• Launching Grants
• Disabled Workers Allowance
• Work Placement
• Institutional Training and Medical Rehabilitation
• Community Based-Rehabilitation Programmes
• Group Homes
Malaysia is fully committed in improving the welfare and development of its disabled
population. This is evident in the signing of the Proclamation on Full Participation
and Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific region
on 16 May 1994; and the ratification of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
The government has also endorsed the "Biwako Millennium Framework for Action
Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for PWDs in Asia
and the Pacific" to enable them to enjoy equal opportunities and to participate
in the mainstream development of the country. The national Advisory and
Consultative Council for People with Disabilities was established to coordinate the
implementation of this framework.
Domestic Violence
The department provides assistance in domestic violence issues through:
- Managing cases of domestic violence in accordance with the Domestic Violence
Act 1994
- Protection for victims of domestic violence
For Older Persons
The care and protection for older persons through institutional service provides
health care, guidance, counselling, recreation and religious teachings. In addition,
other programmes that have been established to ensure the well-being of older
persons include:
- Financial Assistance
- Day Care Centre for Older Persons
- Homes for Older Persons without Next of Kin
- Programmes and Activities Undertaken by Non-Governmental Organisations
- Celebration of National Day for Older Persons
For Destitute Persons
The Destitute Persons Act 1977 provides for the protection of destitute persons or
vagrants from public displeasure. Through Desa Bina Diri, the department provides
the following activities:
- Care and Protection
- Skill Training
- Counselling
- Integration into Society
Management and Disaster Aid
Services that provide assistance to victims of natural disaster have been in existence
since the inception of the Department in 1946. The roles and responsibilities of the
Department include various stages i.e. before, during and after the occurrence of
disaster which covers:
- Management of Evacuation Centres
- Assistance in the Form of Food, Clothing and Other Necessities
- Registration of Victims
- Guidance and Counselling
Financial Assistance to the Needy
The main objective of the Financial Assistance Scheme of the Department of Social
Welfare is to lessen the financial burden of the less fortunate and needy individuals/
families. Financial assistance will be rendered until such time when their financial
situation has improved and they have become self-reliant.
The general objectives of the Financial Assistance Schemes are:
- To provide adequate income for meeting the basic needs of the family
- As an incentive aimed at motivating certain target groups, e.g. PWDs to remain in employment
- To enhance the quality of life of the community especially the older persons,
needy children and single mothers so as to ensure that they have access to
better quality of life and basic services
Types of Financial Schemes:
- Aid for Needy Children
- Aid for Older Persons
- Disabled Worker's Allowance
- Launching Grant
- Foster Child Scheme
- Apprenticeship Allowance
- Aid Assistance
- School Aid
- Aid for Procuring Assistive Devices/Artificial Appliances
Counselling Service
Provides counselling services to staff, inmates of institutions as well as community
which includes:
- Rehabilitation - intervention programmes such as Interactive Workshops,
Individual, Group, Family and Community Counselling
- Prevention - to carry out programmes such as workshops, courses and seminars
related to individual capacity-building in the Department's organisation and
community. It includes occupational interest, stress management, interpersonal
skills, family skills, motivation and many more
- Outreach - identify community members who are at risk and develop intervention
programmes for children who have to deal with parents' divorce, stress and
others
- Advocacy
Legal and Advocacy Division
The Legal and Advocacy Division is responsible for ensuring that all services of the
department are carried out in accordance to the existing legal provisions, rules and
regulations. Their services include:
- Registration of Child Care Centres in accordance with the Child Care Centre Act
1984
- Registration of Care Centres in accordance with the Care Centre Act 1993
- Advocacy and legal literacy
- Review of Acts
Consultancy and Community Services
Focus of this service is towards encouraging active participation of local community
members, volunteers, private sectors and non-governmental (welfare-related)
organisations in the development and rehabilitation of the target groups through
attitudinal change and capacity-building towards self-reliance. Implementation of
various programmes is undertaken through smart partnerships that are in line with
efforts to inculcate a caring society. Programmes and services provided are:
- Community Organisation Projects
- Development of Voluntary Welfare Organisations
- Development of Volunteerism - National Welfare Bridge
- Consultancy and Advisory Services
Socio-Welfare Institutions and Children's Activity Centres
Besides carrying out activities and programmes to help the targeted groups, JKMM
has set up various Socio-Welfare Institutions to provide social services to the public.
They are:
- Children Institutions
- Rumah Kanak-kanak
- Rumah Tunas Harapan
- Protection and Rehabilitation Institutions
- Desa Bina Diri
- Senior Citizens and Epidemic Patients
- Rumah Seri Kenangan
- Rumah Ehsan
- Institusi OKU (Golongan Kurang Upaya)
- Bengkel Daya (Bengkel Terlindung)
- Institusi Warga Emas dan Keluarga
- Pusat Perkembangan Kemahiran Kebangsaan Serendah
- Kompleks Penyayang Bakti Sungai Buloh
- Others
- Taman Seri Puteri
- Sekolah Tunas Bakti
- Taman Sinar Harapan
Children's Activity Centres are set up in every district to provide help to children,
parents / guardians involved in child abuse cases.