Behind the tourist curtain

Abstract

Sunny, small, and with a table population, the Mediterranean island of Malta is the last place one would associate with a need for social worker. But in fact , this is a very formative period for Maltese social work. October 1983 marked the beginning of the diploma course in social work at the University of Malta, the first local university level course to be wholly dedicated to the subject. And although it does not yet represent a degree course or, on its own, a full professional qualification, it is expected to provide the first repeatedly available qualification for persons seeking social work involvement. The stability of this small community is an important factor. Two thirds of the population live within three or four miles of Valletta. The total population is 300,000, while the longest distance from the centre is 18 miles. A Maltese would be surprised to hear that 10 per cent of British houses change occupants annually.