SHANGHAI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The number of licensed social workers in Shanghai has increased by over 10,000 from the end of 2017 to reach 27,344, according to data released by the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

As one of the first Chinese cities to pilot social work, Shanghai has witnessed healthy growth of professional social work organizations over the years, said Gu Donghui, president of the Shanghai Association of Social Workers.

There are currently 603 such organizations in the eastern metropolis, and many are offering more innovative services, according to Gu.

On Tuesday, Shanghai Children's Hospital released six cartoon figures each representing a social worker in the hospital to help child patients be more familiar with them.

"Social workers in children's hospital used to wear the same white gown as doctors, making it difficult for them to connect with the children," said Niu Jun, head of the social work department of the hospital.

The number of licensed social workers has exceeded 440,000 in China, while registered volunteers have surpassed 100 million, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.