THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOUR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING STANDARD FOR A SOCIAL WORKER Vocational education level 5 Vilnius, 2008
EUROPOS SĄJUNGA PROFESINIO MOKYMO METODIKOS CENTRAS Europos socialinis fondas ŠVIETIMO IR MOKSLO MINISTERIJA KURKIME ATEITĮ DRAUGE! Development of the Standard was financed by European Union and by the Republic of Lithuania under the Project No BPD2004-ESF-2.4.0-01-04/0156 Development of the System of VET Standards Development of the Standard was coordinated by the Methodological Centre for Vocational Education and Training Profesinio mokymo metodikos centras, 2008
APPROVED by Order No ISAK- 1872/A1-209 of the Minister Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania and of the Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania of 26 June, 2008 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING STANDARD FOR A SOCIAL WORKER I. DETAILS OF THE VET STANDARD 1. Vocational Education and Training level 5 TH 2. State code S576203 3. Qualification awarded social worker. 4. Basic education secondary.. II. CONTENT OF THE VET STANDARD 5. Brief description of occupational activity 5.1. The VET Standard for a Social worker (hereinafter referred to as the Standard ) has been developed taking into account changes on the labour market, findings of the qualification study carried out by the Standards Development Working Group and based on the experience of other countries. The present Standard serves as a basis for the development of a training programme of vocational education level 5. 5.2. A person having completed the established Social worker vocational education and training programme acquires competencies for working in the following main activity areas: establishment of the social support demand; planning of social support; organisation and provision of social services; assessment of social work efficiency; social worker professional activity improvement and development. 5.3. A social worker works in the organisations providing social services and other institutions where there is demand of social services. 5.4. A social worker provides social support to the different age and different social group customers: children without parental care, social risk children and their families, children with disability and their families, elderly age persons with disability and their families, national minorities, refugees, other persons or groups, who cannot take care of themselves, the communities. A social worker carries out direct and indirect intervention: directly carries out social work, organises the provision of social services, organises and carries out preventive social activity, cooperates with other specialists, members of the community.. 5.5. Successful work of a social worker requires the following personal qualities: communication skills, creative skills, fast orientation, thoroughness, honesty, diligence, personal responsibility, attentiveness, optimism, correct pronunciation, determination, courage, empathy. 6. The objective of a social worker help the persons, families, groups, organisations, communities to overcome social problems and promote social changes in the society. 7. Social worker s activity areas and competences are listed in Appendix 1 of the Standard. 8. The scope of a social worker s competences, training objectives and competence assessment are provided in Appendix 2 of the Standard. 9. Successful work as a social worker requires the following general capabilities: 9.1. responsibility;
2 9.2. organisation skills; 9.3. creativity; 9.4. independent decision making; 9.5. team work skills; 9.6. discretion; 9.7. tolerance; 9.8. mathematic literacy; 9.9. computer literacy. 10. Final qualification assessment: 10.1. Qualification of a social worker is awarded to a student who has completed the whole training programme, acquired competences defined in the Standard and has been given a positive final qualification evaluation. 10.2. In accordance with the competence assessment criteria listed in the Standard, the following is tested and evaluated: 10.2.1. during the training process - all competences defined in the Standard; 10. 3. during the final qualification assessment - selected competences. Organisation and performance of the final qualification assessment and issuance of documents is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania
Appendix 1 TO THE VET STANDARD FOR A SOCIAL WORKER AREAS OF ACTIVITY AND COMPETENCIES OF A SOCIAL WORKER Areas of Activity Competencies 1. Establishment of the demand for social support 1.1. Collecting information about the demand for social support 1.2. Analysing information about the demand for social support 1.3. Assessing the demand for social support analysis results and defining the social problem (s) 2. Planning of social support 2.1. Designing social support model by choosing suitable methods 2.2. Drafting social work action plan 2.3. Applying social work methods 3. Organisation and provision of social services 3.1. Accumulating resources for tackling with social problems 3.2. Providing social services and organising preventive work 3.3. Cooperating with the client and the environment 4. Assessment of social work efficiency 4.1. Analysing the provided social services 4.2. Assessing the process and results of the provided social support 5. Social worker professional activity improvement and development 5.1. Applying innovations in the professional activity of a social worker 5.2. Improving professional qualifications 5.3. Organising social work experience and disseminating it in the public
Appendix 2 to the VET Standard for a Social worker LIMITS OF SOCIAL WORKER S COMPETENCES, TRAINING OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT Activity Areas Description of Competencies Competencies Limits of Competencies Training Objectives Competence Assessment 1. Establishment of the demand for social support 1.1. Collecting information about the demand for social support 1.2. Analysing information about the demand for social support 1.3. Assessing the demand for social support analysis results and defining the social problem (s) Methods: questionnaire, observation; interview; document analysis. Stages: collecting information; processing information. Types: qualitative analysis; quantitative analysis. Stages: data analysis; summary of data analysis. Analysis methods: assessment; case analysis; expert; activity research; document. Stages: data assessment; establishment of demand for social 1.1.1. Knowing the methods of collecting information on the demand for social support 1.1.2. Choosing suitable methods of collecting information on the demand for social support 1.1.3. Organising social support demand research 1.1.4. Developing database an using information technologies 1.2.1. Being aware of information types and stages on social support demand analysis 1.2.2. Analysing the received information on the social support demand 1.2.3. Organising, drafting and submitting social research conclusions, recommendations 1.3.1. Being aware of assessment methods and stages 1.3.2. Choosing suitable analysis assessment methods 1.3.3. Establishing and assessing problem situation context and limitations Chosen optimal research methods. Drafted research plan. Carried out quantitative and/ or qualitative research data analysis. Carried out theoretic generalisation on the research data. Established support demand. Carried out analysis for social support demand. Carried out the interpretation of the
2. Planning of social support 2.1. Designing social support model by choosing suitable methods 2.2. Drafting social work action plan 2.3. Applying social work methods support. Social work methods: crisis intervention; ecologic; systems, functional, problem solving, mediation, etc. Stages: situation analysis; identification of a social problem; establishment of a demand for social support; drafting of social support plan; selection of resources for social support; social activity planning Stages: planning; drafting of objectives and tasks; planning of social work tasks; assessment of the drafted social work action plan Resources: human, material, information; structural. Methods: crisis intervention; ecologic; systems; consultation; 1.3.4. Interpreting the results of social support demand 1.3.5. Presenting and defining social problem (s) 2.1.1. being aware of the methods and stages for social support model 2.1.2. Choosing social support establishment methods 2.1.3. Drafting social support model 2.1.4. Providing alternative social support models 2.1.5. Choosing optimal social support model and wording the objective 2.2.1. being aware of the planning methodology and being able to plan different type social services 2.2.2. Drafting social support provision model that would enable organising social support for different customer groups 2.2.3. Choosing the alternatives for problem solving and activities 2.3.1. Choosing social worker and customer interaction type with regard to the humanist approach and the social worker code of ethics 2.3.2. Analysing direct social work methods choosing them by the nature social support analysis results. Drafted and defined social problem (s). Chosen social work methods. Drafted social support model. Carried out action plan for working with different customer groups. Carried out social work action plan assessment. Described different social worker and customer interaction types. Chosen social work methods. 2
3. Organisation and provision of social services 3.1. Accumulating resources for tackling with social problems 3.2. Providing social services and organising preventive work mediation and other. Stages: resource mobilisation; resource coordination. Resources: human, material, information; structural. Activity: information; organisation; coordination; involving customer social network; establishment of social partnership networks. Documents: Republic of Lithuania Civil code; social service catalogue; Law on social services and other documents. Theoretic background: social work theories; communication and cooperation principles and techniques; direct and indirect social work principles. Methods: individual work; group work; social work with a family; social work in a of intervention and the resources of social service institution 2.3.3. Applying social work methods in the support process with regard to practise, theory and value interaction and resources. 2.3.4. Defining features of indirect social work method with regard to the social policy and resource relations 3.1.1. Realising social, economic and political structure of the society, its features and life conditions of its customers 3.1.2. Establishing customer and their environment opportunities for solving social problems 3.1.3. Choosing the resources for solving a specific problem 3.2.1. Applying the legal documents regulating social service provision 3.2.2. Drafting social support plan for different customers 3.2.3. Providing the customer with suitable social services 3.2.4. Choosing different social services for different customer groups 3.2.5. Establishing the efficiency of the provided social services 3.2.6. Organising preventive activity Carried out social case analysis. Drafted practical social support process plan. Carried out social support resource, resource distribution and use analysis. Drafted customer eco-map and genogram. Analysed social work efficiency. Carried out interview description. Drafted description of social work process. Chosen social work method. Drafted prevention work plan. 3
4. Assessment of social work efficiency 3.3. Cooperating with the client and the environment 4.1. Analysing the provided social services community. Activity: consultation, mediation, empowerment; training; representation; change assessment; preventive work organisation. Theoretic background: communication and cooperation principles; requirements of ethics and etiquette; basics of communication behaviour. Objects: institutions, organisations; persons. Activity: relation development; shaping of common interests and objectives; sharing of responsibility, functions, experience. Social service analysis types: qualitative; quantitative. Social service analysis methods: assessment; case analysis; expert; activity research; document. Interpretation and presentation of the provided social service results. 3.3.1. Being aware of the basic cooperation principles with the customer environment and social partners 3.3.2. Drafting cooperation plan 3.3.3. Choosing suitable cooperation principles with the customer environment and social partners 3.3.4. Analysing and assessing cooperation process and results 4.1.1. Being aware of research methods and being able to apply them with regard to the research principles of ethics 4.1.2. Establishing and assessing customer and his/ her environment changes 4.1.3. Using scientific literature when drafting research conclusions based on evidence 4.1.4. Establishing social service database using information technologies Carried out cooperation plan with the customer. Demonstrated communication skills of individual, group and team work. Assessed social partner cooperation role to the customer. Adequately chosen and applied research methods for the social service result analysis. Demonstrated methodological assessment skills. Theoretically substantiated conclusions of the provided social service results. 4
5. Social worker professional activity improvement and development 4.2. Assessing the process and results of the provided social support 5.1. Applying innovations in the professional activity of a social worker Social support process and result assessment principles: ethic; professional. Social support assessment perspectives: cultural; scientific; ethical; social justice. Qualitative and quantitative assessment methods. Social support process stages: assessment, planning, intervention; evaluation. Social service assessment criteria: accessibility; efficiency; complexity; cooperation; versatility, etc. Methods: programme drafting; project drafting. Stages: Project (programme) planning; project (programme) implementation. Project (programme) process and results and drafting structural reports Drafted report on the provided social support and established database on the provided social services. 4.2.1. Being aware of the assessment principles of social support process and its results 4.2.2. Analysing and updating social support assessment strategy and plan 4.2.3. Choosing suitable social service assessment methods and applying social service result assessment criteria Drafted social support process assessment plan. Chosen most optimal assessment methods. Carried out professional social support process assessment. Carried out analysis of the provided social services with regard to the quality assessment criteria. 5.1.1. Understanding social work purpose, objectives and method changes in the social policy context of Lithuania and the European Union 5.1.2. Working in a team when providing support, drafting and implementing social project or programme Carried out social work as professional activity change in Lithuania analysis and critical assessment. Drafted and implemented project. Drafted practical 5
5.2. Improving professional qualifications 5.3. Organising social work experience and disseminating it in the public assessment. 5.1.3. Perceiving oneself as a social worker, analysing the actions and drafting practical work improvement plan Improvement of professional knowledge and skills: courses, seminars; conferences; study trips. Improvement of general skills: computer literacy; languages. Professional activity selfanalysis and competency assessment. Participation in social worker training: participation in specialised programmes, participation in practical social worker student training. Activity: information dissemination; developing the sense of community; promoting social activity of different social groups. Tools: public relations, with the media. Electronic information tools. 5.2.1. carrying out social research and drafting research reports 5.2.2. Knowing and applying suitable learning/ teaching methods 5.2.3. Reflecting on the practical work 5.2.4. Perceiving and defining the significance of the learning social worker researcher in the social work practise 5.2.5. Assessing personal professional activity 5.3.1. being aware of the social worker role when learning in a group, practice team 5.3.2. Analysing and assessing group/ team work experience acquired during theoretical studies and in practise 5.3.3. Staring, retaining and developing positive relations in the organisation with different public groups, with the media by applying social and information technologies activity analysis, the assessment of individual role and drafted activity improvement plan. Demonstrated reflection skills, Drafted individual learning plans; practise diary; activity reports. Carried out professional activity self-analysis. Defined skills necessary for working/ learning in different types of groups/ teams. Carried out the ability to work in a group/ team reflection. Drafted experience dissemination plan. 6