Social Workers' Perceptions and Practice regarding Grandparents in Families of Children with a Developmental Disability

2003 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liora Findler ◽  
Orit Taubman Ben-Ari

This study examined Israeli social workers' knowledge and practice concerning grandparents of children with disabilities. Eighty-one social workers providing services to families of children with disabilities responded to a 31-item questionnaire tapping demographic and professional background, knowledge of structural and functional aspects of grandparents' support, and actual practice with grandparents. The results showed that social workers recognize the significant and stable role grandparents play in the network of parents of children with disabilities. The findings also indicated that social workers believe that while parents need mostly emotional support from grandparents, they actually receive primary instrumental support, which contributes to mothers' adjustment more than it does to fathers' adjustment. As to actual practice, social workers report rarely involving grandparents in professional activities. Moreover, many social workers show no interest in obtaining more professional training in this area. The findings present a challenge to the social work profession to be more attentive to the significant family resource of grandparents in families of children with disabilities.

Author(s):  
Ya. Spivak ◽  
L. Spivak ◽  
A. Kuznetsov ◽  
Ye. Besedina ◽  
К. Dudnik

The article describes the current problems of preparation for professional activities of future social workers. The complexity of solving the problem of forming professionally competent future social workers capable of effective professional activity is shown. The latest scientific researches devoted to the problems of preparation of modern highly qualified specialists for professional activity are analyzed. The modern requirements to the professional activity of social workers on social protection of youth rights are characterized. The inconsistency of the professional training of a social worker with the modern requirements of the labor market was revealed. The main features of a social worker for the protection of youth rights are identified, as well as the priority requirements for professional training of social workers for the social protection of youth rights. The focus is on the functions, knowledge, skills, abilities and professionally significant personal qualities of a modern social worker. The main methods of social workers' activities on social protection of youth rights are highlighted. Perspective directions of professional training of future specialists in social work are outlined.


Author(s):  
Maryna Lekholetova

The article presents an analysis of different approaches of domestic scientists to the interpretation of the concept of «social work management». The author surveys the features of management as an object of governance in the activities of a social worker. Features include the social nature of management information; the need for motivation methods that effectively influences and motivates professionals to better results in social work; availability of social workers' professional competence; the presence of problems with forecasting the results of management in the social sphere; the importance of current and final management results. The author proves the necessity of social workers' self-management skills (time management, motivation, stress resistance and recuperation, development of emotional intelligence) for the effective performance of management tasks in professional activities.  The article highlights the principles that should be followed in solving organizational and managerial tasks in social work management (purposefulness, ability of realization, adaptability, efficiency). The researcher presents the structure of social work management methods in the study (economic, administrative, social counselling, psychological and pedagogical influence, social influence). Research characterizes the methods of social work management while working with recipients of social services (methods of individual social work, methods of group social work, methods of community work, methods of social service design).


Author(s):  
Daria Bybyk

The article defines the algorithm for building the educational environment of the «Social Leadership School – Student» as a factor in the formation of social leadership in the professional training of future social workers, which has a clear logic: presentation of the mission and visit, which provides for informing about the School, its activities, current information for students – future social workers; announcements of news and events, which include coverage of events regarding social leadership, characterization of directions and organizational forms of social leadership, a photo and audio report, an archive of events that took place at the School on these topics. Six consecutive stages of the algorithm for building the educational environment are defined in accordance with the tasks and characterized: the first stage is the definition of the goal of the activity of the Social Leadership School – Student in the context of strategic priorities for taking into account objective world trends in the development of education for social work; the second stage – highlighting the leading idea of the development of the school; the third stage – the definition of values, key directions and scientific approaches to the organization of the School's activities; The fourth stage is the development of directions for achieving the goal and strategic directions for the development of the School; The fifth step is to determine the scale of the transformation; the sixth stage – formation of readiness of all participants in the educational process of the School to form social leadership; the sixth stage – achievement and evaluation of the result – qualitative changes in the system of formation of social leadership of students in the educational process of the «School of Social Leadership – Student». The model of the educational environment of the School of Social Leadership – Student and the structure of its activities are determined in accordance with the normative support for the functioning of the School, which will allow planning the organization and conduct of training programs and activities of the School, in particular in the areas of formation of social leadership; activities on acquisition of leadership skills, development of partnerships. Through the development of the content of selective educational disciplines «Fundamentals of Leadership», «Social Leadership» in the process of training social workers, the formation of the readiness of future social workers for proactive functioning in the informal environment of the «School of Social Leadership – Student» is ensured.


Author(s):  
Roksoliana Zozulyak-Sluchyk

The problem of ethics is acute in the modern Ukraine.Its relevance is due to the general level of our society, the low level of social responsibility for what is done in society in all its spheres and what society does. We come across misunderstandings, disrespect for ethics all the time in the process of our lives. Higher education also does not pay due attention to the formation of professional ethics of future professionals. The relevance of the topic is due to the need of Ukrainian society for social workers with a high level of professional ethics and responsibility for performing professional duties and solving complex life problems of the social sphere, as well as updating the search for an effective pedagogical system of professional and ethical competence of future social workers. The aim of the article is a scientific reasoning and experimental verification of the effectiveness of the pedagogical system of formation of professional and ethical competence of future specialists in the social sphere to improve the quality of their professional training. The following research methods are used in the article: logical-structural analysis – to determine the essence and structure of the concept: «professional and ethical competence of future professionals in the social sphere»; structural-systematic analysis – to ensure the complexity of reasoning of the concept and structure of the pedagogical system of formation of professional and ethical competence; modeling – to develop a model for the formation of professional and ethical competence of future professionals in the social sphere; questionnaire-diagnostic methods (questionnaires, testing, interviews, diagnostics) – to establish the effectiveness of the pedagogical system of formation of professional and ethical competence of future specialists in the social sphere. As a result of our research, a pedagogical system of formation of professional and ethical competence of future social specialists was developed and experimentally tested that its effectiveness is ensured by the principles of systemic, humanistic, deontological, axiological, acmeological, personal-activity, subject-subject, competence, andragogical approaches, specific principles, pedagogical conditions and factors. It was based on the author's concept of formation of professional and ethical competence and a model aimed at the formation of moral and ethical values, professional and ethical knowledge, skills and personal-moral and professionally important qualities during training was designed. The obtained results allow us to state that the diagnosis of professional and ethical competence was carried out at the ascertaining and formative stages of the experiment, gave us the opportunity to compare the levels of professional ethics of students of the studied groups and draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the proposed author’s pedagogical system.


Author(s):  
Liliia Klos ◽  
Nataliia Nazar

Introduction: At the final stage of administrative-territorial reform in Ukraine, it is important to realistically assess the social needs and social problems that exist in newly created territorial communities. Territorial communities should be based on healthy families and healthy individuals, whose initiative will help ensure the continued social development of the community. In its turn, the community should be built on the principles of friendly to its own citizens, meeting their needs, first of all, the needs of the least protected categories - children, people with disabilities and chronic diseases, elderly people. Therefore, integrated social services based on the principles of preserving and promoting health are a tool for solving social problems in the community (Klos, Khudoba, Shkoliar, 2019, p. 26). Purpose. The purpose of the study is to show the importance of using integrated social services in the community based on the principles of preservation and promotion of health as an important means of promoting territorial community development and social development of the country.Methods. The study used theoretical methods of research, in particular, the search and collection of statistical information on the formation, normalization and approval of the composition of territorial communities; collection and analysis of sources on the problem of social services and social protection of the population of territorial communities; systematization of sources and their analysis by blocks of tasks; analysis, comparison, synthesis and implementation of the results of the study of social services based on the principles of promoting and preserving community health.Results. Within the framework of the U-LEAD Program with Europe and the ICO Partnership Every Child, the project “Community for Human: Enhancing Communities' Competence for the Development of Social Services” and understanding the peculiarities of organizing social support for vulnerable segments of the UTC population through the implementation of the social services model. Among the objectives of the project were, inter alia, to study the status of providing local communities with social workers, the range of social services provided in the community, taking into account the real needs of the population in social assistance (ICO Partnership for Every Child, 2019, p. 5-6).The study covered 245 projected territorial communities in Ukraine. Because most communities did not have the information to make appropriate decisions about the services they needed, a special methodology was used to assess the needs of the population in social services. An appropriate tool for monitoring the needs of the population in social services was developed and tested at the Oxford Policy Management Consortium with the participation of the Every Child Partnership, in collaboration with UNICEF, and with financial support from the European Union. The aggregate index of providing the population with social services of the population of the UTC is determined by the set of indicators: the index of provision of social services for children and families with children; index of provision of social care services for orphans and children deprived of family care; the index of provision of social services for the elderly; index of provision of social services for persons with disabilities; index of provision of social services to persons in need of adaptation and integration (reintegration); index of provision of social services to persons in need of emergency or crisis intervention (ICO Partnership for Every Child, 2019, p. 28).Mostly communities use the resource of available social services already at their disposal, their range is limited and needs improvement and review, taking into account real social problems and needs of consumers. An important tool for addressing the issues that are relevant to UTC members is those based on the principles of preserving and promoting health. In particular, social prevention, community representation services, crisis and emergency intervention, social support / patronage, asylum, home care, day care, supported living.Conclusion: The study of the results of the mentioned project and the current state of providing territorial communities with social services lead to the conclusion that there is a high level of community needs for social work professionals who are able and able to provide integrated social services in the community on the grounds of preservation and promotion of health. To do this, professional training of skilled social workers for the provision of integrated social services in the community should be stepped up


Author(s):  
Oksana POVIDAICHYK ◽  
Valentyna PEDORENKO ◽  
Anastasiia POPOVA ◽  
Anastasiia TURGENIEVA ◽  
Yuliia RYBINSKA ◽  
...  

The need for R&D of social workers was due to the development of theoretical and methodological approaches and concepts of social work, the application of which involved the use of specific research tools. It is substantiated that the research subsystem of social work can be represented in the form of a model of the research environment, which reflects the relationship of three components: the social problem, methods of its research and tools for solving. The dialectical nature of social work, as well as the dynamic conditions in which it is carried out, determine a set of socio-economic, managerial and pedagogical factors that actualize the need for research in the social field. It is substantiated that R&D today is an integral element of professional social practice and is implemented both in the process of working with different categories of clients and in administrative and managerial activities. R&D provides adequate social order development of targeted comprehensive programs, projects and technologies of social protection, design and implementation of models of social institutions and services. As a result of a comprehensive study of the problem, the essential characteristics of R&D were clarified, which means the activity of obtaining new scientifically based knowledge aimed at purposeful change of social reality, which is realized in a logical sequence through the use of appropriate forms and methods of scientific knowledge. It is proved that R&D in the system of social work is realized at three levels (reflexive-theoretical, experimental-theoretical and research), each of which involves step-by-step actions (problem definition; hypothesis formulation, choice of research methods and tools; implementation of research plan; evaluation of results) and the use of appropriate research methods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-52
Author(s):  
Trigoni Maria ◽  
◽  
Mikits Militsa ◽  
Mpanagi Evaggelia ◽  
◽  
...  

Introduction Empathy in social work is one of the most important factors that can bring change in the patient, by developing a productive relationship. The purpose of this study is to explore empathy in the practice of social work, as it is used by professional social workers. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 social workers in public health services in Crete. Responses were recorded, and content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings There were differences in the way that social workers perceive the concept of empathy, depending on their prior experiences. It was also found that they are more “sensitive” when patients have a common problem with them. Among the difficulties that prevented them from being empathetic was having “a difficult personal period” that affected their work. This study has also identified the importance of professional training for the development of empathy skills, and the key-role of work experience. Moreover, it highlighted the importance of co-operation between the researchers and the social workers for generating efficacious and valuable information. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of empathy as a necessary skill in the relationship between social workers and patients, and the need for in-depth scientific research and analyze on this issue in Greece.


Author(s):  
Vira Polishchuk

The study is devoted to the problem of fundamentalization of the social workers’ professional training. The article substantiates the urgency of the fundamentalization of an educational system in general and a social education, in particular, connected with the necessity of forming the future specialist’s holistic perception of the world, and, at the same time, the profound occupation of the profession in the context of globalization challenges. The benefit of this study is that the main manifestations of the globalization of the sphere of education are outlined as: the emergence of a global market for educational services; the emergence of educational transnational corporations; the informatization of education; a convergence, which involves the merger and interpenetration of educational and social systems; an integration; the standardization of both educational systems and cultural values. It is noted by the author that the fundamentalization of the training of social workers takes place within the framework of modernization of social education systems characterized by decentralization of a social education management, the unification of the content of social workers’ training, the intensification of interdisciplinary cooperation, the internationalization of education, the introduction of distance learning technologies, etc. According to the purpose of the article, the essential characteristic of the fundamentalisation of education and specialists’ vocational training is outlined as that which provides for the transition from narrow specialized to fundamental and holistic knowledge, focused on the development of scientific forms of specialist’s thinking, its general and professional culture, and a high level of adaptability. The author of the article also outlined general methodological approaches to the analysis of education fundamentalization (systemic, synergistic, humanistic, epistemological, competence, acmeological, comprehensive, activity, person-oriented), each of them allows identifying problems of a system of the fundamentalization of the social sphere workers’ professional training, describing the ways and basic means of their solution. Moreover, it is also noted by the author that, under current conditions, the fundamentalization of education is one of the leading factors in improving its quality, the basis of professional mobility of a specialist.


Author(s):  
Nadiia Pavlyk ◽  
Nataliia Seiko ◽  
Svitlana Sytniakivska

The need for the development and content of students’ fundraising projects in the system of social workers professional training is substantiated. Based on the analysis of educational programs in the field 231 Social work (BSW and MSW), a conclusion is formulated on the lack of subjects on social fundraising in the content of social workers training. The basic principles, ethical requirements and essence of fundraising activity of social workers in the field of social protection of various groups of clients are defined. It is concluded that this activity requires specially formed professional knowledge and skills of a fundraiser, as well as developed personal qualities of a specialist capable to affect the volume, complex, algorithm of providing these resources in the planning, implementation and reporting of a social project. The content of knowledge, skills and abilities of social workers on fundraising design is clarified. The procedure and algorithm for students to develop educational projects in the process of studying the subject «Social Fundraising» (idea formulation, budget design, communication with donors, project implementation, reporting) are presented. The scope of knowledge, skills (informational, operational, design, reflective) and soft skills in the process of development of students' fundraising competence is characterized. Examples of tasks on practical classes on social fundraising are given. Tasks are aimed at forming students' theoretical knowledge of the course «Social Fundraising» (knowledge of basic concepts, principles and ethical norms of fundraising activities in the social sphere), as well as practical skills (development of fundraising projects related to socially vulnerable segments of the population; opinions on the feasibility of implementing a social project in the local or global dimension, creating a database of potential donors of a social project, developing a budget and chronology of the project, organizing appropriate communications with potential donors, etc.).


2002 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell Kahn ◽  
Susan Scher

In August 1999, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) delegate assembly passed a major platform on environmental policy. The NASW now mandates that social workers take a proactive stand on environmental exploitation and environmental justice issues in all facets of their professional activities. This requires social work education to provide a more comprehensive view of the environment to include the physical as well as the social. The authors are faculty members of the Ramapo College Social Work Program, which has infused environmental content into all aspects of its BSW Curriculum. This article will describe how Ramapo incorporated such content into the liberal arts foundation, program prerequisites, and professional foundation areas of human behavior in the social environment (HBSE), research, practice, field, and policy. This model is offered as a guide to assist other social work programs in developing content on the physical environment in the BSW curriculum.


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