The article outlines the historical milestones of the formation and development of the problem of professional competence of future social educators on social protection of youth rights from the 90s of the XX century to the present. The scientific literature on the research problem is analyzed. Conceptual approaches to professional training of future social educators on social protection of youth rights (systemic, civilizational, sociocultural, personal, activity, professional, socio-pedagogical, methodological technological) are defined and their essential characteristics are revealed. The content and structural components of the professional training of future social educators on social protection of youth rights are characterized. The peculiarities of development of both the system of becoming a profession of social educators and the system of its professional preparation for practical activity in the social sphere are given. The essence of the concept of «social education» is revealed. The importance of the influence of social education in its various interpretations on sociology, which is the basis of the development of the culture of social thinking in the XX-XXI centuries, is revealed. The factors of influence on the formation of the outlook values of future social educators are presented. The modern tendencies of professional training of future social educators on social protection of youth rights (intensification and extension of university education, multilevel and variability of education, strengthening of psychological and pedagogical and general educational components, integration) are determined. The peculiarities of vocational training of social pedagogues in several universities of Ukraine are studied
