What Social Security Workers Don't Do. Social worker: description of the profession

Young, ambitious, full of energy, those who think that their whole life is ahead, the phrase "social worker" is not particularly clear and not interesting. Acquaintance with a social worker occurs when a person's strength leaves, illnesses, age pile on, and there is no one nearby who could support, and simply serve a well-known glass of water to everyone.

Who are social workers?

The profession of a social worker requires a lot of knowledge, skills and certain spiritual qualities from its owner. Caring for the elderly or infirm is hard and often rewarding work. The social worker visits his ward at least twice a week, buys groceries, prepares meals, cleans the house, does laundry, calls the doctor, takes him to the clinic, and more. Sometimes it’s very difficult with your own old people, and what can we say about completely alien grandparents.

Satisfied with life old man living in friendly family, or lonely, but still full of energy unlikely to seek help from social services. The main contingent of social security agencies, just consists of lonely and not very happy older people. This is enough complex group population, and for positive communication and cooperation, the social worker must be both a psychologist, and a negotiator, and a cook, and an artist.

With, to put it mildly, very modest wages, it would be strange to assume that people with all these abilities and vocational training are lining up to become a social worker. Therefore, in social centers there is a very high turnover of personnel, a large percentage random people not inclined to this field of activity.

But what attracts people to the profession of a social worker? A fairly free work schedule, the ability not to hang around in the office from call to call, combining, solving your problems during the day, and just love and compassion for the old, infirm, in need of support and help, complete strangers.

So, until the salary of a social worker is raised to a decent level, it remains to rely only on those who love their work, who need these "no one's" old people.

Perhaps you will be interested.

This topic has been discussed for a long time. Either insufficient coverage of the issue in the media, or the ignorance of citizens in social policy states, or a banal confusion of terms in which we are little oriented, mixed with information from foreign films, where social workers are endowed with exaggerated rights - and something nevertheless led to a blatant ignorance, which we will try to fight with. So who is he really, this "social worker"? That people of all ages social status and professions invest in this concept?

The profession of a social worker has very little in common with the complex of concepts that ordinary citizens put into the phrase "social worker". For full understanding terms and concepts, we will have to briefly touch on some of the organizations in which social workers work, that is, social services.

Social services are...
... Enterprises, institutions and organizations, regardless of their form of ownership and management, as well as citizens who provide social services to people who are in difficult life circumstances ah (such a politically correct term) and need outside help. So, the Law of Ukraine “On Social Services” can understand that social services are designed specifically to provide services to the population in order to solve life problems of a different nature. In other words, help. What organizations do it? The most famous among all are the centers of social services for families, children and youth, labor administration and social protection population, employment centers, etc. .

The department of labor and social protection of the population includes the territorial center social service pensioners and single disabled citizens. Social worker, according to the reference book of qualification characteristics of the professions of workers, participates in the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to the department social assistance at home tasks. Provides lonely elderly and disabled citizens living in the service area and in need of outside help. According to the regulation on the department of social assistance and agreements between the department and a single disabled citizen, at least twice a week, visits lonely people, provides social assistance domestic services, provides additional needs that need to be addressed, and fulfills them independently or through trade, household, catering, healthcare institutions, sociable, charitable organizations, etc. . This is exactly what concerns the social worker as a profession.

To overcome or avoid difficult life circumstances, citizens can contact the Center for Social Services for Families, Children and Youth (CSSSDM), which provides the necessary services (social, psychological, socio-pedagogical, socio-medical, socio-economic, legal, employment, information, etc.) or redirects a person to an organization that specializes in solving a particular problem. Among the employees of the TSSSSDM are, among others, specialists in social work.
A specialist in social work with families, children and youth carries out social inspections and needs assessments; plans and determines methods of assistance; provides social services; provides social support, contributes to the formation of knowledge, skills; activates community resources; monitors and evaluates the quality of social services. In simple words, social work professionals help individuals, families, children overcome those life difficulties which they cannot handle on their own. Held preventive work on the preservation and promotion of health, training to improve relationships with the environment social environment, identifying and promoting the development of the comprehensive interests of individuals, providing advice on current legislation, providing information of a different nature to solve life problems.

Can the social worker pick up the child?
In order to get to know the families living in the territory assigned to the specialist, as well as for early detection and prevention of falling into difficult life circumstances, social work specialists carried out “visiting all families with children”. This contributed not only to a greater dissemination of information about the activities of social workers, but also to confusion with the name "social worker".

However, social work professionals do, after joint inspections with other entities social work and the corresponding decision of the meeting of the advisory body, can have a very significant impact on the development of events, namely: in case of violations of children's rights, contact the bodies and services for children, and they, in turn, raise the issue of the advisability of raising a child in this particular family. How it works? Let's say a social worker came to my house. I have children, and he, fulfilling his duties, wants to get to know me.
Option I: I let a specialist into the apartment, he met me, provided information about his organization, looked at the conditions in which I was raising children - and left. Just. Just not entirely legal. Of course, I have nothing to hide, but for what reason am I obliged to let a stranger into my home?
Option II: I don’t want to let anyone into the apartment, I don’t trust anyone, I just don’t believe, I don’t want to, that’s all. I can. And according to the Family Code, I have the right. In such a case, the social worker has the right, according to job descriptions, contact my neighbors to collect information about my family (do not forget that he still acts in the interests of the child).

He talked with the neighbors and, if necessary, he can contact the school, Kindergarten, to the district pediatrician or other sources known to him. Information must be verified. The received data must be discussed with the head of his department, maintaining confidentiality and, if necessary, may involve the subjects of social work for joint inspections. Then a whole commission will come to my house - and then I also have the right not to let anyone in. The act of inspection can also be drawn up from the words of the neighbors. And only after that, at a meeting of the advisory body, they will decide what to do with me. For further action in relation to me or my children, the reason must be argued, for example, a threat to life and health, my failure to fulfill parental duties, i.e. I violate, for example, Articles 150, 152 or 155 of the Family Code of Ukraine. By the decision of the meeting of the deliberative body, my family should be recognized as such, found itself in difficult life circumstances, and I should be registered. Further, a social work specialist can first come to my aid, who will try to get me out of difficult life circumstances. So, there is no need to be afraid of a social work specialist, he should help me arrange the upbringing of children, lead healthy lifestyle life, raise the educational potential of my family, etc. . If I refuse to receive services or do not complete my tasks, I may be visited by specialists from the Children's Services, which is the body that monitors the observance of children's rights. If, after all the measures, warnings and administrative penalties taken against me, I do not change my attitude towards raising children, then the Children's Affairs Service may initiate the deprivation of my parental rights. I repeat, there must be significant reasons for this, this is preceded by a number of measures applied in different situations And all this is not a matter of one day.

This type of work on the job exchange appeared recently. However, the field of social work is developing rapidly and provides stable work. It is worth noting that this work low-paid, so young people are reluctant to take on it. The state announced that soon the work of a social worker will be paid taking into account professional skills and qualifications.

Not only weak lonely people need the services of a social worker, but also those pensioners whose children are far away or for some other reason do not provide assistance to relatives. In addition to the elderly, social workers also help the disabled, including those with childhood disabilities.

It is worth saying that the range of duties of a social worker is very extensive. It is primarily heavy physical work. A social worker, if necessary, accompanies an elderly person to the hospital or goes to a specialist in the morning to get a coupon. Visits his ward, if he is on inpatient treatment. Brings food, organizes laundry, helps with cooking, reads books, accompanies to the theater, etc. In addition, the social worker assists in obtaining benefits, sending and receiving mail, and sometimes hygiene care for his client. Once every 10 days, the social worker is required to carry out wet cleaning in the house. Organizing a funeral is also the responsibility of a social worker.

Not without a soul

In addition to this, a person who decides to devote himself to the profession of a social worker must be ready to put his soul into each of his clients. He is obliged to observe certain ethics, to know the basics of psychology, since he has to work with vulnerable people who feel their weakness and suffer acutely from this. For bedridden patients, the social worker is often the only link with outside world. At the centers of social protection of the population, in which social workers work, there is a full-time psychologist who can suggest how to behave to a specialist if, for example, he was met unfriendly. And this happens too.

Social workers must have a range of legal knowledge. After all, for each client it is necessary to start a personal file, in which information about pensions and various subsidies is entered. A social worker needs to know exactly which group of beneficiaries his client falls into. Up to 10 people are assigned to each social worker, but not less than 8. The social worker must visit his wards at least twice a week by agreement from one to six months.

Currently, the profession of a social worker is in high demand in the labor market. Everything more people need help, especially now in times of economic uncertainty. This profession is more of a vocation than a profession. A feature of the profession of a social worker is that only compassionate, humane people who are ready to help the disabled, orphans, the elderly, mothers of large families, can do it. These most vulnerable segments of the population can get advice from social specialists for questions various benefits and benefits. Social workers will not disregard people suffering from diseases such as drug addiction and alcoholism. In addition, workers in this area draw up all Required documents.

To identify those in need of material and domestic assistance, social workers conduct research. In their work, they do their best to involve public and state structures, get them to accept necessary decisions. Among other things, the social worker is responsible for the program for the implementation of rehabilitation activities.

For those people who find it difficult to cope with problems of any nature on their own, representatives of this profession provide moral and legal psychological support. We are talking about people who suffered in environmental disasters, hostilities, fires, international conflicts, family quarrels, etc.

Social workers will buy and deliver food, medicines, take things to dry cleaning or laundry, put things in order in a house or apartment, and even make repairs in a residential area for those who cannot do it on their own. Representatives of this profession will measure the temperature, pressure of their wards, put mustard plasters, etc.

Unfortunately, despite the large scope of work, social workers have quite low salary. And the role of such employees who strive to improve the living and material conditions of life of the unprotected and vulnerable sections of the population is invaluable. This can be attributed to the advantages of the profession of a social worker. Minus - such work among modern youth is not considered prestigious.

Social workers celebrate their professional day on June 8th. It is on this day that people of this profession are thanked for fulfilling a special mission.

Personal qualities of a social worker

Representatives of this profession are distinguished by such qualities as kindness, responsiveness, attentiveness, and the ability to empathize. For effective implementation of his duties, a social worker must be sociable, emotionally and stress-resistant, accurate, organized, restrained, honest, fair. To win the trust of their wards, a social worker must possess such qualities as diligence, purposefulness and responsibility.

What should education be like?

Anyone who chooses the profession of a social worker must be aware of the moral, social and humanitarian issues. In addition, knowledge of such subjects as sociology, medicine, economics, psychology, psychotherapy, and ethics is necessary. To give legal advice, you also need to have certain knowledge.

The nature of his activity depends on what kind of education a social worker has. To work with children, it is necessary to have a pedagogical education. decision makers legal issues a law degree is required. The education of a psychologist is necessary for those who will conduct telephone consultations. And those who will care for the disabled will need a diploma medical worker.

Place of work and career

There are a lot of jobs for this profession. it

  • nursing home;
  • social protection committees;
  • orphanages;
  • pension fund branches;
  • veterans councils;
  • social service centers;
  • guardianship authorities.

With an increase in seniority and experience, a social worker is assigned a rank and a salary increases.

Profession social worker


The main duties of a social worker include conducting surveys of the country's population for being in a difficult material, domestic, and legal situation, after which the worker determines the amount necessary assistance and carries out the procedure for its provision.

The origin and development of the profession took place in parallel with the development of the main types of professions. At present, with the unbalanced development of the state, economic instability, as well as a protracted period of crisis, the profession of a social worker is becoming more and more relevant every day.…

The merit of such an employee is to assist in the distribution and receipt different kind support, in most cases material or legal, from state social services and guardianship authorities. Lonely people mostly need social assistance elderly citizens, disabled people, mothers of many children, orphans, people suffering from incurable diseases, alcoholism, drug addiction. Moreover, social workers provide psychological support to persons in a state of mental instability caused by both objective (wars, ecological disasters, international conflicts, religious differences), and subjective factors (tragedies in the family, loss of property).

The profession of a social worker primarily requires high level humanity, developed intuition, the ability to empathize with someone else's grief, as well as the ability to delve into each specific situation and, based on the circumstances, engage in the individual provision of the necessary types of social assistance. Personal qualities should also include decency, honesty, disinterestedness. To obtain the desired results, the employee must be purposeful, hardworking and responsible. Together with that emotional stability, calm and pleasant voice will help to gain the trust of people in need of help.

The main disadvantage of the profession is represented by an insufficient level of wages.

Depending on the scope of application, the worker must have both general sociological knowledge, and some applied ones, including knowledge of ethics, sociology, economics, law, medicine. Becomes a must when working with children Teacher Education. However, in general, the key to success is to receive a social and humanitarian education in educational institutions varying degrees accreditation.