Standards & Competencies MA in Social Work Nevenka Zegarac, Full professor, FPN, BU

Global standards IASSW, IFSW, (2004) Main reasons for the development of GS :  Protect the “consumers”, “clients” or “service users’  Draw a distinction between SW and non SW  Facilitate articulation across universities on a global level  Facilitate the movement of social workers from one country to another  Benchmark national standards against international standards  Facilitate partnerships and international student and staff exchange programmes  Take account of the impact of globalisation on social work curricula and social work practice

General standards and competencies for the education of the social work professionals Necessity of having a frame in the field of acquiring social work knowledge and skills, both in the formal education of social work professionals, as well as in the field of lifelong learning. I part: Standards for the higher education institutions for the education of social work professionals II part: Standards and competencies for education of social work professionals

Values & ethic Key role I Prepare for, and work to assess the needs and circumstances Key role II Plan, carry out, review and evaluate SW Key role III Advocacy Key role IV Managing risk Key role V Managing practice & accountability Key role VI Demonstrate professional competence

The key social work roles in National Occupational Standards (TOPSS 2004) Key role I: Prepare for, and work with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities to assess the needs and circumstances Key role II: Plan, carry out, review and evaluate SW with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities and other professionals Key role III: Support individuals to represent heir needs, views and circumstances Key role IV: Managing risk to individuals, families, carers, communities, groups, self and colleagues Key Role 5: Manage and be accountable with supervision and support for your own social work practice Key role VI: Demonstrate professional competence in SW practice

Standards and competencies for education of social work professionals StandardInterpretation Source of knowledge Knowledge purpose Competencies level DescriptionSkillsIndicators 1. Basic 2. Advanced 3. Specialist

Skills Escalator (adapted from NHS Modernization Agency, 2004) Level 9More senior staff with responsibility for ‘clinical caseload decision-making and responsibility’. Level 8Consultant practitioners. Level 7Advanced practitioners. Level 6Senior practitioners. Level 5Practitioners. Level 4Assistant/associate practitioners. Level 3Senior care assistants/technicians. Level 2Support workers. Level 1Domestic workers or ‘cadets’.

Level of competencies and skills Pamela Trevithick, 2000  BASIC: these relate to those foundation C & S that are required in most SW interventions such as empathy, establishing a relationship or a rapport.  ADVANCED : these relate to the C & S required to deal with more difficult situations, such as working with service users who are not easy to engage or seem unresponsive.  SPECIALIST: these C & S relate to working in situations that require specialist knowledge, such as training in counseling or family therapy, being able work with problems that are multi-faceted and intractable or in situations involving conflict, hostility or high levels of distress, or specialized field of practice (child protection, juvenal justice, palliative care, mental health SW, etc).

Standards and competencies for education of social work professionals  Standard 1 - understanding of and commitment to social work values and ethics  Standard 2 – prepared for professional practice with individuals, families, different groups of clients and communities in diverse geographic locations and contexts.  Standard 3 – to apply knowledge from different disciplines and select interventions within human rights and social justice framework.

Standards and competencies for education of social work professionals 3/5 Standard 4 – policy analysis practice, systems approach to detecting and solving problems, and for participation in planning and evaluating programs and social policy measures. Standard 5 –apply research knowledge to inform and improve practice, and to present research knowledge that details basic problems and practice needs. Standard 6 - work with diversity and demonstrate respect for cultural differences. Standard 7 – committed to lifelong learning.

MASTER Of SOCIAL WORK – BU I semester Case management6 ESPBElective block I 1. Antisocial behaviour 2. Migration policy 3. Gender equality policies 6 ESPB Social Work management 6 ESPBElective block II 1. Multicultural SW and anti- discriminatory policies and practices 2. Group dynamic and process 3. Social policy analysis 4. Theory and Politics of Justice 6 ESPB Preparation MA Thesis6 ESPB II semester Social work supervision6 ESPBElective block III 1. Mediation 2. Research in SW and SP 3. Globalization and social policy 6 ESPB Methodology an theory of SW with family 6 ESPB MA Thesis12 ESPB TOTAL COMPULSORY 42 ESPBTOTAL ELECTIVE18 ESPB

NATONAL STANDARDS OF QUALIFICATION MA SOCIAL WORK KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING/1 Students will master upon completion of the MA study of social work to demonstrate: analysis and synthesis of scientific knowledge in the field of social work and related disciplines to understand the nature, structure and ways of meeting human needs in a social environment; analysis and synthesis of advanced knowledge of social phenomena and processes, social problems, social deviance and ways of encouraging social development and change; critical understanding of social action approach work in the operation of the system, structural and organizational aspects of the functioning of society, social groups and communities;

NATONAL STANDARDS OF QUALIFICATION MA SOCIAL WORK KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING/2 critical understanding of social work with individuals, families, groups and communities, organizations and management agencies that deal with human needs and problems; critical knowledge and understanding of the ethical aspects of the practice, and the implications of ethical principles to the practice of social work and; knowledge of the approaches and methods of planning, implementation and evaluation of services and programs; knowledge of the methodology of social research, especially research in social policy and social work, qualitative and quantitative methodology;

NATONAL STANDARDS OF QUALIFICATION MA SOCIAL WORK APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE/1 Students will master upon completion of the study of MA social work to demonstrate: communication skills and ability to establish and maintain relations of cooperation, help and support with social work clients (individuals, families, groups and communities), and colleagues at the organizational level; as well as building relationships, cooperation and negotiation through participation in multidisciplinary teams ability for independent and group analytic research in the study of social problems and needs of society, and future planning of services and the evaluation of the effects of labor and the application of ethical principles in the research practices;

NATONAL STANDARDS OF QUALIFICATION MA SOCIAL WORK APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE/2 possession of skills in academic writing research papers, writing skills of project proposals, and project research ability to analyze policies, programs and measures at the level of institutions, local communities and the state to detect the intended and unintended outcomes of policies, programs and measures, and coordination in their mutual relationship. the ability to monitor and implement innovations in the profession of social work the use of research results to evaluate and improve practice

NATONAL STANDARDS OF QUALIFICATION MA SOCIAL WORK ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS Students will master by the end of the study of MA social work to demonstrate: the ability of the synthesis and analysis of information obtained from different sources, as well as demonstrating the ability to develop the arguments both verbally and in writing;

NATONAL STANDARDS OF QUALIFICATION MA SOCIAL WORK EVALUATION Students will master upon completion of the study of MA social work to demonstrate: ability of monitoring and implementation of innovations in the profession of social work and the ability to transfer knowledge to others; developing and improving existing communication skills with students, giving lectures, the application of good practice by attending various education and training that enable them to continuous improvement;