Social Work education and profession in Spain Tomasa Báñez University of Zaragoza (Spain)

Social Work education and profession in Spain The main idea of my presentation: Spanish social work has not finished the process of professionalization Consequences over Social work education Position of social work and social workers Challenges

Process of professionalization The process of professionalization of the Spanish social work has not finished, because Social work is a younger profession than in other European countries Spanish welfare system is weaker than in other European countries

Why social work is a younger profession than in other countries? Because the Spanish social and political context Spain was a more traditional country than other European countries (political, economic and socially) Consequences: Material conditions of life and mentalities of people Political and social atmosphere allowed the birth of the first Spanish social work school in the city of Barcelona in 1932 Civil War of 1936 and Military dictatorship caused the lost of political rights and the spread of poverty

The birth of the profession Social work profession was born in Spain much later than in other European countries in the 40s and 50s of the XX century, as a consequence of the charity organization process with the born of Cáritas As it had occurred in other countries, the organization of the charity took place because two reasons The social needs changed The ideological conception of poverty also changed

Organization of the charity The social needs changed as a consequence of the Civil War (1936-39) and of the process of industrialization and urbanization (50s and 60s) causing the increase of The number of poor people and The kind of social problems The ideological conception of poverty and the ways to meet poverty changed To meet the material needs of poor people, was nor enough It was also necessary to control and moralise them

The first years of the social work profession in Spain Female activity Interest of the Church Interest of women S W was more a voluntary activity than a profession There was not a salary nor job timetables

The first students of social work in Zaragoza

Social work education 50s: several schools were created by The Catholic Church: Caritas The Sección Femenina 60s: official recognition to social work education The curricula were influenced by Catholic Church: religious bias Sección Femenina: ideas of National Catholicism and fascism The first Spanish social work education A lot of practical placements, little theoretical social work and much content about social topics with a religious bias

Spanish welfare system is weaker than in other European countries To meet the material needs of poor people was more a responsibility of the catholic church than a government duty, until 1978 when our first modern democratic constitution created welfare system: education, health, pensions and personal social services Family and within them women were responsible to look after dependent people

Professionalisation of social work Changes in the Spanish social policy have influenced the professionalization process of social work with effects over Education of social work Position of social work and social workers Challenges of social work

Changes in the Spanish social policy Spanish Constitution of 1978 Welfare state was officially born Increase in job’s opportunities Improvement in the contract and salary conditions More access to responsible posts Spanish liberal policies since 1996 Reduction in the social budget and in the social work jobs caused the contract, salary and working conditions worsened New law to improve the looking after of dependent people About 2 million people in all Since the 1st of January 2007 The law could increase job’s opportunities for social workers

Social work education As a consequence of the birth or the welfare state in Spain and the changes in our educational system Social work was recognised as a university degree in the 80s with a curriculum focused on Methodological knowledge Management of economic benefits Since the 90s we have a new curriculum More theoretical knowledge, but little application to the professional profile Important increase in the number students: 250 new students each year at the University of Zaragoza And change in their motivations to study social work: in 1999 46.9% of students had chosen social work as their 1st option

Current social work curricula University Diploma: three years Secondary education and a general entrance examination 18,000 students of social work in Spain 34 schools in Spain The University of Zaragoza qualifies about 100 social workers each year

Subjects Curriculum: theory, skills and attitudes The theory: big groups of students: 90 Society: sociology, economy, law, public health and social anthropology The individual psychology and philosophy Interpersonal relationships: social psychology Social policy and personal social services Social work: basic concepts, history, theories and methodology Instrumental subjects: foreign languages and data processing Practical training At the university in small groups of students: 20 Practical placements: in Spain and abroad

Postgraduate education Three years training is insufficient Students continue their education: 26.6% Other university studies: sociology or anthropology: 11% Postgraduate courses: 15.6% Community Work Social Work in Mental Health Gender relations Social Gerontology Mediation Family therapy Management of social economy companies

Position of social work National Association of Social Workers with about 22,000 members The association is member of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) Spanish code of ethics Representation in front of the official bodies: national and regional governments

Labour market Employers: Fields of welfare: State Regional or local governments Nongovernmental organizations Private social service institutions Fields of welfare: Personal social services: 63.79% Health: 10.74% Education and culture: 6.74% Housing and urban development Employment Minimal income support

Target groups for social workers Elderly people Disabled people Children and families Young people Women Immigrants Gypsy people Drug abusers, etc

What do social workers? More management of public economic benefits than psychosocial help: risk of bureaucratization specially in personal social services Due to the lack of public services and resources, to fulfil needs of dependent people, social workers mobilise the clients’ and their families’ resources Spanish social workers are giving support to women who care of dependent people in their families setting up for example, social support groups and self-help groups with the aims of Giving them further information about the illness and how to treat dependent people teaching them how to deal with the difficult behaviour of the elderly people and how to control anxiety using breathing and relaxing techniques While the carers are attending these support groups, a professional carer is looking after the ill person

Deficits of the profession High unemployment: 44.40% of the affiliated social workers are unemployed The profession is not well known neither recognised: little presence in the media and the official bodies Lack of professional authority Little professional supervision Little practical placement for students Lack of control of social work training: selection process of students and teachers

Challenges of social work To improve our university training: Bologna's Process can be an opportunity to do it To improve the further training and professional supervision To publish the results of social research on social work To meet new social situations and needs like intercultural relations, eaten disorders, bullying, violence against women To improve the team work with other social professions like social educators To get a greater presence in society, in the media and in the official bodies To deal with the new law to improve the looking after of dependent people

New Law to look after dependent people Family care is being affected by social changes Firstly, there are more elderly people and they live longer Secondly, because they live longer they suffer more degenerative illness, like dementia or Alzheimer, and they are more dependent. Finally, there are an increasing number of women who decide to have a professional life and not to be only housewife This new law will have the financial support from the national government, the regional governments and the families Public social services (residential, home and daily) for dependent people will be improved As well as the financial support to the families and within them to the women who are in charge of looking after dependent people

References Báñez, Tomasa, 2004, “Spain. Social Work profession and education”, in Campanini, Ana María and Frost, Elizabeth, European Social Work. Commonalities and differences, Roma, Carocci Báñez, T. Y Ehlert G., 2005, “Gender and social work. Influences of gender on the process of professionalization in Frost, Elizabeth (Ed) Children, young people and families. Examining social work practice in Europe, Roma, Carocci

For further information Tomasa Báñez tomasaba@unizar.es Escuela Universtiaria de Estudios Sociales http://www.eues.unizar.es University of Zaragoza (Spain) http://www.unizar.es

Discussion Is social work a female profession in Sweden? Are there any special process of selection of the Swedish social work students before starting to study social work? If so, How important is motivation in this process? Do Swedish social workers have an important presence in the media and the official bodies? How is the relationship between social workers and other social professions in Sweden?