Professional competences

Lecture 4.1.
Social Workers’ Professional Competences
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Specific Professional
Competences – Social Work
 Council for
Social
Work
Coucil on social work
education's (CSWE) nine
competencies outlined in
the educational policy and
accreditation standards
(EPAS)

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
349541674_Social_Work_Philosophy_Encou
nters_Morenean_Philosophy/figures?lo=1
https://onlineprograms.ollusa.edu/resourc
es/infographic/inside-the-mind-a-social-
worker-infographic/
 Competence: Policy-practice
using social work skills to propose and change policies in order to
achieve the goal of social and economic justice
• Social workers understand that human rights and social
justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated
by policy and its implementation at the federal, state, and
local levels. Social workers understand the history and
current structures of social policies and services, the role of
policy in service delivery, and the role of practice in policy
development.
• Social workers understand their role in policy development
and implementation within their practice settings at the
micro, mezzo, and macro levels and they actively engage in
policy practice to effect change within those settings.
• Social workers recognize and understand the historical,
social, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental,
and global influences that affect social policy. They are also
knowledgeable
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about policy formulation, analysis, 6
implementation, and evaluation.
 Individuals and communities
• Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing
component of the dynamic and interactive process of social
work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals,
families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• Social workers value the importance of human
relationships. Social workers understand theories of human
behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate
and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with
clients and constituencies, including individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities.
• Social workers understand strategies to engage diverse
clients and constituencies to advance practice
effectiveness.
• Social workers understand how their personal experiences
and affective reactions may impact their ability to
effectively engage with diverse clients and constituencies.
• Social workers value principles of relationship-building and
inter-professional collaboration to facilitate engagement
with clients, constituencies, and other professionals as
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appropriate.
 • Social workers understand that assessment is an
Assessment ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive
process of social work practice with, and on behalf of,
Assessment in social work involves diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and
a set of steps designed to communities.
evaluate someone’s needs in
order to match them with the • Social workers understand theories of human behavior
best public support or the best and the social environment, and critically evaluate and
social program services that can apply this knowledge in the assessment of diverse
help them.
clients and constituencies, including individuals,
Read more at families, groups, organizations, and communities.
airiodion: https://www.airiodion.com/ • Social workers understand methods of assessment with
social-work-assessment/
diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice
effectiveness. Social workers recognize the implications
of the larger practice context in the assessment process
and value the importance of inter-professional
collaboration in this process.
• Social workers understand how their personal
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https://www.airiodion.com/social-work- experiences and affective reactions may affect their
assessment/
assessment and decision-making. 8
Means of Assessment
‽ Family history
‽ Cultural values
‽ Social circle
‽ Education
‽ Past trauma
‽ Substance use
‽ Employment history
‽ Skills
‽ Leisure activities
‽ Motivations
‽ Immediate needs
‽ Patterns of crisis
‽ Attitude about money/finances

Read more at airiodion: https://www.airiodion.com/social-work-assessment/

Intervene
• Social workers understand that intervention is an
ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive
process of social work practice with, and on behalf of,
diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations,
and communities.
• Social workers are knowledgeable about evidence-
informed interventions to achieve the goals of clients
and constituencies, including individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities. Social
workers understand theories of human behavior and
the social environment, and critically evaluate and
apply this knowledge to effectively intervene with
clients and constituencies.
• Social workers understand methods of identifying,
analyzing and implementing evidence-informed
interventions to achieve client and constituency goals.
Social workers value the importance of inter-
professional teamwork and communication in
interventions, recognizing that beneficial outcomes
may2021.
require
10. 05. interdisciplinary, inter-professional, and 10
inter-organizational collaboration.
 Evaluate
• Social workers understand that evaluation is
an ongoing component of the dynamic and
interactive process of social work practice
with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals,
families, groups, organizations, and
communities.
• Social workers recognize the importance of
evaluating processes and outcomes to
advance practice, policy, and service delivery
effectiveness.
• Social workers understand theories of human
behavior and the social environment, and
critically evaluate and apply this knowledge
in evaluating outcomes. https://aea365.org/blog/msi-fellowship-week-tamarah-
moss-on-an-integrative-approach-for-culturally-competent-

• Social workers understand qualitative and evaluation-moving-from-organizational-statements-to-

practice/

quantitative methods for evaluating

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outcomes and practice effectiveness.
My Competence-Map as a Social Worker

behavior
Knowled
Competence

mance
Experi

Perfor

goals
skills
ence

ge
Policy-
practice
Individuals
and
communities

Assessment

Intervention
Evaluation
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Sources
• https://view.joomag.com/nswcf-issue-3-knowledge-and-skill-
competencies/0578250001489387924?short
• https://ethicalsocialwork.wixsite.com/ethicalsocialwork/nswcf
• https://www.slideshare.net/carolineremley/competency-map

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