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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46502/issn.1856-7576/2022.16.03.16

Social Pedagogics and Psychology, Zaporizhzhya National University, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine.

Yuliana Matskevich

yuliana30-12@ukr.net

Faculty of Social Sciences, National University Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine.

Oksana Sementsova

sementsova.ok@gmail.com

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Docent, Department of Special Education, Faculty of Physical

Culture and Sport Management, National University Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic, Zaporizhzhya,

Ukraine.

Larysa Ivanova

Abstract

The system of training future workers of social services is being transformed in connection

with a number of challenges in the social-economic sphere, significantly differentiating

within the EU countries. The purpose of the academic paper lies in analysing

psychological and pedagogical features in the educational training of social service

specialists using the example of EU countries. Methodology. A qualitative design based

on a content analysis of the legal framework, statistical data and analytical reports posted

on the website of the European Association of Schools of Social Work (2022) have been

used in the present research. The results show that social work as an educational training

program includes three educational levels: bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral studies. In

general, in the EU countries, general requirements regarding the structure and content of

educational programs are determined, which are established by legislation. Educational

programs are built on a competency-based approach, which involves the formation of

professional skills of specialists. Educational institutions specializing in the training of

Keywords: social work, social work, social protection, training of social workers, social

security.

Resumen

El sistema de formación de los futuros trabajadores de los servicios sociales se está

transformando en relación con una serie de retos en el ámbito socioeconómico,

diferenciando significativamente dentro de los países de la UE. El propósito del trabajo

académico radica en analizar las características psicológicas y pedagógicas en la

formación educativa de los especialistas en servicios sociales utilizando el ejemplo de

cuanto a la estructura y contenido de los programas educativos, los cuales son

establecidos por la legislación. Los programas educativos se construyen sobre un

enfoque basado en competencias, lo que implica la formación de habilidades

profesionales de especialistas. Las instituciones educativas especializadas en la

formación de trabajadores sociales también están experimentando cambios en los planes

de estudio de acuerdo con los cambios en la práctica social y los estándares educativos

europeos, el papel cada vez mayor de la experiencia práctica, las pasantías y los

proyectos de investigación. Los programas de formación utilizan el enfoque basado en

competencias para superar problemas sociales y cambios en los sistemas de seguridad

social.

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1. Introduction

The system of training future workers of social services is being transformed in connection

with a number of challenges in the social-economic sphere, significantly differentiating

within the EU countries. The migration and demographic crises in Europe, the growth of

youth unemployment, gender inequality, and the digitalization of labour markets have led

to the need to revise the educational system of training. In a number of the most

developed countries (Germany, Italy, France), the competency-based approach to

training has been implemented to train specialists capable of solving complex problems

regardless of the subsystem of the social sphere. Social work as a field of training involves

a combination of different disciplinary paradigms, which accordingly requires a review of

investigations and research projects in the education of specialists. Teaching and learning

requires social work educators to use pedagogical approaches that ensure a thorough

understanding of real-life scenarios (Addo Koers & Timpson, 2022). Taking into account

the indicated changes in the training of specialists, it is relevant to study the features of

specialists.

The purpose of the academic paper lies in analysing psychological and pedagogical

features in the educational training of social service specialists using the example of EU

countries.

emergence of new challenges in the social sphere led to the expansion of socially

vulnerable sections of the population. As a result, educational training programs that were

targeted at certain population groups required transformations (Campanini & Frost, 2004).

Several changes have taken place in education over the past decades due to declining

levels of social cohesion in many European countries (Laparra & Pérez-Eransus, 2012).

The training of social services workers has been affected by such changes as the

transformation of labour markets, the quality of employment, new labour models in

connection with digitalization during the transition to a global economy (Opačić & Žganec,

2021; Vilka & Lotko, 2021). As a result, people, employed in various spheres of the

economy, became less protected, the level of access to social security decreased, which

especially affects young people, migrants, and vulnerable segments of the population

(Foessa, 2019). The high level of unemployment and instability of employment have given

rise to an increase in the demand for social services from people without income. The

emergence of new types of families without the possibility of providing care to vulnerable

segments of the population, the aging of the population, the growing number of elderly

people requires changes in the psychological and pedagogical conditions for the training

of social service specialists (Martínez-Virto & Pérez-Eransus, 2018). The basic

tendencies that influenced the training of social workers were as follows: an increase in

Therefore, the conditions for the training of specialists, focused on their competence

(knowledge, abilities, skills), are changing (Garrett & Bertotti, 2016; Ioakimidis, Santos &

Herrero, 2014; Karagkounis, 2016). The EU countries have been faced with a

fundamental task of political and social reconstruction of the education system, in the

context of which the competence of social workers is of central importance. This is due

to the fact that knowledge, abilities and skills combine a universal scientific basis and the

possibility of their adaptation to specific social contexts and problems. Education in the

field of social work should use the diverse experience of EU countries in solving social

issues in order to create future-oriented educational programs (Lorenz, 2021).

specialists on the example of the EU countries, the following countries were selected,

namely: Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, and Cyprus. Various social-economic

prerequisites, the structure of labour markets and models of social security systems were

the main criteria for choosing these countries for the purpose of analysing the training

systems of social service specialists.

4. Results

In Finland, social work is an independent discipline in the system of training of specialists

in social services. Students study this discipline at the university on the basis of an

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the university can submit an application for the position of professional social worker and

received a bachelor's degree in Finland in Finland (Lähteinen et al., 2017). In general,

Finland is one of the leading countries in the development of the system of training of

social service specialists. Social workers play a key role in the social service delivery

system, often working in a highly professional environment that includes, for example,

psychologists, medical practitioners, primary school teachers, early childhood nurses with

practice and labour market service experts, rehabilitation experts. In Finland, many

positions of practicing social workers remain free, despite the high level of educated

students in the country.

In Finland, among the main problems of social workers, bureaucracy in the management

educational institutions: polytechnics and universities. The education system clearly

distinguishes the goals of these types of educational institutions. Each establishment

owns its own learning profile. Education at universities includes research and the actual

training program for specialists who are closely related. The main task of the two types of

Polytechnics are interdisciplinary institutions of higher education, which are focused on

the development of practical relations with the labour market, regional development,

solving social problems in the regions. Over the past ten years, thanks to the state

investment, the number of students who are studying in specialties in social work at six

universities in Finland has increased rapidly. At the same time, the number of students

who are enrolled in the programs of learning on social sciences are reduced. In a year,

quality of study, as well as the level of research. Almost all the students enrolled receive

a bachelor or master degree. About 340 graduates annually receive an application for

work in social services. The next feature of the education system in the field of Finland's

social work provides for the autonomy of the country's universities. Educational

institutions in this way can determine the content of the training program and coordinate

them with the requirements of the labour market. Although general guidelines of the

structure and content of educational programs are legislatively set, faculties own powers

to determine the content of the program and targeted competencies, individual courses

for students (Lähteinen et al., 2017). In Finland, cooperation has been established within

the framework of the National University Network of Social Work (Sosnet), which enables

active national management of education and discussion of the content and structure of

social work degrees. Curricula are based on social work courses and interdisciplinary

contextualization, particularly in the social and behavioural sciences. Educational

programs are compiled on the competency-based approach, which involves the formation

of professional skills of specialists. Education for training specialists in social work is

based on university researches in socіal scіences. Also in educational institutions,

students are provided with professional and practical knowledge, which makes it possible

to obtain the status of a qualified social worker. Education develops academic abilities

The French education system applied for training future social workers is based on school

education and on-the-job training (internship). Practical activities of students always

occupy a significant part of the educational program. Various education reforms in France

(2007, 2011 and 2018) have ensured the change of educational programs of educational

institutions in accordance with changes in social practice and European education

standards. The main elements of these education reforms were as follows:

1. Establishing professional guidelines for skills, activities, training and certification

systems – since 2007 – structured diplomas, forasmuch as training programs is

organized around a defined list of skills. This has become a main basic change in the

2. A modern approach to alternative education has been implemented, which contributes

to the professionalization process transformation. Places of іnternship have becomе

a qualification spacе: the fiеld of internship of specialists is in contractual relations with

institutions for the traіning of socіal workеrs. Training is built on the basis of the tutoring

system. Managers offer internships based on expertise in which they are competent.

Internships in the French social services training system have always played a significant

role in education; however, recent reforms have structured and strengthened the

educational environment where theoretical and practical skills are formed. Reforming of

the French education system for social work specialists has ensured the transition from

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In Germany, educational programs for training specialists in social work field are an

important part of professional training in accordance with social-economic challenges.

The process of academicization of social work, which had begun in the 1970s, became a

prerequisite for the emergence of modern structures and conditions of education in the

field of social work. After the establishment of applied sciences universities, they began

to offer social work programs. Currently, in Germany, they are called universities of

applied sciences (UAS). For 30 years, these programs have been merged into social work

programs in almost all educational institutions. However, in the field of social sciences,

many subjects and programs related to social work continue to exist. A feature of

Germany in the training of specialists is a scientific and pedagogical program with an

emphasis on social pedagogy that studied at universities. In some cases, through

institutions, the organization of which lies with the state, Church, as well as more and

more cases of private financing. In recent years, the number of students is growing.

Today, almost all educational institutions offer magistracy programs in the field of social

work. Universities have a high level of influence on the development of social work.

Universities have a significant impact on representatives of the scientific community

thanks to the research activity and reputation built into their structure. Another feature of

education in Germany lies in the fact that score in the field of social work is significantly

different in different federal lands. Differences in the education system are manifested in

the duration of research, general structure and learning subcs. Therefore, it is impossible

to give an exact characteristic of models of training, subjects, structure and conditions of

universities. Being the highest collegiate body of academic self-governance, FBTS brings

together the professional, educational and organizational activities of about 80 seats or

members. One result of FBTS’ work is the development of the Qualification Framework

for Social Work (Qualifkationsrahmens Soziale Arbeit – QR SozArb) as a education

framework in the social work field in Germany. QR SozArb is a subject specific framework

for social work that defines key competencies in accordance with the Bologna Process.

In the preamble, the Social Work Qualification Framework refers to the international

definition of social work, describing competencies in accordance with the international

context. The document defines social, technical, and methodological and personnel skills,

takes into account the ethical component of the activity of a social worker. It has been

also determined that skills are formed in a disciplinary, interdisciplinary or

transdisciplinary way (Laging, Schäfer & Lorenz, 2021).

In Italy, the training of social workers uses an approach based on competencies to

overcome social problems, challenges and changes in the social security system.

Education in the field of social work is included in the academic context and is provided

at universities. Italy does not have a double system of polytechnic and academic

universities, unlike other European countries. Social work is currently included in the

consequence of the reform of the government and new criteria established by the

government of the country. The number of enrolled every year is almost stable, and about

1,300 students participate in undergraduate programs at the national level. In addition to

the minimum requirements established by the ministry, each higher educational institution

can freely develop plans and special training programs, compile programs in accordance

with its vision, visit, development strategy and respond to local needs. Universities can

use the remaining loans and resources thanks to their own autonomy. Thus, important

decisions are made at the local level and at the level of a separate university, and the

composition of the university leadership affects the composition of the educational

programs of social work. The influence also has existing educational institutions in the

Social security services in Lithuania were little developed due to chaos in connection with

the transition from the Soviet system to democracy. As a result of the transition of the

state, many families and individuals fell into new social problems, such as poverty,

unemployment, crime and lawlessness. Students' duties in the first year of study in the

field of social work are focused on such skills as involvement / empathy, solving problems,

evaluation, communication and work with any available resources. In the second year of

training, students usually conduct research, focusing on applying the main skills of social

work in evaluating and solving problems at the level of social protection system. In this

way, students and graduates of the Centre created several new public programs (Lorenz,

2021). In the scientific work of Tunney & Kulys (2014), a model of field education is

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professional values, knowledge, and skills; 2) Educational program development and

development of student skill; 3) Agency-service development among placement

agencies; 4) Impact on the community as a result of the educational program’s

contribution to social service development.

The education of specialists in the social work field in Cyprus remains at an early stage

of development. There is not any state faculty established in the country, despite the

obvious need to train specialists in social work at state universities. The country also lacks

a culture of social work, regardless of the existence of private programs. This may be due

to the fact that social welfare has never been one of the priorities of local political policy.

The modern educational system is a mixture of various educational approaches and

5. Discussion

Educational training programs in the EU countries in the field of social work testify to the

In particular, the most common is competency-based approach, which has been

implemented in Finland, Germany, France, and Italy. In the framework of countries, there

is a significant differentiation of social needs depending on the structure of socially

vulnerable segments of the population. In some countries, social workers are responsible

for assessing people’s eligibility to social benefits, which determines the need for relevant

skills. In other countries, the emphasis is on counselling. In some cases, social

and training institutions, such as psychodynamic, psychosocial, behavioural or systems

approaches, no longer predominate in these countries. Instead of that, pragmatic

considerations guide the choice of teaching methods, with a strong emphasis on

evidence-based practice and investigations (Ziegler, 2020).

The training of social service specialists is also characterized by the need to maintain

orientation to national requirements from the point of view of the legislative framework,

social policy, service structures and social-economic context, cultural factors. In addition,

specialists should possess appropriate scientific status; they should focus on universal