Practical Training of Future Social Workers for Social Work with Children with Special Educational Needs in Various Social Institutions

Background and aim of study:

The social work of specialized social institutions that provide services to children with special educational needs (SEN) and their immediate environment is one of the ways to provide resources for this vulnerable contingent in modern society, which requires more effective training of future social workers to implement it. Analysis of the scientific literature and practice of training specialists for social work with children with SEN, showed that researchers have studied the following aspects: features of training social workers to prevent maladjustment of students with special needs (A. Kolupaeva, T. Maltseva, S. Netyosov, others); organization of training of specialists for social and rehabilitation activities with children with health disabilities in their environment (L. Akatov, V. Teslenko, N. Saiko, others); the content of the work of social workers with the families of children with SEN in the system of social assistance institutions (N. Dubrovina, Z. Kiyanytsya, O. Mastyukova, J. Petrochko, others). However, the issue of practical training of future social workers for social work with children with SEN in various social institutions has not yet been fully studied and needs research, so the aim is to determine the content and features of their training for the relevant type of professional activity.

Results:

Based on the provisions of the Standard for the training of future social workers and taking into account the peculiarities of the educational program “Social Pedagogy” at H. S. Skovoroda KhNPU, we have identified the content and features of their professional training for social work in specialized social institutions of the social assistance system, taking into account the conditions for the development of such important special competencies as: knowledge and understanding of the essence, meaning and types of social work with children with disabilities; its directions (psychological, socio-pedagogical, legal, economic, medical); ability to predict the course of various social processes that affect the development of children with SEN; knowledge and understanding of the legal framework for social work with children with SEN and their environment; ability to analyze socio- psychological phenomena, processes of formation, development and socialization of the personality of a child with SEN; ability to identify, socially inspect and assess the needs of families raising children with SEN; ability to apply modern innovative methods of working with children with SEN and their environment; ability to provide resource assistance and support to children with SEN and their families, taking into account their individual needs, age differences, gender, ethnic and other characteristics; the ability to initiate social change aimed at improving the social well-being of families raising children with SEN; ability to interact with clients, representatives of various professional groups and communities in order to improve the quality of social services for children with SEN; ability to develop and implement social projects and programs to provide resources for children with SEN and the families that are raising them. In order to ensure the formation of the above competencies in future professionals in the social field, we have developed: a special course “Social rehabilitation work in specialized social institutions” for higher education of first (bachelor) level, which provides for the organization of practice-oriented training in dual form on the basis of specialized social institutions partnering with the institution of higher education network that provide social services to children with SEN and their families; disciplines “Social work in an inclusive educational environment” for applicants for higher education of the second (master’s) level, during which they can get acquainted with the work of a social worker in an inclusive educational environment of various educational institutions; materials of practice in general secondary and special education institutions, where future social workers can get acquainted with modern scientific and practical achievements in social and rehabilitation work with children with SEN and their families. We have mastered the methods of organizing mainstreaming, integration and inclusion in social work with the relevant contingent as important components of the activities of social workers, as well as mastering the features of innovative experience of social work in this area. To organize practice-oriented classes in dual form for future social workers, we have selected specialized institutions that carry out social rehabilitation activities with children with SEN, where future social workers had the opportunity to implement their own practical developments in social work with children with SEN.

Conclusion:

Surveys of applicants for higher education and the results of final certifications in the above disciplines and on-site socio-pedagogical practice in Institutions of General Special Education and Specialized Educational Institutions using the developed methodological support for training future social pedagogues for social work with children with SEN and their parents showed that: all 100% of respondents during surveys noted that they have increased their own level of professional practical competence in the direction of social work with children with SEN and their parents; 73% of respondents received grades from the final attestation of higher than medium and high levels and 87% received grades from on-site practice of higher than medium and high levels.

DOI and UDC:

UDC: 378.147:364.044.44 DOI: 10.26697/ijes.2020.2.12

Information about the authors:

Kostina Valentyna Viktorivna – Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Ukraine. Research interests: social pedagogy, social work, ethnopedagogy; http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2410-7497