Search results for ‘Subject term:"social workers"’ Sort:
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The development of social work as a speciality and profession in Estonia
- Authors:
- KIIK Riina, SIROTKINA Reeli
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work and Society: International Online Journal, 3(1), 2005, Online only
- Publisher:
- University of Bielefeld
For Estonia and its people social work is one of the vitally important fields that had to be built up from almost nothing since independence was regained in 1991. During Soviet times social work and social workers did not receive the necessary attention. Severe social problems were denied and kept hidden since according to official communist ideology, life in the Soviet Union was the best in the world and getting better all the time. Social workers did not receive specialised education and their functions were to be carried out by the workers of trade unions and the party, by teachers and by the workers of the personnel departments. In the 1990s big changes, having also an effect on social life, took place in the development of Estonian society. Concepts such as social work and social worker were rediscovered in Estonia. There are certain prerequisites for the success of any activity (including social work). One of the most important ones is being a professional, a worker with thorough preparation. Social work as an occupation requires specialised academic education, which is based on theoretical knowledge and practical skills that have been acquired through theoretical knowledge. Specialised knowledge is a foundation for attaining a specialised qualification. However, at the same time one has to keep in mind that social work as an occupation is constantly changing, there is no absolute knowledge - everything is relative, dynamic and changing (Tamm, 1998). The changing nature of the activity requires reflection by a social worker, who also has to be able to evaluate his/her work and its basis and learn from experiences. Academic specialised education implies also the development of a new professional identity and higher levels of competence. This underlines the necessity of specialised education.
'My work is exciting' - social workers in Estonia compared to Norway
- Authors:
- GROENNINGSAETER Aarne Backer, KIIK Riina
- Journal article citation:
- European Journal of Social Work, 12(1), March 2009, pp.25-39.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The article discusses the relationship between social policy and social work, focussing on how municipal social workers in Estonia and Norway describe their work situation as implementers of social policy. It is based on a series of individual and group interviews. Estonia is the main case, and Norway is included for comparative reasons. The relationship between aims and reality, external conditions and development of the profession are important subjects. Social workers represent a link between users and the various social policy institutions. Estonian and Norwegian social workers experience a gap between needs and resources. Representatives from both countries referred to the growing workload and complained about low status. At the same time they describe a positive development. A common feeling of having limited resources when confronted with the needs of the users is combined with a feeling that social work is challenging and exciting. In both countries networks and cooperation across professional borders are important. The authors conclude that social workers are important actors in implementing changes at the local level, but they seem to be more concerned about the daily encounter with the individual user than with the policy framework.
Estonia: social pedagogy in the context of social work
- Author:
- LEINO Mare
- Journal article citation:
- European Journal of Social Work, 5(3), November 2002, pp.319-321.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Country notes on social work education and services in Estonia.
How social workers maneuver in complex and neoliberal contexts
- Authors:
- MITENDORF Airi, VAN EWIJK Hans
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Education (The International Journal), 38(6), 2019, pp.721-734.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article examines social workers’ personal interpretations and position-taking in neoliberal and complex contexts. Personal position-taking of professionals is a powerful tool in guiding social workers’ professional activity. The aim of this research is to make these common—but often unnoticed—positions visible. The research focuses on Estonia; a country strongly embedded in neoliberal ideology, and by that significantly influenced by market-based solutions to services and individualization of social risks. Data collection and analysis have been guided by a narrative research framework. The research highlights the challenging position of social workers. Such workers experience pressures caused by double constraints—quick intervention and access to services—and finding a way out from the complex social problems of the most vulnerable individuals. However, in the Estonian case, the pressure and control from outside is perhaps more dominating because the young profession is still weak. The claims of effectivity, evidence, and solving problems hinder the creation of a research-minded, reflective, and practical wisdom-oriented social worker. Awareness of the varied trajectories of positions shows the need for a social discussion about the role and added value of social work within the preconstituted frame and the relationship between the values of social work and the workfare state. (Edited publisher abstract)
Child-centered approach in the context of the assessment of children in need: reflections of child protection workers in Estonia
- Authors:
- TOROS Karmen, TIKO Anne, SAIA Koidu
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 35(6), 2013, pp.1015-1022.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This small-scale study conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with twenty child protection workers in Estonia, to explore the child-centered approach in assessment practices. Results indicate that child-centered approach in the child protection workers' practice is characterized, firstly, by doing work for the child, and less by working with the child, including the fact that some practitioners are somewhat unclear about the meaning of child-centered principle. Majority of the participants underscored the importance of child involvement and partnership in the decision-making process, nevertheless, their case reflections showed that most of them did not include the child in the assessment. Findings highlight several challenges in Estonian child protection system and suggest a need to find ways to support child protection workers' competence and confidence to conduct comprehensive assessments based on the child-centered approach, including the child in the assessment process. (Edited publisher abstract)
Miracle question promotes open communication and positive interaction between clients and practitioners
- Author:
- TOROS Karmen
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 62(2), 2019, p.483–486.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This article reflects on Estonian practitioners’ voices to researchers and other practitioners by sharing their experiences of the solution-focused technique, ‘the miracle question’, they found useful in constructing solutions. This technique promoted thinking about becoming a better practitioner, empowerment, and the need to move away from traditional approaches in order to enhance improved outcomes for clients and to promote their well-being. (Edited publisher abstract)
Between multi-layered normativity and path finding in professional social work: the case of the individual and neo-liberal Estonian society
- Authors:
- MITENDORF Airi, EWIJK Hans van
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 48(7), 2018, p.1892–1909.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This article explores how social workers from Estonian municipalities cope with complex normative issues, and how they relate to the different layers in normativity. Social work is permeated by intertwined sets of external and internal norms; however, social workers are only partly aware of the normative fields and their own embedded normativity. Data collection and analysis for this study have been guided by an experience-centred narrative research framework. The research focuses on Estonia, a country that is strongly influenced by neo-liberalism and individualism. The authors' investigation draws attention to the fact that it is important for social workers to understand and be aware of the forces of the multi-layered normativity in which the profession is situated. Framing problems from health and illness perspectives leads to different interventions than framing problems from perspectives of social functioning and social justice. The authors suggest that ongoing reflection and deliberation on the question of how to do good work opens up new possibilities for professionals and political action and contributes to knowledge production. Professionals need to move from thinking in situations and simply repairing the problem to thinking and acting from the perspective of development, process and path finding. (Edited publisher abstract)
Participatory discourse: engagement in the context of child protection assessment practices from the perspectives of child protection workers, parents and children
- Authors:
- ARBEITER Ere, TOROS Karmen
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 74, 2017, pp.17-27.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Objective: This article describes empirical results of the views of child protection workers, parents and children along different dimensions including interpretation of engagement, approaches with families in the engagement process, collaboration and relationship, barriers and factors promoting engagement. Method: A qualitative study was undertaken of a sample of eleven child protection workers, eleven parents and eleven children in one county in South-Estonia. The study explored the participants' experiences and perspectives of the engagement, within the context of assessment in child protection practice, through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Results: Results indicate that child protection workers demonstrate an over-reliance on expert- and deficit-based approaches, indicating a requirement for a focus on traditional social work assessment, concentrating on problems, and more investigative, coercive, and judgement-focused approaches. Both workers and parents valued the quality of relationships, emphasising trust, dialogue and support as important elements of engagement. According to children, they were not always considered as a subject in the assessment process, including their needs as the primary focus; children expressed the wish to be more heard and understood, with their opinions being taken into account. Conclusions: Findings propose that child protection workers are ‘stuck in the past’, in traditional deficit-based discourse, however families prefer ‘modern’, strengths-based perspectives. (Publisher abstract)