Funciones profesionales de los trabajadores sociales en España

Abstract

ResumenLos resultados presentados en este artículo forman parte de un estudio de ámbito nacional que, por primera vez en España, ha encuestado a las profesionales del Trabajo Social colegiadas para conocer su práctica profesional cotidiana, según la clasificación de funciones ofrecida en el Libro Blanco de Trabajo Social 1 . Los resultados se ofrecen en tres partes: una descriptiva de las tendencias generales; la segunda, un análisis factorial para un agrupamiento y clasificación tipológicos de las funciones de las trabajadoras sociales; y la tercera, un análisis de conglomerados para agrupar a las trabajadoras sociales según sus funciones en torno a cuatro perfiles profesionales mayoritarios: gestión-planificación, intervención para el cambio, intervención asistencial y académico. Los resultados apuntan a la necesidad de reflexionar sobre el futuro de la actividad de las trabajadoras sociales en la sociedad y sobre la orientación académica del Grado en Trabajo Social, ya que la formación universitaria puede atender a las necesidades de un «mercado laboral» de lo social, con funciones de marcado carácter administrativo y de gestión, o puede formar para el conjunto de funciones que la tradición reflexiva de la disciplina (investigación) y la evolución histórica de la profesión han configurado como esenciales para la misma (intervención). Palabras clave: funciones, profesión, Trabajo Social, trabajadoras sociales, España. AbstractThe results presented here are a part of a nationwide study which has surveyed, for the first time in Spain, female social workers registered in their official Associations in order to identify their daily practice, according to the classification of functions contained in the White Paper of Social Work. The results are presented in three sections: a) a description of general trends, b) a factor analysis for a typological grouping and classification of the functions of social workers and c) a cluster analysis aimed to group the social workers according to their functions into four main professional profiles, namely: management-planning, intervention for change, care intervention and academic. The results of the research point to the need to reflect on the future of the activity of female social workers in society and the academic orientation of the Degree in Social Work, since university education can meet the needs of a «labor market in the social field», with mainly an administrative and management character, or it may train the professionals to perform all of the functions that the reflective tradition of the discipline (research) and the historical evolution of the profession have set as essential to it (intervention). Keywords: functions; profession; social work; social workers; Spain.Referencia personalizada: Ballestero Izquierdo, A., Viscarret Garro, J. J., y Úriz Pemán, M. J. (2013)

Telework and Social Services in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This same report identifies, as the main area of social services in which they carry out their professional activity, that of “information, guidance, counselling, diagnosis and assessment” (49.2%, practically half of the professionals), followed at a great distance by the areas of “personal autonomy, home care and family respite” (9.4%), “intervention and family support” (8.4%) and the area of “management” (8.3%). In this way, the prevalence of care and bureaucratic functions is noted, above others such as direct group care, prevention, promotion and social insertion, and with little involvement in research they have already signaled [ 7 ].…”

Specific competencies in social work higher education in the framework of the European higher education area: the perception of future professionals in the Spanish context

“…Both situations allow us to conclude that there is no area of competency that stands out in this scenario of high valuation. Nevertheless, evaluating both clusters together reveals that the competency area that shows a certain higher valuation is the competency area of work and valuing needs and circumstances together with people, families, groups, organisations, and communities, which is compatible with the idea of social work identified in diverse conceptual approaches (Richmond, 2005Conde Megías, 2009Celedón Lagos, 2009;Ballestero Izquierdo, Viscarret Garro, & Úriz Pemán, 2013;Lima Fernández, 2013).…”

Social work at the end of life: Humanization of the process

“…These coincide with those described by Bern-Klug et al (2001): clarifier, counselor, mediator, resource facilitator and manager, defender of personal and family interests, and team member. The contributions of some social workers stress that taking on these responsibilities has meant a reorientation of social work toward the so-called "primary activity -face to face," typical of the world of real life and rooted in the origins of the discipline (understanding, participation, communication), as opposed to the often over-dimensioned "indirect social work activities," typical of systemic logics (management, administration, bureaucracy) (Ballestero Izquierdo et al, 2013).…”