behavioural therapy
The characteristics and foundations of behavioural therapy, which focuses on changing patients` unwanted or negative behaviour. It involves studying the present behaviour and the means by which this can be un-learned.
Social counsellors provide support and guidance to individuals in the social work area, to help them solve specific problems in their personal life. It involves addressing personal and relationship issues, dealing with inner conflicts, crisis moments such as depression and addiction, in an attempt to empower individuals to achieve change and improve their life quality.
Competences and skills
95 ESCO relationsEssential knowledge 12 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
7 competencesclient-centred counselling
Practice that encourages clients to concentrate on how they feel at the present moment during the counseling session in order to search for the most appropriate solutions.
clinical social work
The branch of social work that deals with assessing, making diagnoses, treating and preventing bio-psychological problems and other behavioural disturbances.
cognitive behavioural therapy
The solution-focused approach to treating mental disorders oriented towards solving problems by teaching new information-processing skills and coping mechanisms.
human psychological development
The human psychological development across the lifespan, theories of personality development, cultural and environmental influences, human behavior, including developmental crises, disability, exceptional behavior, and addictive behavior.
reflexion
The way to listen to individuals, to summarise the major points and clarify what they are feeling in order to help them reflect on their behaviour.
sexual disorders
The range of sexual disorders such as sexual aversion disorder, hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and vaginismus and the effects of medication on sexual function.
Cross-sector
5 competencescounselling methods
Counselling techniques used in different settings and with various groups and individuals, especially concerning methods of supervision and mediation in the counselling process.
legal requirements in the social sector
The prescribed legislative and regulatory requirements in the social sector.
social justice
The development and principles of human rights and social justice and the way they should be applied on a case by case basis.
social sciences
The development and characteristics of sociological, anthropological, psychological, political, and social policy theories.
supervision of persons
The act of directing one individual or a group of individuals in a certain activity.
Essential skills and competences 33 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
18 competencesaccept own accountability
Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.
apply quality standards in social services
Apply quality standards in social services while upholding social work values and principles.
assess social service users' situation
Assess the social situation of service users situation balancing curiosity and respect in the dialogue, considering their families, organisations and communities and the associated risks and identifying the needs and resources, in order to meet physical, emotional and social needs.
build helping relationship with social service users
Develop a collaborative helping relationship, addressing any ruptures or strains in the relationship, fostering bonding and gaining service users` trust and cooperation through empathic listening, caring, warmth and authenticity.
cooperate at inter-professional level
Cooperate with people in other sectors in relation to social service work.
deliver social services in diverse cultural communities
Deliver services which are mindful of different cultural and language traditions, showing respect and validation for communities and being consistent with policies regarding human rights and equality and diversity.
demonstrate leadership in social service cases
Take the lead in the practical handling of social work cases and activities.
determine child welfare
Evaluate whether the child needs to be taken out of his home situation and assess child`s placement in foster care. Make home visits to assess allegations of child abuse or neglect.
encourage counselled clients to examine themselves
Support and encourage the clients to analyse and be aware of some aspects in their life that may have been distressing or impossible to tackle so far.
follow health and safety precautions in social care practices
Ensure hygienic work practice, respecting the safety of the environment at day care, residential care settings and care at home.
have emotional intelligence
Recognize ones own and other people`s emotions, distinguish correctly between them and observing how they can influence one`s environment and social interaction and what can be done about it.
maintain a non-emotional involvement
Keep a broader perspective and stay non-attached to the emotions and feelings expressed by the client during counselling sessions.
maintain records of work with service users
Maintain accurate, concise, up-to-date and timely records of the work with service users while complying with legislation and policies related to privacy and security.
- Scope note
- It includes digitally recorded notes.
organise relapse prevention
Help the patient or client identify and anticipate high risk situations or external and internal triggers. Support them in developing better coping strategies and back-up plans in case of future difficulties.
perform therapy sessions
Work in sessions with individuals or groups to deliver therapy in a controlled environment.
refer social service users
Make referrals to other professionals and other organisations, based on the social service users' requirements and needs.
respond to individuals' extreme emotions
React and help appropriately in case of extreme emotional reactions of individuals in a crisis situation, extreme distress or who are traumatised.
use psychoeducation
Work with patients and their families through psychoeducation.
Cross-sector
15 competencesapply socially just working principles
Work in accordance with management and organisational principles and values focusing on human rights and social justice.
communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields
Communicate professionally and cooperate with members of the other professions in the health and social services sector.
communicate with social service users
Use verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication. Pay attention to the specific social service users' needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, age, developmental stage, and culture.
help clients make decisions during counselling sessions
Encourage clients to make their own decisions related to their problems or inner conflicts by reducing confusion and allowing clients to reach their own conclusions, with no bias whatsoever.
listen actively
Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.
maintain the trust of service users
Establish and maintain the trust and confidence of the client, communicating in an appropriate, open, accurate and straightforward way and being honest and reliable.
manage social crisis
Identify, respond and motivate individuals in social crisis situations, in a timely manner, making use of all resources.
manage stress in the work place
Cope with sources of stress and cross-pressure in one's own professional life, such as occupational, managerial, institutional and personal stress, and help others do the same so as to promote the well-being of your colleagues and avoid burn-out.
promote human rights
Promote and respect human rights and diversity in light of the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of autonomous individuals, taking into account their opinions, beliefs and values, and the international and national codes of ethics, as well as the ethical implications of healthcare provision, ensuring their right to privacy and honouring for the confidentiality of healthcare information.
promote inclusion
Promote and respect diversity, and advocate for equal treatment of genders, ethnicities and minority groups in organisations in order to prevent discrimination and ensure inclusion and a positive environment.
promote social change
Promote changes in relationships between individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities by taking into consideration and coping with unpredictable changes, at the micro, macro and mezzo level.
provide social counselling
Assist and guide social service users to resolve personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties.
relate empathetically
Recognise, understand and share emotions and insights experienced by another.
report on social development
Report results and conclusions on society's social development in an intelligible way, presenting these orally and in written form to a range of audiences from non-experts to experts.
undertake continuous professional development in social work
Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) to continuously update and develop knowledge, skills and competences within one`s scope of practice in social work.
Optional knowledge 19 competences
Occupation specific
1 competenceanger management
Techniques used to identify the reasons behind anger, possible emotional symptoms and various ways to manage anger within a given life situation.
Sector-specific
7 competencesfamily therapy
The type of counseling that is applied to families and couples in order to improve their intimate relationships, communication and resolve conflicts.
reproductive health
The reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life under safe and legal conditions, childbearing, modern contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and female genital mutilation.
social development
The learning process of a child through social interaction. Among the various activities that it encompasses, social development supports children in obtaining and fortifying learning skills and having positive attitudes.
sophrology
The principles and techniques such as concentration, deep breathing, relaxation and visualisation designed to bring the consciousness in harmony with the body.
stages of bereavement
Stages of the bereavement such as the acceptance that the loss has occurred, the experience of pain, the adjustment to life without the person in question.
strategies for handling cases of sexual assault
The range of strategies and approaches utilised in the identification, termination, and prevention of instances of sexual assault. This incudes understanding of the methods and procedures used to recognise instances of sexual assault, the legal implications, and possible intervention and rehabilitation activities. Sexual assault includes all kinds of practice of forcing a person into sexual acts against their will or without their consent, as well as cases when children and minors are involved in sexual activities.
types of psychotherapy sessions
Types of psychotherapy for individuals, groups or families according to behavioural/cognitive, psychoanalytic/dynamic, systemic methods or other appropriate psychological therapies.
Cross-sector
11 competencesaccounting techniques
The techniques of recording and summarising business and financial transactions and analysing, verifying, and reporting the results.
adolescent psychological development
The developments needs of children and young persons, their behaviour and the attachment relationships and the possible signs of developmental delay.
dependency on drugs
Dependency on substances such as alcohol, prescribed medication or cocaine and their impact on the brain and human body.
movement techniques
The various types of movement and physical postures undertaken for relaxation, body-mind integration, stress reduction, flexibility, core support and rehabilitation purposes, and that are required for or underpin occupational performance.
peer group methods
The techniques relevant for peer group education, where each member is encouraged to express or exchnage a particular type of behaviour or piece of information.
pharmacology
Pharmacology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
psychological counselling methods
The various psychological counselling, training and coaching methods for persons of all ages, groups and organizations considering medical aspects.
psychological theories
The historical development of counselling and psychological theories, as well as the perspectives, applications, and interviewing and counselling strategies.
psychology
The human behaviour and performance with individual differences in ability, personality, interests, learning, and motivation.
relaxation techniques
The various methods and techniques used to alleviate stress and bring peace and relaxation to the body and mind. This includes activities such as yoga, qigong or t`ai chi.
sex education
Programs targeting human sexual reproduction, emotional relations between sexual partners, birth control and human sexuality in general.
Optional skills and competences 31 competences
Occupation specific
1 competenceprovide anger management counselling
Help clients overcome anger issues by using anger management techniques such as keeping an anger journal or an anger plan.
Sector-specific
23 competencesaddress gender-related issues in family planning counselling
Inform the client on gender-related topics related to family planning by encouraging them to decide on their own sexual and reproductive health choices or to bring partners into family planning counselling.
advise on family planning
Provide advice on the use of birth control and methods of contraception available, on sexual education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted diseases, pre-conception counselling and fertility management.
advise on mental health
Advise persons of all ages and groups in terms of the health-promoting aspects of individual behaviour and institutions with regard to the personal, social and structural factors on physical and mental health.
advise on pregnancy
Counsel patients on normal changes occurring in pregnancy, providing advice on nutrition, drug effects and other lifestyle changes.
assess clients' drug and alcohol addictions
Interview clients and assess their addictions in order to establish an appropriate plan for action.
assess the development of youth
Evaluate the different aspects of development needs of children and young people.
carry out psychiatric assessment of child
Evaluate the child or young person's problems with attention to physical, genetic, developmental, emotional, cognitive, educational, family, peer, and social components and use the information to determine a diagnosis for the mental disorder.
communicate by use of interpretation services
Communicate through the help of an interpreter to facilitate verbal communication and cultural mediation.
cooperate with professionals
Communicate with professionals of other organisations that support young people such as social care, health, police, education and local authorities in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in youth work, and to establish a collaborative relationship.
counsel patient on family concerns
Guide and advise patients on unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, and financial difficulties.
empower individuals, families and groups
Empower individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care.
facilitate the healing process related to sexual assault
Intervene to support and facilitate the healing and growth of individuals who have experienced sexual assault by allowing them to recognise their memories and pain, identifying their influence on behaviour and learning to integrate them in their lives.
help clients cope with grief
Provide support to clients having experienced the loss of close family or friends and help them to express their grief and recover.
identify mental health issues
Recognise and critically evaluate any possible mental health/illness issues.
inform on the risks of substance and alcohol abuse
Provide information in the community about the risks and dangers of substance and alcohol abuse.
plan youth activities
Run projects organised for young people such as arts-based activities, outdoor education and sporting activities.
practice gestalt therapy
Use gestalt therapy techniques such as the empty chair technique and the exaggeration exercise in individual or group settings in the shape of creative exercises and experiments, aiming to make the individual understand different aspects of a conflict, experience, or mental health issue.
provide counselling on abortion
Provide information and counselling services to young women facing the decision of undertaking abortion, discussing about the causes and consequences and helping them make an informed decision.
provide education on family life
Provide culturally sensitive health education and services, focusing on women, family and community and promoting healthy family life, and pregnancy planning.
support traumatised children
Support children who have experienced trauma, identifying their needs and working in ways that promote their rights, inclusion and well being.
support young victims of sexual assault
Work with children and adolescents in order to encourage them to speak about the traumatising sexual assault experience and gain self-confidence when expressing themselves.
use motivational incentives in addiction counselling
Use questions to motivate the client to change his/her behaviour or undertake treatment or abstinence from substance or alcohol abuse.
work on the effects of abuse
Work with individuals on the effects of abuse and trauma; such as sexual, physical, psychological, cultural and neglect.
Cross-sector
7 competencesadminister appointments
Accept, schedule and cancel appointments.
apply foreign languages in social services
Communicate with social service users and social services providers in foreign languages, according to their needs.
communicate with youth
Use verbal and non-verbal communication and communicate through writing, electronic means, or drawing. Adapt your communication to children and young people`s age, needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, and culture.
develop patient treatment strategies
Consult with fellow doctors and scientists in order to find the appropriate and most effective treatment for each individual patient.
prepare youths for adulthood
Work with children and young people to identify the skills and abilities they will need for their transition to become independent and self-sufficient adults.
promote the safeguarding of young people
Understand safeguarding and what should be done in cases of actual or potential harm or abuse.
support the positiveness of youths
Help children and young people to assess their social, emotional and identity needs and to develop a positive self image, enhance their self esteem and improve their self reliance.