The development of competences by social workers working with young people with intellectual disability

Abstract

The article analyses the development of competences by social workers working with young people with intellectual disability at day centres. Problematic questions of the study: What are the motives of social workers behind their desire to develop their competences? What methods do social workers use to develop their competences? What are the relevant topics regarding the development of competences? Social workers identified the following motives to develop their competencies: to get acquainted with the novelties in their professional field, the desire to acquire special education knowledge and to improve their skills when working with persons with intellect disability, to provide quality services, the desire to share professional experience, attestation requirements, the promotion and support of their administration. Social workers develop their competencies by participating in seminars, supervisions, methodological workshops, conferences, round-table discussions, forums organised in their institution and outside their institution and through their personal development (the reading of methodological literature, the analysis of documents, self-reflection). The relevant themes of the development of competencies are related to the provision of assistance to young people with intellectual disability and their family members (the preparation of a young man for independent living, the solution to his behavioural and psychological problems, intervention methods), and the themes related to the personal and professional development of a social worker (self-knowledge, the prevention of professional burnout).