09686 - Social Work Methods and Techniques II

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to: know the basic paradigms and the history of social policies; analyze specific cases of social disease; know the role of social workers and the deontological aspects; use the professional techniques and tools of social workers; know the methodological procedure of social intervention and implement it to elaborate aid projects for individuals, social groups and the whole community; define the role of social work tools in the frame of social intervention; use the group work in social service.

Course contents

In the first part of the course the following topics will be developed:
- The role of social workers in the field of children and families: how to prevent and promote well-being, how to support families in need, how to identify indicators of suffering, how to deal with other professionals and institutions.
- The tools of social work:
a) the interview;
b) the home visit;
c) the documentation and information system.
- The multidisciplinary work: implementation of a comprehensive intervention.
- Group work in social service: working in a team, working for the group, working with groups.

In the second part we will consider examine the parental functions and we will enter in the specific professional intervention to help lacking families. Social workers in a family service are in fact required to assume different functions ranging from the aid, support and control.
It is therefore important to know how the family has changed in recent years. This course will consider their fragility, i.e. the risk indicators and the indicators of protection. We will also consider the family conditions and some possible problems; severe neglect, abuse, sexual abuse, separation and divorce conflict.
Social workers, in synergy with other operators belonging to the psychological and pedagogical, are required to evaluate parenting skills and provide interventions to support parents in order to recover their shortcomings. Interdisciplinary work and continuing training are fundamental to care for families in need.
A part of this course will be devoted to foreign families and the potential of cultural mediation as social intervention.
Social Services for children has institutional tasks assigned by national legislation and they are constantly in touch with juvenile and ordinary Judiciary bodies (Prosecutor's Office, Juvenile Court, Ordinary Court, and the tutelary judge); their civil, criminal and administrative role will be introduced, as well as their relation modalities.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Galli D., Servizi sociali e Giustizia Minorile. Il quotidiano dell'assistente sociale: tra ascolto e documentazione, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2008.

Montecchi F., Dal bambino minaccioso al bambino minacciato, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2005.

Vezzadini S., Esposito M., a cura di, La mediazione interculturale come intervento sociale, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2011 (part III).

la valutazione sociale delle capacità genitoriali ( a cura di Mariagnese Cheli, Francesca Mantovani, Tiziana Mori), Franco Angeli, Milano, 2015

Teaching methods

Lectures with focus on case studies, practical exercises and group works.

Assessment methods

The final exam will consist on an oral talk on both the course parts. The aim is checking whether students have learned the book contents and if they have reached a global and organic vision of their topics. Students are not required to provide a mnemonic report of what they have read; they must be able to show that the arguments have been internalized and elaborated through associations and connections. They must promptly answer the questions and show analysis and synthesis skills. Their language must be accurate and appropriate. Students who show knowledge of this subject, a good expression skills and a specific language will be assessed with marks of excellence.

Teaching tools

Further material will be available on the teacher's webpage during the course.

Office hours

See the website of Dina Galli