Theory social work in the system of social and social sciences Plan Stages of development of the theory of social work. Psychological foundations of social work Pedagogy and social work. Philosophy and social work. Stages of development of the theory of social work.

Share work on social networks

If this work does not suit you, there is a list of similar works at the bottom of the page. You can also use the search button

Lecture 3. Theory of social work in the system of public

And social sciences

Plan

1. Stages of development of the theory of social work.
2. Psychological foundations of social work
3. Pedagogy and social work.
4. Sociology and social work.
5. Philosophy and social work.

1. Stages of development of the theory of social work.

As a field of scientific knowledge, social work goes through a number of stages in its development.

1 stage: Ideas about the processes of helping and supporting those in need are formalized as the concept of mercy in the traditional religious doctrine. The essence of this concept is poverty and beggary social necessity. However, the development of society shows that these phenomena and processes are determined by real economic, social and political factors.

2 stage: Pre-paradigm social workas a field of scientific knowledge (X1X century)

The issues of poverty of pauperism (begging) are beginning to be actively developed in various branches of knowledge:

in sociology (early socio-political, reformist and legal doctrines of E. Munstenberg, G. Spencer, A. Wagner, etc.);

in law (legal concept of A. Prince)

in economic sciences.

A feature of this stage in the development of the theory of social work is that it develops not only at the level of deductive and inductive reasoning, but in the practice of supporting and helping those in need, methods of sociological research begin to be actively used. They made it possible to obtain a more reliable picture of such a phenomenon and process as begging.

In the XIX Art. sociology becomes the basis for developing the theory of social work.

1. stage. Paradigm social work (XX century)

Includes two stages.Stage 1: 1st half of the XX century.The main problems in practical social work are the problems of social pathology. In order to effectively solve them, practical social work begins to actively interact with:empirical psychology (first of all, such psychological theories as behaviorism, psychoanalysis are used);empirical sociology (sociological research methods are used, especially the method of sociometry for the study of small groups); pedagogy;

psychiatry. The use in social work of methods, techniques and techniques from other branches of scientific knowledge contributed to a more serious theoretical understanding and theoretical development social work as an interdisciplinary science. This was also encouraged by the development of professional social work.

Stage 2. Second half of the XX century.The interaction of social work with various scientific disciplines made it possible to more fully and adequately explain and describe social problems society, client; social situations of the client; identify and explain the causes leading to disruption in the social functioning of an individual, group, community.

In the formation of knowledge of social work (i.e., the development of the theory of social work), such sciences as sociology began to play a huge role; psychology; philosophy; pedagogy; psychiatry; economic and political sciences.

Each of these disciplines provides an opportunity to more objectively comprehend the social problems and problems of the client; develop effective models and concepts of social work.

2. Psychological foundations of social work

Many approaches to social work are based on certain psychological concepts and theories. Therefore, psychology occupies an important place in the training of a social work specialist, and also underlies the socio-pedagogical methods of influence in social work.

There are a number of functions that psychology performs in social work:

theoretical - allows you to establish links between goals,

content, means and ways of solving the problems of social work, on the one hand, and individual, collectively psychological phenomena, processes, on the other hand. Based on certain psychological theories, social work has the ability to adequately assess the client's problem, identify its causes, outline a strategy and plans for the necessary intervention in the situation.

Methodological -for the study of social -

pedagogical processes and phenomena, social work is based on certain psychological theories and concepts.

Explanatory -allows you to explain the behavior, actions

person, group in a particular social situation; describe and explain risky, deviant behavior; the inner essence of the process of socialization of the individual; the client's reaction to intervention in the situation, etc.

Diagnostic -makes it possible, using methods

psychodiagnostics, to carry out diagnostics of the personality, its social qualities, diagnostics of groups and their development.

predictive– helps set perspective

personal formations, based on which it is possible to solve the problems of social development of the individual, raising people to the level of social assistance.

Considering the relationship between social work and psychology, the following should be noted:

1. The object of social work are persons who are in an altered state of mind (but within the limits of the norm), where the leading role belongs to the psychological component. The special relationship between psychology and social work is that both sciences have a common object of influence - a person who, as you know, is not only an object of social relations, but also a subject.

2. An important problem for a person is to satisfy the need for self-realization, self-determination. Often this is hindered by the lack of self-improvement, self-defense.

Based on a psychosocial approach that recognizes the integrity"man-in-situation"social workers realize that helping a person is not situational, but successful most often when the potential of the individual himself and his ability to grow, change, self-development under certain conditions and resources are highly appreciated. Assistance implies at the same time: the creation of the conditions necessary for the full life of the individual and the manifestation of social subjectivity; activation of all internal resources of a person, which will allow him to overcome a difficult situation for his life at this particular moment and form a positive personal experience for him. All this makes it necessary to synthesize the social and psychological at all levels: in formulating the goals and objectives of social assistance, in the focus of consideration and study of the object of influence, in the use of professional means of interaction with it.

3. The importance of psychological knowledge in social work is also determined by the need for preventive work: with adolescents and young people who are characterized by antisocial behavior; suicidal people; persons prone to frequent “crisis mental states”, etc. In all these cases, social support has mainly the character of individual psychosocial work.

In order to effectively interact with the object of social work, correctly make a socio-psychological diagnosis and, accordingly, determine the purpose and possibilities of interaction with a particular individual, a social work specialist must have an understanding of the client sufficient for this particular professional situation, including: -sexual and individual-typical properties; individually- psychological characteristics; his needs, which act as the driving force behind the behavior and life of the client; the motivation of his personality, which explains exactly the behavior that he implements in this particular life period; his interests, abilities; features of self-consciousness and orientation of the personality.

Therefore, a social work specialist needs a certain level of psychological literacy to effectively perform their professional tasks. This is due to the fact that the social worker must:

be able to cooperate with other specialists: psychologists, psychotherapists;

be able to differentiate social problems and problems of a psychological nature, and even psychiatric problems;

be able to provide primary socio-psychological assistance and support to the client;

possess the principles and skills of psychologically correct communication with people.

The psychological literacy of a social work specialist will be determined by the presence ofsystems of psychological knowledge and skills to apply this knowledge in their professional activity. System of psychological knowledge, includes:

psychological knowledge about a person (general psychology, personality psychology); knowledge of the psychology of people with peculiarities in personal development (special psychology, medical psychology, psychology of deviant behavior), etc.; knowledge of personality theory, group theory; theories of the psychology of communication (possession of the skills of interaction and influence on a person in need of help; skills and abilities of communication; ways of influencing him, etc.); theory of social conflict (to know the functions, concepts, stages, conditions and methods of resolving social conflicts); psychoanalytic concepts, the concept of humanistic psychology (K.Rogers, V.Frankl, A.Maslow (the concept of the hierarchy of needs), etc.); knowledge in the field of social psychology and Gestalt psychology, etc.; knowledge of psychological methods such as: methods of psychodiagnostics, psychological counseling; socio-psychological trainings, psychodrama, methods of correction P behavior, communication, self-esteem, etc.

The key to successful interaction between a social work specialist and a client in solving professional problems is that the specialist has psychological personal qualities, which are the determining factor of its suitability for practical activities. The personal qualities of a social worker can be conditionally divided into three groups (E.I. Kholostova, P.D. Pavlenok). The first group includes psychophysiological characteristics, on which the ability to this type of activity depends. They reflect mental processes(memory, perception, imagination, thinking), mental states (apathy, fatigue, anxiety, stress, depression), attention as states of consciousness, emotional and volitional manifestations (restraint, indifference, perseverance, impulsiveness).

The second group of personal qualities includes psychological qualities: self-control, self-criticism, self-esteem, as well as stress-resistant qualities - physical fitness, the ability to switch and manage one's emotions, self-hypnosis.

The third group of personal qualities of a social worker includes psychological and pedagogical qualities, on which the effect of personal charm depends: sociability, empathy, attractiveness, eloquence.

3. Pedagogy and social work.

Having emerged as a practice of preparing children for adulthood, now pedagogy acts as a complex-integrative field of knowledge and activity, the object of which is the whole society as a whole and the individual throughout all stages of his age existence. Pedagogy is increasingly viewed as a means of social design and the creation of a new type of society, its individual areas with the help of appropriate teaching and educational activities to form new images of knowledge, thinking and feelings, forms of individual and social behavior.resocialization of a person, the result of which is the acquisition by an individual of an orientation and a standard of behavior (beliefs, values, corresponding feelings and actions).

In social work, pedagogy acts as the core of the activity component of social work. So, with the help of pedagogy, more precisely, pedagogical means, methods, techniques, tasks : teaching social work, i.e. training of specialists; formation of a system of professional knowledge, skills and abilities among future social work specialists. This is didactic function of pedagogy. In addition, pedagogy, like psychology, performs explanatory and predictive functions.

The pedagogical element of social work is the formation of social actions, skills and abilities in the client; taking self-help. In solving this problem, social work is based on didactic principles; teaching methods and techniques; pedagogical teaching aids.

Social work should activate a person's desire for self-education and self-development. In this case, one should rely on approaches to considering the essence of self-education both in psychology and pedagogy.

The pedagogical content of social work is determined by the correction of behavior and the re-education of people. Here knowledge from the field of correctional pedagogy can be involved.

Methods of social work are also integrative in nature. To achieve the set professional goals, a social worker can resort to such pedagogical methods how:

methods of formation of consciousness (story, conversation, lecture, etc.);

methods of organizing activities and forming the experience of positive behavior (exercises, educational situation, etc.);

methods of encouragement and stimulation (punishment, encouragement, competition).

Pedagogical knowledge is in demand in the field of social work and social assistance to such clients as: family (knowledge of the basics of family pedagogy); children (knowledge of the age and individual characteristics of the child; knowledge of the basics of the socialization of the individual, its pedagogical aspects; knowledge of the theory of the children's team, etc.); elderly people; disabled people; convicts and other categories of the population.

Importance pedagogical knowledge plays in the formation professional excellence specialist.

Social pedagogy plays a special role in social work as part of general pedagogy. Social pedagogy is the science of the educational influence of the environment on social education and social development of the individual. Social work, solving the problems of the client, takes into account not only his individual psychological characteristics, but also his social environment, i.e. social environment.

A special place in social work is occupied by the problems of educational and educational work with individuals and groups of individuals whose socialization is disturbed and they need pedagogical assistance. Such individuals are mainly in the care of the institutions of the social protection system. In this regard, a problem arises that has theoretical and practical significance: the reasonable interaction of social work and social pedagogy.

A social work specialist must also be prepared in a socio-pedagogical sense: this kind of knowledge, skills and abilities are a necessary component that ensures his professional viability. He should not lose sight of the pedagogical aspects of his activity, should not forget about the use of pedagogical means to solve social problems. It is important for a social work specialist to learn how to give a pedagogical assessment of the processes taking place in his field and to foresee the social consequences of pedagogical technologies, in other words, to master the basics of socio-pedagogical activity.

Pedagogical knowledge becomes part of the general professional culture and professional competence social worker.

4. Sociology and social work.

Sociology - the science of social relations, mechanisms and patterns of functioning and development of social communities of various kinds: society as an integral organism, social and other communities differentiated on various grounds. The term sociology was introduced into scientific circulation in 1830 by Auguste Comte.

Since sociology studies society, the behavior and beliefs of specific groups (families, children, men, women, youth, persons of deviant behavior, the elderly, etc.), it is the basis for the development of theoretical knowledge in the field of social work.

Three main sociological paradigms dominate the process of creating social work theory:

Interactionism (interactionism - coordination, interaction). This paradigm sees social life as a process of interaction between individuals.

Functionalism focuses on the constitutional structure of social life: what are the components of society and how do they relate to each other. Functionalism allows the variety of client cases to be reduced to theories associated with the behavioral or psychoanalytic tradition.

conflict paradigm. Describes social life as a struggle between competing individuals.

Each of these sociological trends plays a specific role in the creation of social work theories.

Knowledge in the field of sociology allows a social work specialist to: explore social problems (sociological research methods are used: polling, interviewing, sociometry, observation, etc.); master interpersonal skills and techniques; navigate in society, i.e. help to understand what a particular society is and those groups that are poorly socially protected, to understand what factors affect the social functioning of an individual, group, community; gain knowledge about social structure society, its social infrastructure, the characteristics of society at a particular stage of its development; gain knowledge about the methods of carrying out sociological research and methods of collecting primary information; about social environment in which a person lives and in which he intends to carry out his activities; about the main social processes and their interrelation.

The following areas of influence of sociology on social work can be distinguished:

the results of the study by sociologists of the social structure of society and other fundamental problems of sociological knowledge (the sociology of the family, the sociology of youth, the sociology of labor, etc.) are used in practical activities, the organization of labor, social protection institutions;

Sociological knowledge is widely used in the training and retraining of specialists in the field of social work;

Analysis of social work from the point of view of the participation of various groups of social workers in it (there is a section “sociology of social work” in sociology today).

In addition, under development theoretical problems social work and in practical social work, such sections of sociology as:

1.Sociology of conflict, ethnosociology, systemic sociology.

2. Sociology of the family. The influence of the sociology of the family on the effectiveness of social work lies in the fact that it helps to more accurately assess the client's marital status, as well as the social status, material support different families and groups; identify factors that complicate the functioning of the modern family.

3.Sociology of management, personnel management. This area

sociological knowledge is the basis for the development of those models of social work that are united by structural social work, focused on the organization of social protection by collective means. The influence of this area of ​​sociology on social work is expressed in the existence of various sociologically oriented theories and technologies of helping those in need. Such a section of sociology as personnel management is directly related to the activities of various institutions of social protection and social services for the population.

4. Sociology of labor (considers the way of life, position

various professional groups of the population, which allows us to understand the specifics of the impact on the solution of the client's problems of his professional and working environment; problems of unemployment, employment of the population).

5. Sociology of the spiritual life of society (knowledge about the features

Behavior, social and value orientations of representatives of various groups of the population).

6.Sociology of the third sector (public, charitable organizations).

Sociological understanding of social work is an essential condition for its development as a type of practical activity and a field of scientific knowledge.

5. Philosophy and social work.

Philosophy (the philosophical disciplines include logic, aesthetics, ethics, philosophical anthropology, social philosophy, etc.) consider questions of the essence of man, his life, death, happiness and suffering, as well as questions of spatio-temporal certainty of being.

Philosophy is the methodological basis of social work, as it determines general principles and approaches to understanding certain problems facing a person. As a science of the universal laws of the development of nature, philosophy of society develops a generalized system of views on the world as a whole and on the place of man in it. It explores cognitive values, socio-political, moral and aesthetic attitude of a person to the world. Thus, philosophy determines the approaches in relation to the person of other people; his attitude to them and to himself, to his existence, forms of life and protection.

Philosophy in social work performs the function of integration, synthesis of knowledge about a person; clarifies the foundations and meaning of the existential situation of choice, human existence; defines, offers systems of values, normative systems, considers questions of morality; tries to overcome the flaw of an abstract person, to consider it in a specific cultural-historical and temporal (temporal) context

Social work, the activity of a social worker is connected with a person, his relationship with the outside world, i.e. aimed at improving human relations. It is not possible to solve this problem without the specialist having a system of philosophical knowledge. A specialist in social work in the field of philosophy needs to have an idea of ​​the place and role of philosophy in human life; about the specifics of various philosophical systems in their relationship with the socio-cultural parameters of society; about the role of philosophical knowledge in solving global problems of mankind; about the leading representatives of the history of philosophy.

Social work is also linked tosocial ecology. Its double focus on both the person and the environment, and even more broadly - to man and nature, - determines its ecological essence. It allows you to define patterns of relationships between organisms and their environment. This requires knowledge not only of sociology and psychology, but also of biology, which helps to understand how the human body functions, including reproductive processes and the influence of genetics on conduction and perception.

Related to social work is and psychiatry, which studies the inner development of a person, tries to find out what makes individuals think, feel and behave the way they do.

Many social work training programs require a fairly thoroughmedical training. One of the goals of social protection is to preserve and improve the health of the population. In many ways, this is the goal and the health care system. Among the forms of social work, medical and social services are also provided, which require a specialist in social work, a social worker to have a certain system of medical knowledge. For example, the profession of an occupational therapist (a specialist working directly with the disabled) that has developed in the West provides for the acquisition of knowledge in the field of medicine and rehabilitation counseling.

Another related discipline necessary for obtaining the profession of a social worker is jurisprudence . Without knowledge of legislative acts, the foundation of theoretical and practical aspects of family and criminal law, pension provision, etc. it is difficult to give advice to a client, to help him in solving his life problems, to defend his interests.

Social work is intertwined with political science , which as a subject of study has political relations and processes that directly affect the problems of social work. Social work is an important mechanism for implementing the social policy of the state.

The above and other disciplines related to social work are necessary for the formation of a highly qualified specialist in social work. One should keep in mind the fundamental importance for social work of the unity of theory and practice. The system of scientific knowledge, as already noted, can be conditionally divided depending on the orientation in solving problems into fundamental and applied. Social work belongs to the group of applied sciences.

The initial basis for the collection and analysis of empirical material of diverse content for various observations, studies of specific social processes and phenomena, facts of social life is practice. It allows you to accumulate the experience of social work in the form of its comprehension and theoretical generalization, i.e. in the form of a system of scientific knowledge.

Other related works that may interest you.vshm>
17388.		Social work theory	27.7KB
	In the Soviet period, as an analysis of the bibliography shows, there was an actual ban on covering issues of charity for scientific literature. Poverty is the result of special social relations in a capitalist society and the expression of their contradictions.
5895.		The theory of social work as a science and educational	16.56KB
	Social work theory as a science and academic discipline. The concept of the theory of social work: its subject and object. Functions of the theory of social work. The development of a specialty and professional activity of social work, new for our society, makes its theoretical comprehension particularly relevant.
17513.		Technologies of social work with families in the system of social services	93.1KB
	Unemployment, rising prices for food and utilities hit the family first of all, caused deprivation of children and adolescents, homelessness, alcoholism, drug addiction and psychological conflicts.
15792.		TECHNOLOGY FOR FORMING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL WORK	153.37KB
	Theoretical foundations for the formation of a healthy lifestyle as a target parameter of social work. Health and healthy lifestyle: definition of phenomena. Overcoming bad habits is a necessary condition for a healthy lifestyle.
2473.		Ethnopedagogy in the system of sciences	11.11KB
	Tasks: teaching: to reveal the concept of Ethnopedagogy; to study the directions of the task of ethnopedagogical science; developing: to develop ethnic normative-behavioral mechanisms for transferring the culture of an ethnic group; educating: to educate the morality of the people's spirit of unity of all Russian people. Equipment: lecture notes printout of the scheme Ethnopedagogy in the system of pedagogical sciences for each student a table on the board. Ethnopedagogy: textbook.
16461.		Spatial economics in the system of sciences	12.01KB
	Spatial economics in the system of sciences The spatial economics of sptil economics has recently been recognized as an independent field of world economic thought. Spatial economics of PE is a more integrated scientific direction compared to the traditional one regional economy regional economics; its subject is not only regions and regional systems, but all spatial forms economy and settlement including many spatial networks. Achievements of the last two decades:...
19478.		SEG in the system of sciences: its essence and content	135.87KB
	Since the distribution of the population and the economic activity of people occurs under the influence of various factors, including natural ones, the SEG uses the knowledge gained in the branches of physical geography. These questions were dominant during the development of geography as a descriptive science. This led to the selection of a number of separate areas both in physical geography and in social geography. Among the areas of social geography, population geography, political geography, geography of industry, geography ...
10020.		Landscape science in the system of geographical sciences	33.55KB
	A branch of physical geography that studies the landscape shell - natural territorial complexes (NTC) or landscape geosystems of various sizes, including the local level. Object: geosystems of different levels. Subject: Holy Islands of landscapes as natural formations and objects of nature management
5924.		Law in the system of normative regulation of public relations	14.67KB
	Social norms as regulators associated with the will and consciousness of people. The norms that really operate in people's lives cannot be unambiguously attributed to natural or social ones. So natural norms can be translated into a system of technical rules, the rules for working with technical or natural objects, become the basis for social regulation, for example, establishing a period for recognizing paternity after the death of a spouse, and social norms form the character of an object, its qualitative state. Natural norms existing in the form ...
7277.		Category "personality" in the system of sciences. Interdisciplinary status of the problem	100.34KB
	Interdisciplinary status of the problem The first difference in the cognitive situation of the study of the psychological patterns of the formation and development of personality is that in psychology there are still serious difficulties when trying to outline the scope of empirical facts related to the subject of psychological study of personality. The versatility of the phenomenology of personality, reflecting the objectively existing diversity of manifestations of a person in the history of the development of society and his own life, turns the initial question of any knowledge into a question about ...

Social work as a science is a sphere of human activity, the function of which is to develop and theoretically systematize objective knowledge about a certain reality - the social sphere and specific social activity. social activities can be defined as the professional and social activities of various organizations (state, public and private), professionals and activists, aimed at solving the problems of social actors (individuals, families, groups and strata). Analysis of existing forms and methods of social work, development of optimal methods and technologies for solving social problems of these objects is one of the most important tasks of social work as a scientific discipline.

Each science is a fusion of theoretical and empirical knowledge, theory, methods and techniques (techniques). The peculiarity of social work as a scientific discipline lies in the unity of knowledge and skills. This is her founding principle. Without such unity, there is no science; without such unity, a social worker cannot take place as a specialist in this area, which is most important for people's lives.

Regularities, principles and methods are integral components of every science. In the specialized literature patterns social work is proposed to be divided into two groups: 1) patterns of functioning and development of the subject of social work; 2) regularities that reflect the essential links between the subject and the object of social activity.

Asprinciples theories of social work can be called:

General philosophical principles: determinism, reflection, development.

General principles of the social sciences: historicism, social conditioning, social significance.

Specific principles of social work (observance of confidentiality in work; continuity of all types and forms of social services; targeting; priority of assistance to citizens in a situation that threatens their health or life; preventive orientation; promotion of social rehabilitation and adaptation, etc.).

The substantive principles of social work are humanism, justice, altruism, harmonization of public, group and personal interests, self-sufficiency. Psychological and pedagogical principles - modality, empathy (sympathy), attraction (attractiveness), trust. Methodological principles – differentiated approach, continuity, consistency, continuity, competence. Organizational principles - universality, complexity, mediation, solidarity, subsidarity (assistance).

Methods - these are methods, a set of techniques and operations in social work; ways to achieve a goal, solve a specific problem.

Many methods used in social work are interdisciplinary, which is predetermined by the universal nature of social work as an activity. Therefore, characterizing the methods of social work, they are divided into economic, legal, political, socio-psychological, medical and social, administrative and managerial, etc. 1.2. Socionomy. Under sociometry we will understand the branch of socio-psychological and sociological research of interpersonal relations in small groups, carried out using quantitative methods. There are two main structures that need to be studied: at the sociological level - the macro-sociological structure, at the socio-psychological level - the micro-sociological structure. If at the first level all the main social problems of society are analyzed and considered, then at the second level - interpersonal relations in small groups. The sociologist has built a system of sciences and methods that should study both levels of structures and resolve the problems that arise. These are: socionomy - the science of the basic social laws, sociodynamics - the science of the processes occurring in small groups, sociometry - a system of methods for identifying and quantifying interpersonal, emotional relationships of people in small groups, sociology - a system of methods for curing people who have difficulty in behavior in small groups. The last two systems are applied in nature and are based on theoretical ideas about social groups, which constituted the main subject field. empirical research in the 1930s-1940s Socionomy explores and explains the laws that govern social development and social relations. Within the framework of the system of socionomy, the metaphorical concepts of "we", "mass", "community", "community", as well as the concepts of "class", "state", "church" and many other collectives and partnerships still take place. Sociometric research must give a precise and dynamic meaning to these concepts, which embrace the truth only approximately. . socionomy- the science of basic social laws. 1.3Problems of scientific identification of social work. The science- systemic theoretical knowledge about objective reality. Social work theory- generalized, systemic knowledge about the subject, patterns and principles of social work. The theory of social work reveals and explores the essential, objective, necessary connections and phenomena inherent in specific social processes and determining the effectiveness of psychological, pedagogical and managerial influence on the state and behavior of an individual, social group or community. One of the most important tasks of social work as a field of scientific knowledge M. V. Firsov sees in the scientific substantiation of social institutions capable of ensuring the security and development of a person, the activation of his life, the optimal strategies for life in dynamically changing socio-economic conditions. At the same time, this scientist believes that this effect is achieved by harmonizing personal and social resources, optimizing the consequences of the free market, and developing conditions for the social functioning of the individual and society as a whole. M.V. Firsov believes what problem field social work includes: - identifying the patterns of human life strategies in conditions of maladaptation, deviation, crises and cataclysms; - developing the history, theory, methodology of social work as a field of scientific knowledge about a person and the practice of assistance and support in various difficult life situations; - developing a theory of social work as a paradigm that describes and explains difficult life situations of a person, institutional ties and social relations in terms of well-being; - substantiation of the theory and methods for assessing the state of the human environment, lifestyle, level of resource provision for individual development and well-being; - development of theories, methods and means of assessment level of individual development, recovery, stabilization. "Regularity" - the most essential, necessary, stable, recurring connection of all parties and components of social phenomena, processes and systems. Z regularities of SR - significant, stable and recurring connections that manifest themselves in the interaction of the subject and object of social work, determining the nature and direction of its influence on the development of specific social phenomena, processes, relations. The main laws of social work: the relationship of social processes in society, social policy and social work; the conditionality of the content, forms and methods of social work by the specific circumstances of the life of various groups, communities, individuals; solution of social problems through personal needs and interests of clients; dependence of the effectiveness of social work on the professionalism and moral qualities of specialists, the possibilities of the social system of the state and society . 1.4. The main characteristics of social work as a field of scientific knowledge: interdisciplinarity, integrativity, specificity of the conceptual field. Social work as a science consists of two main sections: theoretical and methodological, fundamental (methodology, laws, categorical apparatus of science) and applied - the field of socio-practical, managerial application of theoretical and empirical knowledge, scientific support for solving practical social problems in society, which is intended to be decided by the social worker. His practical activity is very multifaceted: at the lower levels of the organization of society (family, microdistrict, labor collective) it is the regulation of interpersonal and group relations, the organization of social services for the population, the correction of deviant behavior, the prevention and localization of conflicts, social education and counseling, psychoprophylaxis, etc. .; at the level of functioning of regional and municipal structures, the social worker, in addition, solves the problems of employment and migration, is engaged in the implementation of social engineering design, major innovative measures in the field of production and management.

By its nature, social work, whose immanent characteristic is integrativity, cannot be based on any one theory or model of practice. Various forms of social work, as it were, permeate all theories, represent complex constructions of various models of the practice of social work.

The balance of all components of a particular type of social activity, the degree of their spread to other areas of social practice, their importance for all subjects of this activity - these are the criteria for the conditions by which any theory used in practice is tested. In particular, if the explanations contained in a certain theory help us understand certain combinations of circumstances that cause certain social problems, then this theory is adequate for this form of social work practice *.

The theory is effective if it defines specific areas of activity for the provision of social assistance to a person in the field of his social rights and guarantees.

At the same time, these areas consist of certain components of social work as a professional activity and are implemented through various forms and means, depending on the social situation. Thus, the content of the theory of social work and its main directions as a professional activity are determined by social practice. In the absence of such an impact, the theory used is not effective.

Determining the place of the theory of social work in the system of other sciences to a large extent depends on the content of its category, the features of its methods, the research of the problems that make up its main content. This once again emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature.

In the process of cognition of the theory of social work as an integral system of scientific knowledge, as an applied science, the interrelations and characteristics of its components do not appear immediately, but gradually, as they penetrate into their nature, essence. Accumulating knowledge about some aspects of social work, scientific system creates favorable prerequisites for the knowledge of other aspects and a deeper insight into the essence of the subject of study as a whole. At the same time, it is important to use the arsenal of scientific knowledge tools in a complex: observation and experiment, description and theoretical explanation, justification and logical evidence, comparison and analogy, generalization and abstraction, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, hypothesis and scientific theory as a whole. This ensures the complex nature of social work.

So, the formation and development of social work as an independent science takes place in the conditions of constant discussions on its main methodological problems. And simultaneously with the development of the methodology of social work as a scientific theory, there is a comprehension and identification of methodological principles the use of phenomena (factors, processes) of social practice, their methodological and ideological knowledge of social work as a specific area of ​​social knowledge.

Summarizing what has been said, we can draw the following conclusion. To help each person to live and act in accordance with his social nature - such is the practical goal of social work, which also determines its theoretical basis as a science of man, ways to improve his social well-being. It is this approach that excludes the reduction of the tasks of social work from the point of view of theory only to the justification of the need for social assistance and social protection of the population.

The variety of scientific forms of knowledge: facts, events and their descriptions, systematization, patterns and trends, principles and methods for achieving goals, hypotheses, systems of views are organized in theories on which any science is based.

Since the base for many modern sciences philosophy remains, in social work, as in most humanitarian disciplines, an important place is occupied by the philosophical and humanistic theory, substantiating the meaning, socio-ethical foundations of human existence.

In 1915, Mary Richmond, in her work “Scientific Social Work”, proposed a set of schemes for assessing the quality of social work, diagnosing social problems that a social worker has to solve, which led to the creation of a moral therapeutic theory of social work based on understanding various forms of charity. The study of charity, social assistance to the needy is still a source of scientific understanding of social work.

In the 20-30s. 20th century psychoanalytic ideas 3. Freud and his followers brought to the fore the psychodynamic theory of social work. This allowed some prominent specialists in the West to argue that the psychodynamic approach grew out of the recognition that the moral therapeutic tradition, charity, brought into social work too much unscientific, approximate, inaccurate, everything that was based only on common sense. And this did not allow solving many problems of social assistance associated with the difficulties of regulating people's behavior, maintaining and rehabilitating their health. Psychodynamic, psychosocial theories of social work today largely use the achievements of Freudianism and neo-Freudianism, partly modernizing and rethinking them. At the same time, they have an independent specificity, focusing on a comprehensive, holistic maintenance of human resilience, although they focus attention in this issue on psychological and socio-psychological components.

In the 50s. of the last century, a valeological theory of social work is being developed, based on the achievements of ecopsychology (problems of environmental therapy, maintaining healthy living conditions, a healthy lifestyle), contributing to the formation of the ideology and practice of life-saving behavior among the population, changing public consciousness in this regard, and increasing the value of a healthy and long life on the scale of state and individual values.

Around the same time, the pedagogical theory of social work was being developed, activating the analysis of the socio-pedagogical possibilities of communities and the theoretical understanding of working with social groups, helping a person in a microenvironment, at the place of residence.

In the middle of the XX century. the influence of the Marxist theory of social work is growing, intensified by the political superiority of the left in most industrialized countries. Its key idea is the transformative activity of the individual in solving his own problems and the problems of the environment. At the same time, in societies built on the principle of social justice, “the free development of each is a condition for the free development of all,” which can be interpreted as state care for all citizens without exception.

At the same time, increased attention to the social aspects of social development led to some significant changes in the theory of social work, the priority of its legal aspects, and the creation of a legal foundation for the technology of social protection in practice. Legislation is being developed on helping the poor, on the operation of official social assistance institutions, on legal and administrative prohibitions, and permitting acts.

A significant contribution to the development of theories of social work was made by sociologists and psychologists, teachers and psychotherapists. It is no coincidence that many theories of social work are very close in name to related sociological, pedagogical and psychological concepts (systemic, functional, role-playing, socio-pedagogical, socio-psychological, etc.).

In modern conditions, the development of the theory of social work is under constant discussion. The question of its place in the system of sciences is being discussed with particular acuteness. The theory of social work has all the structural features that make it possible to judge the formation of science: it has a specific subject of study, an object of study, patterns inherent in the subject of study, specific concepts, categories, principles and methods of activity. At the same time, it belongs to the group of applied sciences and is characterized as interdisciplinary.

Analysis of approaches to the development of the theoretical foundations of social work in Russia recent years testifies to the following.

The theoretical foundations of various types of social work considered by scientists, as a rule, are based on related disciplines. The status of social work theory has not yet actually been constituted.

The internal structure, levels of theoretical knowledge of the scientific discipline “Social work” are not defined in terms of the presence of general theoretical, sectoral, applied problems, as well as theories of the middle level.

The discussion of these issues comes mainly from the practice of studying the most pressing problems of social services for the population.

In assessing the scientific status of social work as a scientific discipline in Russia, two approaches dominate: supporters of the first proceed from the fact that theoretical basis social work consists of several related sciences about man and society (social philosophy, anthropology, sociology, medicine, law, psychology, ethics, etc.); supporters of the second attempt to prove the independence of social work as a scientific discipline, within which theoretical and applied aspects are distinguished.

Thus, two currents are identified in the consideration of the theoretical foundations of social work: one of them is based on the understanding of practical experience, problems of the practice of social services for the population in Russia, the other is formed in the process of understanding the general and the particular in the theories that substantiate various types of social work, its essence as a public phenomena.

In connection with such a versatility, each specific science does not study and explore the entire object as a whole, but only a certain area of ​​it, its own “section”, where properties, connections, relationships, patterns of a certain type are manifested.

Social work as a science reveals and explores the essential, necessary connections and phenomena inherent in social processes and social development society and determining the nature and effectiveness of the economic, psychological, pedagogical and managerial impact on the development and behavior of social communities, groups and individuals. This includes the study of such problems as patterns, principles and methods of social work with various social groups; ways and means of effective implementation of the functions of social work, its personnel and information support; structural and functional analysis of the activities of various state and public institutions of social protection and public services; regularities, principles of functioning of the mechanism of social management in the system of social work.

In this case, complex interdisciplinary studies of social problems with access to a social forecast and modeling of the development of social processes, and, consequently, the possibility of determining ways to optimally resolve social contradictions and conflicts, are of great practical importance.

By the nature of problem solving, social work occupies a special place among such social sciences as philosophy, history, political science, jurisprudence, economics, etc.; it gravitates towards psychology, sociology, and medicine.

Thus, the general theoretical provisions of social philosophy play a role methodological basis social work.

The humanistic idea of ​​man as the greatest value and highest goal, formulated by ancient philosophers, then developed in the Middle Ages and in modern times became widespread both in Russian and in foreign modern social philosophy.

Democritus, Plato, Aristotle, M. Quintilian, T. More, T. Campanella, J. Locke, J. J. Rousseau, I. Pestalozzi, R. Owen, K. Marx, F. Engels, P. Natorp, J. Dewey, G. Plekhanov, V. Lenin, P. Sorokin, N. Berdyaev and many other philosophers BC and our era are today considered to be the founders of psychology, pedagogy, law, economics, including social work.

Any person faces questions that can be safely classified as philosophical: what is the human personality and what is its place and role in public life, its history? What is the meaning of human life? What is the general picture of development modern society, difficulties, contradictions, trends and prospects of this development? How to evaluate the modern era, the social, spiritual, ecological state of our planet in general? How to prevent the threats looming over humanity? How and whether it is necessary to protect and uphold the great humanistic ideals and values? Is the death penalty necessary? Can abortion be officially banned? All these philosophical questions show that the philosophy of social work comes down primarily to the problem of man and his essence.

The apparatus of the philosophy of social work contains universal categories of culture and forms of thinking: man, culture, society, freedom, humanism, conflict, social time and space, social activity, situation, life, death, subject and object, lifestyle, world view, soul, social ecology, etc.

In this regard, I would like to draw attention to the following point. When we talk about the theoretical and methodological foundations of social work as a science, we touch on its deep essence as a science about a person and his social connections. It is the improvement of a person's social well-being, the improvement of his living conditions, and the provision of a decent social existence that are among the immediate practical tasks of social work. The deepest social basis, the fundamental goal is the harmonization of the entire system of relations - in the family, team, nation, society as a whole. In this way, practical essence social work determines its content as a science.

Since the life of people occurs on the basis of certain social relations, social work considers them from its own point of view. The subject of study is the social relations that function in the social sphere of society and are considered in the context of the totality of social relations, including economic, political, spiritual and moral, etc.

Such an approach excludes the reduction of the tasks of social work as a science only to substantiating the need for social assistance or social protection of certain segments of the population, to a certain set of judgments and recommendations on these problems. Such a reduced understanding simplifies its actual content and does not fully reveal its social essence. Of course, social assistance, as well as social protection population, are important areas of social work as a practical activity and as a science. However, its social essence is much deeper and can be understood only from broad social positions, including from the standpoint of the socio-philosophical worldview.

Social work applies the principles of sociophilosophical knowledge to the analysis of a specific problem. social sphere(social groups, communities, individuals, social institutions, etc.).

Unlike specific social sciences, it considers problems from the point of view of both their specific features and integrative properties. Social work includes a preliminary collection of information, a systematic analysis of the object, puts forward hypotheses, compares facts, and builds development models.

Considering the relationship of social work with sociology, we note the following: sociology studies society, social institutions and phenomena, the behavior and beliefs of specific groups - families, children, men, women, persons of deviant behavior, the elderly, etc. Knowledge in the field of sociology allows a social worker to explore social problems, to ensure the possession of interpersonal skills and techniques. For example, the main skill of a social worker is interviewing. This skill involves knowing how to talk to a person with a problem so that they can open up, trust and feel safe. After collecting and analyzing the information, the social worker then outlines a plan of action, thus providing an analytical approach to solving the problem. The scientific analysis of the social problems of extreme situations and the life of risk groups in social work is based on sociological analysis. Analyzed: threat to vitality; the ability of a managerial asset to make appropriate decisions and control their implementation; the behavior of various groups of the population in conditions of danger, their awareness of the threat to life; the development and preservation of the social infrastructure of life support sectors (transport, communications, healthcare, food supply, etc.); damage to social space and population, etc.

Research in the field of social work is based on sociological data or methods of analyzing social reality. When writing social biographies of at-risk clients, which is very often done in social work research, data from interviews, questionnaires, questionnaires, archive documents, autobiographies and other sources and methods of collecting information that are traditionally used in sociology are usually used. Knowledge of sociology, especially applied sociology, is important for social work, but does not replace it. Therefore, the confusion of these two concepts in the ordinary consciousness of the population is unlawful.

In addition to sociology, social workers use data from other scientific disciplines such as psychology. This discipline is closely related to social work. Psychologists study individuals and try to understand the mechanisms of their development, important factors influencing the psyche and behavior of a person, as well as the psychology of collectives.

We come across the concept of "psychology" quite often. As a system of life phenomena, psychology is familiar to every person. It is presented to him in the form of his own sensations, images, phenomena of memory, thinking, speech, will, imagination, interests, motives, needs, emotions, feelings and much more. We can directly detect the basic mental phenomena in ourselves and indirectly observe in other people. Every person is a psychologist in some sense of the word. Without studying science yet, since childhood we have been using the words “memory”, “he has such a character”, “sensitive”, “inattentive”, we are able to determine the mood of people close to us by external signs: gestures, facial expressions, and we perfectly use this knowledge in the process communication. However, our knowledge of human psychology is at the level of everyday life and is very approximate, vague and sometimes simply incorrect, since it lacks systematicity, depth, evidence, and for this reason cannot become a solid basis for serious work with people (socio-pedagogical, organizational, medical ). Working with people requires scientific, i.e., objective and reliable knowledge about the human psyche, which makes it possible to predict his behavior in certain expected circumstances. Scientific knowledge differs from everyday knowledge in the evidence of real reasons, the availability of verification by experience and logical analysis.

The psychology of the 20th century significantly expanded the boundaries of its research. Modern psychologists they are interested not just in the human psyche, but in the laws and mechanisms of its development and decay, in the psychology of groups and society.

Many approaches to social work and its alternative theories, taking shape in certain directions, usually relied on certain psychological views. For example, psychoanalysis was the basis of the diagnostic theory of social work. Diagnostic theory, in turn, became a harbinger of the emergence of individual psychosocial work.

Psychological knowledge is the basic basis for professional training in social work.

To clarify the differences between social work and psychology, it is advisable to use the definition of the first as a profession associated with the relationship between people and their environment. It follows from this definition that social workers must use knowledge of both sociology and psychology to assess clients' problems and implement plans for needed interventions.

Related to social work is psychiatry, which focuses on the study internal development human being, tries to find out what makes individuals think, feel and behave the way they do.

At the same time, social workers cannot focus only on the individual, as psychologists do, or on the social environment, as sociologists do. They study various aspects of both types of problems and contribute to the development of constructive solutions.

Social work is also interconnected with social ecology. Its dual focus on both man and the environment, and even more broadly - man and nature, determines its ecological essence. It allows you to define patterns of relationships between organisms and their environment. This requires not only knowledge of the already mentioned sociology and psychology, but also biology. The latter helps to understand how the human body functions, including reproductive processes and the influence of genetics on behavior and perception.

The next area related to social work is urbanization issues. If an urban specialist who knows the functioning of the city and the role of the wider urban environment is included in the process of intervention in society, the focus of change is not the individual, but the broad system.

Many social worker training programs require fairly thorough medical training. For example, the profession of an occupational therapist (a specialist working directly with the disabled) that has developed in the West provides for the acquisition of knowledge in the field of medicine, as well as rehabilitation counseling.

There is a huge relationship between pedagogy and social work.

Pedagogy in social work acts as a certain core. Concerning pedagogical foundations social work should include elements pedagogical theory about the principles, content, methods, ways and means of social work. Pedagogy, along with psychology, performs explanatory functions in the structure of social work. The solution of social problems is largely determined by the education of people, so pedagogy performs prognostic functions. Pedagogy plays a leading role in determining the ways, ways and means of personal development, subjects and objects of social work.

Social work can be seen as a learning process in which people learn culture, acquire skills social behavior are included in material and social relations. Although spontaneity is attributed to the social formation of the individual and the team, scientifically based social work makes it purposeful.

Social learning is effective only in conditions of differentiation and individualization of educational and labor activity. Conducting briefing, organizing the study of technological documentation, the social worker achieves the activity of the client, encourages his independence.

Trust in people in unity with verification and control, carried out with pedagogical tact, is an expression of the principle of humanism of social work. Specialists always strive to rely on the positive, to follow an optimistic hypothesis in educating staff. No matter how difficult the circumstances of educational work, there will always be people, factors, individual human qualities that help to successfully solve the problems of socialization, self-education, re-education and the formation of self-defense mechanisms.

An important pedagogical element of social work is the formation of humanistic values ​​that determine the worldview of a person who is ready for cooperation, who knows how to accept and provide assistance. Pedagogy gives direction to social activity. At the same time, social work focuses on the consciousness of people. Deep, sufficiently flexible social knowledge allows one to navigate reality, to correlate one's own needs and abilities with it.

A necessary pedagogical element of social work is the formation of social actions, skills and abilities, while a person masters self-help techniques.

As a result, social work should lead the individual to self-education, give him the opportunity to find the purpose and meaning of life, the means by which it is possible to achieve productive social behavior, and join the system of continuous education.

Among the related disciplines necessary for obtaining the profession of a social worker, jurisprudence should also be mentioned. Without knowledge of legislative acts, the foundation of theoretical and practical aspects of family and criminal law, pension provision, etc., it is difficult to give advice to a client, help him in solving his life problems, and defend his interests.

The diversity and diversity of the content of the activities of a social work specialist extends to the field of management. Therefore, management, along with other academic disciplines, occupies one of the leading places in the training of specialists.

We have named the main blocks of related disciplines necessary for the formation of a highly qualified social worker. One should keep in mind the fundamental importance for social work of the unity of theory and practice.

The system of scientific knowledge, as we have already noted, can be conditionally divided depending on the orientation in solving problems into fundamental and applied ones. If a fundamental sciences mainly focused on solving epistemological problems, then applied - on the transformation of social activity. From these positions, social work, as already emphasized, belongs to the group of applied sciences.

The initial basis for the collection and analysis of empirical material of diverse content for various observations, studies of specific social processes and phenomena, facts of social life is practice. It allows you to accumulate the experience of social work in the form of its understanding and theoretical generalization, that is, in the form of a system of scientific knowledge.

• See in more detail: Tetersky SV Introduction to social work: Textbook, manual. M., 2002. S. 70-84.
• See: Grigoriev S. I., Guslyakova L. G. Fundamentals of building the concept and organization of social work in Russia in the first half of the 1990s. Barnaul, 1993; Social politics and social differentiation: issues of theory and practice of social work. Barnaul, 1993. pp. 112-115; Guslyakova LG Social work as a scientific theory, activity and academic discipline. Barnaul, 1995.

Science is the most important element of culture, a form of social consciousness. Traditionally, scientific information contains two large sections: natural science a block that combines knowledge about the biogenic and abiogenic environment, and humanitarian(lat. humanitas- human nature), which includes knowledge about a person, society and social (real, virtual) environment. Social work belongs to the humanitarian block of sciences (0404 - Social sciences). The category "social" is key in social work. In this regard, we will determine the place of social work in the system of sciences (Fig. 2.2).

Rice. 2.2.

Accordingly, social work is associated with such sciences as philosophy, sociology, psychology, pedagogy, law, political science, cultural studies, medicine, mathematics, qualitology, economics, ecology, statistics, computer science, demography, ethics, etc. Consider the relationship of social work with other sciences (selectively) in more detail (Table 2.3).

Table 23

Relationship of social work with other sciences

Name of science	Branches of science	social		Leading scientists
Philosophy	Philosophy social (methodology, ontology, epistemology, anthropology, dialectics, axiology)	Society	macro level	Zhukov V.I., Ikonnikova G.I., Kareva II. 11., Kononova L. I., Koryakovtsev A. A., Lygina M. A., Medvedeva G. P., Mitrokhin V. I., Nevleva I. M., Popov B. A., Smirnova E. R.
Sociology	Sociology social	Society. Personality	Mss level	Akulich M. M., Kuznetsov V. N., Volkova O. A., Osadchaya G. I., Oganyan K. M., Khudavsrdyan V. Ts.

Name of science	Branches of science	social	The level of social work as a science	Leading scientists
Psychology	Psychology social	Society. Personality	Mesolevel. Microlevel	Ignatova V. V., Lazareva L. P., Torokhtiy V. S., Fedorov A. F., Firsov M. V., Shapiro B. Yu.
	Psychology deviant behavior			Zmanovskaya E. V., Kleyberg Yu.
	Psychology			Artamonova E. I., Druzhinin V. N., Kartseva L. V., Prokhorova O. G., Shapiro B. Yu., Schneider L. B., Eidemiller E. G.
	Conflictology			Belinskaya A. B., Garashkina N. V., Kudrinskaya L. A., Kupriyanov R. V., Lipnitskaya O. G., Mokshantsev R. I., Morozova E. A., Popova V. V., Samygin S. I., Svishcheva I. K., Sorokina E. G., Yumasheva T. A.
	Age psychology			Darvish O. B., Kozina N. V., Kulagina I. Yu., Mukhina V. S., Obukhova L. F., Pushkina T. F., Soldatova E. L., Trofimova N. M., Shanovalenko I. AT.

Name of science	Branches of science	social	The level of social work as a science	Leading scientists
	Social psychology			Altunina I. R., Andreeva G. M., Bekhterev V. M., Bigyanova M. R., Krysko V. G., Maers D., Mananikova E. N., Meizhys I. A., Nemov R. S. ., Pochebut L. G., Semechkin N. I., Sukhov A. N.
	Clinical psychology			Gosudarev N. A., Karvasarsky B. D., Lakosina N. D., Mendelevii V. D., Sergeev I. I., Sidorov P. I., Pankova O. F., Parnikov A. V., Kholmogorova A B.
Pedagogy	Social pedagogy	Personality	Mesolevel Microlevel	Basov N. F., Belicheva S. A., Vasilkova Yu. V., Vasilkova T. A., Galaguzova M. A., Galaguzova Yu. N., Garashkina N. V., Zagvyazinsky V. I., Ivanov A V., Kulichesnko R. M., Lipsky I. A., Lodkina T. V., Mardakhaev L. V., Mudrik A. V., Mustaeva F. A., Nikitina L. E., Nikitin V. A. ., Ovcharova R. V., Selivanova O. A., Torokhgiy V. S., Shtinova G. N.
	Penitentiary pedagogy			Vinogradov V. V., Litvishkov V. M., Mitkina A. V., Sochivko D. V.

Name of science	Branches of science	social	The level of social work as a science	Leading scientists
	P oli paradis mr pedagogy			Belkin A.S.
	Pedagogy social			Basov N. F., Bocharova V. G., Plotkin M. M.
The medicine	Social the medicine	Society. Personality	Mesolevel. Microlevel	Artyunina G.I., Zhilov K). D. Lotova I. P., Martynenko A. V., Nazarova E. N., Ten E. E., Tkachenko V. S., Chsrnosvitov E. V.
Ecology	Social ecology	Society	Macro level. Mesolevel	Gorelov A. A., Bganba V. R., Ladnova G. G., Malofeev V. I., Markov Yu. G., Papa O. M., Prokhorov B. B., Pustovoitov V. V., Tyurikova G N., Tyurikova Yu. B.
Informatics	Social Informatics	Society	Mesolevel. Microuro-	Kolin K. K., Lapin N. I., Listrova L. V., Mogilev A. V., Sokolova I. V.
Economy	Economy social	Society	Mesolevel. Microlevel	Mikhalkina E. V., Panteleeva T. S., Pompeev Yu. A., Chervyakova G. A., Sharin V. I., Shishkin S. V.
	social ensure	Society. Personality	Macro level. Mesolevel. Microlevel	Buyanova M. O., Galaganov V. P., Gorbacheva Zh. A., Gorshkov A. V., Guseva T. S., Dobromyslov K. V., Kondratieva Z. A., Machulskaya E. E.,

Philosophy and social work. The philosophical foundations of social work can be comprehended in the process of analyzing the methodological significance of a particular philosophical problem for the practice of social work and for the formation of a professional culture of a social worker. The philosophical essence of social work is to carry out a specific form of state and non-state influence on the social subject and the environment of its existence, in order to ensure a certain level of cultural, social and material life of people and create sufficient grounds for the implementation of their social activity. The most important means of carrying out social work are social assistance, social protection and social security, which make it possible to effectively implement the socio-political, socializing, protective-intermediary and educational functions of this type of social activity, aimed at embodying the principle of social justice.

The philosophy of social work is “the ideology of professional activity. It is based on the values ​​and ideals that took shape in the process of evolutionary development of social work as a public profession. The philosophy of social work is a collective representation of people united by common requirements for their profession, having certain knowledge, guided by relevant social and professional principles, norms, values.

Sociology and social work. Social work from the point of view of sociology is a social-analytical and social-constructive activity, which, as a specific area of ​​social knowledge, constantly needs sociology as its theoretical and empirical justification. Sociological modeling of social work allows you to integrate industry sociological theories(sociology of the social sphere, sociology of professions, etc.) into the subject field of social work as a special branch - the sociology of the social sphere (social work).

Sociology of the social sphere and social work is a branch of sociological knowledge that studies the patterns of development of the social sphere, the forms of manifestation of these patterns in human life, associated with the formation and development of social norms, values, connections and relationships, as well as the role of the social sphere in the socialization of the individual. The subject of study of the sociology of the social sphere is the system of relations that form the social structure of society, as well as its subsystems, designed to ensure reproduction, a decent level and quality of life, and the necessary human potential. Such a subsystem is studied by the relevant sectoral sociologists (education, science, health care, culture, physical culture and sports). In Russian sociology, the study of the social sphere has a dual goal: obtaining theoretical knowledge about the essence of the social sphere and developing practical recommendations that contribute to the successful implementation of social policy and the achievement of the goals of the welfare state.

Psychology and social work. The socio-psychological orientation (personality - society) has evolved throughout the history of professional social work in the 20th century. and led to the emergence of the psychosocial approach. This approach is usually associated with the names of M. Richmond (Magu Richmond) and F. Hollis (Florence Hollis), and in the 1950s-1960s. the psychoanalytic ideas of 3. Freud (Sigmund Freud), then the work of J. Bowlby (John Bowlby) had a great influence on its formation.

In the research devoted to the psychosocial approach, the need to understand the personality of the client in his relationship with the world that surrounds him is substantiated. In other words, one should not separate such concepts as the inner world and external reality in order to understand the integrity of the “person in the situation”, i.e. psychosociality.

The goal of the psychosocial approach is to maintain a balance between the inner mental life of a person and intersystem relationships that affect his life. In the psychosocial approach, human capabilities are optimistically considered, the potential of the individual and his ability to grow and develop in the presence of appropriate conditions, resources and assistance are highly valued. The essence of assistance is effective participation in solving the psychological, interpersonal and social problems of the “person in the situation”.

In the domestic methodology and practice of social work, the idea of ​​synthesis of the psychological and the social can be traced at all levels in the formulation of the goals and objectives of social assistance to the population, in qualification requirements and official duties social workers, in government educational standards training of specialists in social work. Accordingly, an integrative approach is actually incorporated in the regulatory documents on the activities of social services and the job responsibilities of social workers. Thus, they include such activities as the provision of qualified socio-psychological assistance to citizens, in particular the provision of counseling; assistance to clients in conflict and psychotraumatic situations; expanding the range of socially and personally acceptable means for clients to independently solve emerging problems and overcome existing difficulties; assistance to clients in actualizing their creative, intellectual, personal, spiritual and physical resources to get out of a crisis; stimulating clients' self-esteem and self-confidence.

Pedagogy and social work. Man in the knowledge of social work and social pedagogy. Features of understanding a person in social pedagogy and social work give grounds for searching for directions for the identity of areas of knowledge. These areas of knowledge are characterized by an understanding of a person in a dichotomous opposition: “A person vulnerable to threats” - “A person is a “product” of social threats”. This opposition is carried out on the basis of the general methodological principle of "personality in a situation".

A person in socio-pedagogical cognition is comprehended from the standpoint of real and potential threats that can complicate or make the process impossible. personal development. At the same time, a person is considered in the context of conditions and situations that are necessary and sufficient for his inclusion in the process of personal development and self-knowledge.

A person in social work is comprehended as a “product” of social threats, challenges and circumstances. In the context of the situation, a person in social work is understood as a subject who has motives and needs to resist, change, construct social relations, or does not have such needs and opportunities. A person in social work appears as a formed subject of his development and self-knowledge.

In the modern domestic theory of social work, the problem of the correlation of cognitive paradigms of social work and social pedagogy is not relevant enough. Nevertheless, the main approaches to understanding this problem can be distinguished:

• - The theory and practice of social work in relation to social pedagogy correlates as a whole to its part, where social pedagogy is considered as a segment of social work;
• - The theory and practice of social work and social pedagogy have independent cognitive traditions and levels of practice.

From the middle of the XIX century. there is an understanding of the environment as a factor of social change in a person's life scenario in many areas of knowledge, including pedagogy. This approach was determined by the historical realities of the decomposition of the patriarchal family, industrialization, urbanization, which have changed the traditional environment of human existence. All these factors manifested themselves in various forms of social childhood pathology: infant mortality, child vagrancy, begging, prostitution, crime, disability.

Medicine and social work. The list of types and tasks of professional activity of a social work specialist includes such things as: participation in solving problems of clients in ensuring a healthy lifestyle; use of results scientific research in ensuring the physical, mental and social health of various segments of the population; definition, concretization and construction of a hierarchy of tasks for the provision of medical and social assistance and coordination of the activities of various specialists in specific cases of organizing medical and social assistance; accounting in the process of carrying out activities of the physical, mental and social health of citizens; the ability to design modern types of medical and social care, etc. In Russia, social work in stationary health care facilities is poorly developed and is carried out mainly in psychiatric, narcological clinics and hospices.

The task of a social worker, a specialist in social work in ITU institutions is to determine the client's need for social services: "delivery" (delivery of products, medicines, mail), service (cleaning the apartment, washing clothes, washing in the bathroom, repairing the home, etc.), moral and psychological (elimination conflict situations, maintaining relations with former colleagues, communities, public organizations, etc.), in the placement in a boarding house, etc.

The social work specialist is focused on solving social problems such as helping people with handicapped health - HIA (with and without the status of a disabled person), juvenile pregnancy, assistance to people with socially dangerous diseases (HIV infection, AIDS, tuberculosis, etc.), palliative care, accompanying citizens with addictive behavior, mental problems, etc.

Informatics and social work. Informatization of the social sphere involves solving the problems of developing and implementing standard information and computing systems in the following areas: social protection of the population; system of social benefits and payments; pension provision; employment and employment of the population; health protection; education, etc.

The main goal of creating a single information space is to provide potential users (management bodies and departments of the social sphere, authorities) with information services that provide them with prompt and reliable interaction in solving problems. For example, the exchange of opinions and data with colleagues from other regions, the search for the required information in this information space, cooperation with other services (pension fund, tax office, etc.).

A huge role in the correctness and adequacy of the measures taken for the social protection of the population is played by timely and reliable information. At present, a number of objective factors have arisen that urgently require a change in the technology of processing information on social protection of the population that meets the new requirements: a constant increase in the volume of processed information and the need to reduce the time it takes to process it due to frequent changes in legislation on pensions and social protection of the poor, reflecting instability of the economic and political situation in the country;

• - high intensity of updating of regulatory and legal information, both in terms of the content of individual norms, and some sections and even regulations: the volume and complexity of the regulatory and legal system are growing faster than the ability of personnel of social protection bodies to master the rules of its practical application;
• - the need to establish a proper account of the real needs of all socially unprotected segments of the population (targeted protection);
• - the need for a powerful information and analytical base that allows to control the funds spent, analyze the current state, develop minimum programs and targeted programs;
• - permanent change the nature of the tasks facing the bodies of social protection of the population, the prompt performance of new complex functions by them;
• - ever-increasing demands on social protection employees to increase productivity and quality of work and the need to reduce staff turnover and increase the prestige of the profession.

Information technologies in the social sphere provide:

• 1) collection, accumulation of facts and statistical data on social relations and processes, the social structure of the population, the potential of social infrastructure, the effectiveness of social protection measures taken, groups and strata of the population that require special attention;
• 2) storage of information in such a form that would make it easy and quick to find, update in a timely manner and present information if necessary;
• 3) comparison of indicators of current social processes with normative models of social reproduction of the population and taking into account the dynamics of their changes;
• 4) the interaction of federal, sectoral and regional structures for the analysis of the processes of functioning of the social sphere; prompt, timely and complete provision of information and messages in the appropriate form to managers at various levels.

Active use information technologies in the management bodies of social protection of the population will improve the quality of work, will help save time when solving social problems of clients. So, today in many regions the following computerized information systems operate:

• - "Benefits - Help" - allows you to get information about the benefits provided to certain categories of citizens;
• - "Appeal - accounting" - contains information on written appeals of citizens on pension issues, benefits, social services;
• - "Archive" - ​​contains the names and addresses of the pension files of the deceased, retired abroad, changed their place of residence of pensioners who switched to another type of pension;
• - "Pensioner - transport" - provides information about the security vehicles disabled people and compensation for gasoline and transport services;
• - "Pensioner - certificate" - allows you to get information about the amount of a pension or allowance, compensation payments for each recipient, etc.

Economics and social work. A person is both a producer and a consumer of economic goods. The transition from declaring human rights and freedoms to their guaranteed implementation through the system of social protection of the population acquires significance. This is possible only on the basis of the reproduction and use of the economic, demographic, scientific and human potential. Social work is carried out in a certain social space, permeated with the economic relations of its subjects and objects.

In the social space, economic ties and contacts are carried out, diverse economic forms and ways of coexistence and interaction of integral social subjects (personality, family, work collective, community, group, etc.) are expressed, thereby forming a kind of economic space. In the economic space of social work, economic interaction of social protection institutions, its subjects and objects is carried out, which provides conditions for the normal life of members of society, the optimal satisfaction of their needs and the realization of the creative potential of the individual. It is a constantly evolving, orderly social system.

Economic relations in the social space of a civilized society should be built on the basis of an equitable distribution of material and spiritual benefits, reliable guarantees to ensure the vital activity of its social subjects. This is the most important prerequisite for creating an effective economic basis for social work.

The structure of social space is extremely complex. Its economic ties should be aimed at serving the absolutely entire population of the state, and not just those who need social support and assistance. The economic space includes federal, regional and municipal authorities, organizations and institutions of the system of social protection of the population: pensions, social services, social insurance, services: employment, as well as healthcare, education, culture, guardianship, trade unions, charitable, religious and other organizations in close contact with which the bodies and institutions of this system work. The concept of "economic space" is associated with the concept of the social sphere in its interaction with the economic, political and spiritual spheres of society.

The most important task of economics in the social sphere is to study the economic needs of the subject (individual, family, team, etc.) to identify the economic potential for their satisfaction in accordance with scientifically based norms and the economic capabilities of society at this stage. In the structure of the implementation of the economic mechanisms of this space, two main elements are distinguished: state (federal, regional and local) and non-state. The economic space of social work includes the economy of the entire system of social protection, education, healthcare, labor relations, culture, life, etc. The economy of each of these areas has its own specific features and performs its own specific functions.

Law and social work. The International Federation of Social Workers (IFESW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Services (ISESW) believe that those who train social workers and work in the social field should promote and protect human rights in every possible way and contribute to the realization of the most secret aspirations of people in the social field . Therefore, this manual contains comprehensive material and information for reference and training purposes. It should also help to familiarize social workers with existing international and regional human rights instruments. Social workers operate at different levels: at the micro level of the individual and family, the intermediate level of the community and the macro level of society, i.e. at the national and international levels. Social workers must constantly be concerned about human rights at all these levels.

Social workers, working in various political systems, promote and protect the rights of individuals or groups of individuals and at the same time contribute to the satisfaction of their needs. While engaged in this activity, they are often in the service of state official institutions; as representatives of the state or employees of large institutions or agencies, many of them often find themselves in a difficult position. They must not only conscientiously perform their functions as employees of these institutions, but also have an obligation to serve the people with whom they work. In accordance with the Code of Ethics for Social Workers (hereinafter referred to as the Code of Ethics) and the tasks set by schools for the training of social workers, work for the benefit of the person is the main goal.

Social work is concerned with protecting the interests of individuals and groups of individuals. Often, social workers are forced to act as intermediaries between people and the state or other bodies, upholding justice and providing protection in cases where measures taken by the state in the interests of the whole society threaten the rights and freedoms of individuals or groups (for example, when a child is separated from his parents; denial of care; placement of older or disabled people in institutions or housing conflicts that result in a person becoming homeless).

As mediators of sorts, social workers need to have a clear understanding of their role and a great deal of knowledge, and not only in the field of human rights, which is necessary to resolve the many conflict situations they face in their practice. On the one hand, the activities of social workers can contribute to the realization of the rights of the persons they provide services to, and erroneous judgment can lead to the restriction of these rights. Knowledge of global human rights issues is of great help in social work, thus providing a sense of unity and solidarity and not losing sight of the local conditions and needs, with which social workers must work. Human rights are inseparable from the theory, values, ethics, and practice of social work. The rights corresponding to human needs should be protected and promoted in every possible way; it is the protection of these rights that is the rationale for social work and its stimulus.

Ethics and social work. The subject area for the study of professional ethics is: professional morality as a set of ideals and values ​​of the profession; ethical principles, norms of conduct, codes; personality traits of a specialist necessary for the performance of professional duty; moral relations of specialists; goals and methods of vocational training and education.

The professional ethics of a social worker are based on fundamental human values, which take into account the uniqueness of each individual. The Code of Ethics serves as a guide to the behavior of a social worker.

Social work as a special kind of professional activity has a specific set of ideals and values ​​inherent only to it, which have developed in the process of formation of the principles and norms of behavior of specialists. Being a specialized activity, social work contains unique situations, contradictions that have to be resolved in the very process of activity. This circumstance makes it necessary to adhere to special, more stringent moral principles and norms in the activities. In their practical activities, specialists need not only moral guidelines that determine the general, main direction of their activities, but also the rules of everyday activities, without which it is impossible to implement moral standards and principles. Therefore, the ethical norms of social work reflect the basic requirements and criteria for the behavior and actions of a social worker, which, for all their diversity, are dictated by the specific conditions and content of his work.

The best-known ethical value statement that guides all modern social workers is the National Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics, adopted in the United States in 1997. The principles contained in the Code are both prescriptive and prohibitive. As a result of the social, political, economic development of society, social problems have changed, which are designed to help solve social workers. For example, the advent of new medical technologies has introduced new ethical questions about the right to live, die, etc.; computer - secret, confidentiality; bioethics - artificial insemination, organ transplantation, etc.

The ethics of professional social work includes three important interrelated aspects: 1) the dependence of the value base of the profession on its social role, goals and priorities; 2) implementation of ethical standards of the profession; 3) ethical dilemmas faced by social workers in the performance of professional duties. The ethics of a social worker is a type of professional morality, which is a code of conduct that ensures the moral nature of those relationships between people that follow from the requirements for professional activity and professional competence See: Firsov M.V., Shapiro B. 10. Psychology of social work: content and methods of psychosocial practice: textbook, manual for university students. M.: Academy, 2002.

See: Human Rights and Social Work. pp. 24-25.

See: Boyko Zh. V. Ethical foundations of social work: textbook, manual. Khabarovsk: Publishing House of the Far East State University of Transportation, 2012. S. 4, 8, 10-11.

Social work, having arisen as a social phenomenon, as a special sphere of human activity, having passed a certain path of development, is increasingly becoming the object of special scientific research. The scientific understanding of social work in Russia began with the identification of the social role of such a phenomenon as charity in public life, as well as with attempts to apply various philosophical, psychological, psychotherapeutic, sociological, and medical approaches for the scientific justification of social protection of people, helping those in need.

The theoretical substantiation of social work currently goes in three directions, as it were. Firstly, the place of social work as a science among such disciplines as social philosophy, social history, political science, social psychology, etc. is determined. its interaction with other sciences of man and society.

Thus, in the theory of social work, systemic ideas about social protection, social guarantees, social services, assistance and support for people in difficult life situations are formed. At the same time, the focus is on a holistic approach to the theory of social work, on the creation of a legal foundation for social technologies.

In our time, the development of the theory of social work is under constant discussion. The question of its place in the system of sciences is being discussed with particular acuteness. The theory of social work has all the structural features that make it possible to judge its formation as a science: it has a specific subject of study, an object of study, patterns inherent in the subject of study, specific concepts, categories, principles and methods of activity. At the same time, it belongs to the group of applied sciences and is characterized as interdisciplinary.

Characteristics, specificity of the theory of social work as an integral scientific system of knowledge largely depends on the composition, nature and content of the components that form the system, i.e. from the structure, which limits the spatial manifestation of the properties of individual components of the system. Generating special integrative properties of the new integrity, necessary for the implementation of its functions. The system approach as a methodological principle involves not only consideration, analysis of existing systems, but also their creation or design, synthesis for certain goals put forward by life. This duality systems approach reflects the real state of affairs and the close connection between analysis and synthesis as methods of cognition. A good example in this regard is the construction of a system of social protection and services for the population in Russian Federation as the most important direction of the social policy of the state in the transition to a new economic basis. The system of social services for the population with its branched structure of institutions, services, centers and governing bodies is, on the one hand, a product of the organizational activity of people, collectives that form this system, and on the other hand, it constitutes the very structural space, the field of activity within which social work, it is being improved and developed. In the process of organizational work, there is an optimization of the composition, structure, integration and modification of all elements into a single system.

The subject of the study of social work as a science is the social relations and interconnections of different levels of people with their biosocial nature, various material, spiritual and social needs and interests, with different levels of education, culture, life experience, differing in psychology and degree of active participation in social processes. It is the fact that a person is the main component of social work and the main integrating factor of its system that predetermines the structural content of the theory of social work as a science, which is determined not only by the relationship of people to each other, but also by people's attitudes to knowledge, the interconnections of various areas and technologies of social work.

The theory of social work reveals and explores the essential, necessary connections and phenomena inherent in social processes and the social development of society and determining the nature and effectiveness of the economic, psychological, pedagogical and managerial impact on the development and behavior of social communities, groups and individuals. These include: the study of such problems as patterns, principles and methods of social work with various social groups; ways and means of effective implementation of the functions of social work, its personnel and information support; structural and functional analysis of the activities of various state and public institutions of social protection and public services; regularities, principles of functioning of the mechanism of social management in the system of social work. In this case, complex interdisciplinary studies of social problems with access to a social forecast and modeling of the development of social processes, and, consequently, the possibility of determining ways to optimally resolve social contradictions and conflicts, are of great practical importance.

By the nature of problem solving, social work occupies a special place among such social sciences as philosophy, history, political science, jurisprudence, economics, etc.; it gravitates toward psychology, sociology, pedagogy, and medicine.

The deepest social basis, the fundamental goal of social work is the harmonization of the entire system of relations - in the family, team, nation, society as a whole. Thus, the practical essence of social work determines its content as a science.

Summarizing what has been said, we can draw the following conclusion. To help each person to live and act in accordance with his social nature - such is the practical goal of social work, which also determines its theoretical basis as a science of man, ways to improve his social well-being.

Such an approach excludes the reduction of the tasks of social work only to the justification of the need for social assistance or social protection of certain segments of the population, to a certain set of judgments and recommendations on these problems. Such a reduced understanding simplifies its actual content and does not fully reveal its social essence. Undoubtedly, social assistance, as well as social protection of the population, are important areas of social work. However, its social essence is much deeper and can be understood only from broad social positions, including from the standpoint of the socio-philosophical worldview.

Social work applies the principles of socio-philosophical knowledge to the analysis of a specific problem in the social sphere. Unlike specific social sciences, it considers problems from the point of view of their specific features and integrative properties. Social work includes a preliminary collection of information, a system analysis of an object, puts forward hypotheses, compares facts, and builds development models.

Taking into account this characteristic of social work, the criteria for the competence of a general social worker are also determined. This type of social worker is not a narrow specialist in psychotherapy with individuals or families. He does not specialize only in working with groups and collectives. His range of activities includes both. Most often, in the nature of his professional activity, he must advise individuals and families, be a facilitator in a group, trace, mobilize and even create appropriate public resources, that is, be competent in many areas of knowledge. A highly qualified specialist demonstrates his competence in such areas of activity as:

assessment of needs, situations, active forces, degree of possible risk;

planning appropriate actions;

ensuring the interests of the client;

taking responsibility for their professional actions;

choosing the optimal solution, etc.

thus, a social worker needs both cognitive and interpersonal skills, organizational and administrative abilities. In addition, the practice of social work requires that a specialist with knowledge in many areas be also a person who is creative and persistent, mobile and flexible.

All this indicates that social work is interdisciplinary in nature.

Social work as a science consists of two main sections: theoretical and methodological, fundamental (methodology, laws, categorical apparatus of science) and applied (areas of socio-practical, managerial application of theoretical and empirical knowledge, scientific support for solving practical social problems in society, which to be decided by the social worker). The practical activity of a social worker is very multifaceted.

By its nature, social work, whose immanent characteristic is integrativity, cannot be based on any one theory or model of practice. Various forms of social work, as it were, go through all theories, they are complex constructions of various models of the practice of social work. In particular, if a theory helps to understand certain combinations of circumstances that cause certain social problems, then it is adequate for this form of social work. Guslyakova L.G. Problems of interaction between the theory and practice of social work // Social policy and social differentiation: issues of theory and practice of social work. Barnaul - Moscow, 1993, pp. 116 - 119.

The theory is effective if it defines specific areas of activity for the provision of social assistance to a person, depending on his social rights and guarantees. At the same time, these areas consist of certain components of social work as a professional activity and are implemented through various forms and means, depending on the social situation. Thus, the content of the theory of social work and its main directions as a professional activity are determined by social practice. In the absence of such an impact, the theory used cannot be effective.

Determining the place of the theory of social work in the system of other sciences to a large extent depends on the content of its categories, on the characteristics of its methods, on the research of the problems that make up its main content.

In the process of cognition of the theory of social work as an integral system of scientific knowledge, as an applied science, the interrelations and characteristics of its components are not revealed immediately, but gradually, as they penetrate into their nature, essence. By accumulating knowledge about some aspects of social work, the scientific system creates favorable prerequisites for learning about other aspects and for a deeper insight into the essence of the subject, research as a whole. At the same time, it is important to use in a complex the entire arsenal of tools of scientific knowledge, namely: observation and experiment, description and theoretical explanation, justification and logical evidence, comparison and analogy, generalization and abstraction, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, hypothesis and scientific theory in in general.

The formation and development of social work as an independent science takes place in the conditions of constant discussions on its main methodological problems. And simultaneously with the development of the scientific theory of social work, there is a comprehension and identification of methodological principles for the use of phenomena (factors, processes) of social practice, their methodological and ideological knowledge.

The introduction in Russia of a new profession "social worker" imposes corresponding obligations on domestic education and science: continuous training of personnel and scientific and methodological support for the activities of social services, educational process, development of the theory and practice of social work. The issue of social work is based on interdisciplinary research; here, more than ever, the interconnection and interpenetration of social work and social pedagogy is very important. After all, social pedagogy has an integral character, combining knowledge about a person, society, culture; being at the intersection of medicine, psychology and other sciences, that is, everything that is necessary for social work when acquiring a multidisciplinary nature in the process of becoming a science.