Social Care

SOCIAL CARE

Qualification: Social care worker
Code of the study programme: 41762
Length of studies: 2 years, 120 ECTS

Studies on budget resources provided by the state

Level of Education: short cycle of the professional higher education
Studies take place: Jūrmala (Vidus prospekts 38, Bulduri)
Mode of studies: full time studies
Previous education: secondary education
Head of study programme: Mg.sc.educ. Ina Vīksniņa

Description of speciality

Social care worker plans social care services to persons unable to take care of themselves and provide for their basic needs due to their age or health condition; in accordance with wishes and needs expressed by the client determines the necessity of social care complex or separate services; organizes and provides for performance of social care services; evaluates the change of the client’s ability to take care of him/herself and changes the volume and content of social care service complex accordingly; evaluates the client’s satisfaction with social care services provided.
Social care worker works in social care institutions providing social care services or is self-employed.

Main professional tasks of a Social care worker

• To perform evaluation of basic needs of each client – to identify client’s self-care abilities, diagnosticate lack of basic needs and evaluate the necessity of social care services.
• To plan and organize social care service needed by the client – to determine volume of social care service, persons involved, to introduce the client with stipulations for receiving said service.
• To create an individual social care plan, in collaboration with the client – to set the goal and tasks for social care, identify existing resources and those that need be engaged, to set deadlines for execution of said tasks.
• To evaluate social care services provided, improve professional knowledge and skills in process of continuing education, to maintain one’s professional competence.
• To work in a multidisciplinary team, in collaboration with other health and social care professionals and institutions, to provide for confidentiality of information provided and observe a non-discriminative practice.

Goal of the study programm

To prepare qualified, competitive social work specialists who provide quality social care services in accordance with their professional competencies, understand and observe the basic principles and values of social services, determine and organize the necessary resources, according to client groups and individual needs.

Practical realisation of study programm

Implementation of the study programme “Social Care” is carried out through various forms of studies and different learning methods, which include lectures, seminars, practical work both individually and in groups, as well as analysis of practical problems and situations.
In learning practices, which are carried out both on college premises as well as healthcare institutions, the lecturer works with groups of students (6-8 students each). In learning practices students reinforce their knowledge and skills while working under the guidance of a teacher.

Study courses to be acquired

The study programme offers a chance to acquire general education, vocational training and professional study courses.

General education courses:

General psychology and communication, Basics of business and project management Foreign language, Anatomy and physiology and others.

Vocational and professional study courses include:

Social security and welfare, Global social work and innovation, Social care, Social gerontology and client care, Care of people with disability, Child's health and care, Oncology and palliative care, Communication skills with client groups, Basic principles of ergonomics and client transfer and others.

During acquisition of study programme two practices in social care and rehabilitation institutions are planned.

Collaboration partners

Collaboration is realised:

1. between the college and employers, to create feedback and ensure that the knowledge and skills of graduates corresponds to the needs of the work market. Collaboration with employers is realised in several fields: ensuring of places of practice, guarantee of unity of education and practice, realisation of research and projects, involvement in study process;
2. between the college and other European higher education and social care institutions with the goal to promote collaboration and mobility of student and academic personnel body between European countries. Collaboration is realised both within the framework of ERASMUS+ project, as well as based on inter-institutional collaboration agreements;
3. between the college and other Latvian higher education institutions as regards participation in scientific conferences, projects, possibilities to continue studies in the field of social welfare.

Possibilities in labour market

Services of social care workers are in high demand in labour market. Graduates can choose a specific field of social services for a definite target group – children, seniors, persons with disability, e.g. - and specialize in it.

Further study opportunities

The graduates of the study program “Social care” have the opportunity to continue education in bachelor study program “Social work”.