Situation of social workers

Two reports published recently by the Institute of Public Affairs on the situation of social workers in Poland are based on extensive qualitative and quantitative research. The reports focus on the working conditions, work identity and professionalisation of social work. In a diverse group, most social workers opt for some institutional form of common representation. They also identified excessive paperwork as one of the main problems they face in their everyday work.

Two recent reports from the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) examine the situation of social workers in Poland based on extensive qualitative and quantitative research. Since the fall of communism in 1989, social assistance has been distinguished from the Polish health care system and established as an autonomous area.

The system of social services in Poland had to be created from scratch. The quantitative report edited by Marek Rymsza (in Polish) and the qualitative report edited by Magdelena Dudkiewicz (in Polish) were produced after more than 20 years of constant transformation. The reports investigate the phenomenon of professionalisation of social work and the main factors affecting its performance.

A diverse group

According to the quantitative report (Rymsza, 2011), the profession of social work is highly feminised (women constituted 94.2% of the stratified random sample). Social workers do not form a homogenous group with regard to working conditions, a sense of professional accomplishment and work identity. Two demarcation lines can be indicated: place of work and age (and length of service).

Those who are employed in the core units of the social services system – especially local social assistance offices (gminne ośrodki pomocy społecznej), municipal social assistance offices (miejskie ośrodki pomocy społecznej) and poviat (that is, higher-level local authority area, NUTS IV) family assistance centres (powiatowe ośrodki pomocy rodzinie) – are more likely to express lower satisfaction with work and earnings and less sense of professional prestige than those who work in more peripheral specialised units such as homeless shelters and women’s shelters.

The average satisfaction from being a social worker (in their current job) is highest among those employed in specialised units and lowest among employees of social assistance offices (Figure 1).

There is also a distinct division between the two extremes of age groups. The youngest employees with the shortest length of service, and holding the lowest positions, see more possibilities for professional development and are less eager to change their jobs than those between 41 and 50 with 16 to 20 years of service, holding higher positions.

Figure 1: Three dimensions of satisfaction from work

Note: Satisfaction is expressed on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest).

Source: Rymsza (2011)

Sources of stress

Those employed in specialised units have a different perception than those working in other areas of the main sources of stress in everyday work, as shown by the responses of those surveyed as part of the quantitative research (Figure 2). They cite attitudes and behaviour of clients and inability to help clients with their problems as the main causes of stress. This may be connected to the fact that they often have to deal with the most difficult cases. At the same time, this group of social workers is less likely to indicate that they are overstretched, suggesting they might be less burdened with institutional obligations than others. The qualitative research conducted among employees of social assistance offices confirms that the paperwork and large number of cases are considered the main obstacles in everyday work.

Figure 2: Main sources of stress in everyday work

Source: Rymsza (2011)

Professional representation

According to the contributors to the quantitative report, the domination of formal duties in the job description of the employees of the core units indicates that, in their case, the professionalisation of social work is implemented through its institutionalisation. For those employed in specialised units, however, it may be connected more with the need to learn ways of coping with clients’ problems.

Despite the intragroup diversity, the majority of social workers questioned as part of the quantitative research opted for some institutional form of common representation (Figure 3). The most popular variant is a voluntary national association, followed closely by voluntary vocational self-government. All compulsory forms of association were rejected by respondents.

Figure 3: Choice of common professional representation

Source: Rymsza (2011)

The more common form of professionalisation, that is, one implemented through the institutionalisation of social work, has significant drawbacks. It is connected to an increase in paperwork and bureau cry, and may result in more emphasis being placed on the fulfilment of formal obligations rather than on effective provision of help. It could also support further bureaucratisation, for example, by focusing on formal criteria of vocational development and promotion. However, the establishment of institutional representation could contribute to the protection of professional standards and the improvement of tools and methods with the aim of improving the level of performance.

References

Dudkiewicz, M. (ed.) (2011), Pracownicy socjalni: pomiędzy instytucją pomocy społecznej a środowiskiem lokalnym [Social workers: between social assistance institution and local environment], Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw.

Rymsza, M. (ed.) (2011) Czy podejście aktywizujące ma szansę? Pracownicy socjalni i praca socjalna 20 lat po reformie systemu pomocy społecznej [Does activation have a chance? Social workers and social work after 20 years of social service system reform], Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw.

Marianna Zieleńska, Institute of Public Affairs