Competence of Open Communication and Team Worker of a Field Social Worker in Family Remediation

Family and family environment remediation is enabled by the Act on Social and Legal Protection and Social Curatorship, although the term "remediation" itself is not defined therein. Families that enter the remediation program are dysfunctional to afunctional (multi-problem families). Family problems persist for several years, in some families even across generations. According to Act No. 305/2005 Coll., the profession of social/field worker requires integrity and professional competence, but the law no longer defines the specific competences necessary for performing remediation. According to the cited act, the authority for social and legal protection and social curatorship, in cooperation with the municipality and an accredited entity, implements measures to ensure the adjustment of the child's family circumstances, but we perceive insufficient effective team cooperation and open communication in terms of coordinating the remediation process.

1 Competence and Practical Competences

For the word competence, we find various meanings in the professional literature; therefore we can conclude that terminological inconsistency prevails. Mlčák (2005) considers the concept of competence to be a globally understood concept with a high degree of content ambiguity and theoretical contradiction. On the one hand, it is uncritically overused, and on the other hand, it is rejected as a fashionable and empty construct.

In social work, we define competence as the ability to meet the demands that are placed on and expected from social work. The National Council for Vocational Qualification in 1988 (Havrdová, 1999, p. 41) defined professional competences as follows: "Competences are a broad concept that includes the ability to transfer knowledge and skills to new social situations in a given field of occupation. It includes the organization and planning of work, innovation, and coping with non-routine activities. It includes qualities such as personal effectiveness, which is needed in the workplace when dealing with colleagues, managers, and clients."

Competence can also be viewed as an ability manifested in the social worker's behavior, during the course of activity and in its resulting effect, which contains developmental and growth potential.

In the professional literature, the term qualification is used synonymously for the term competence. By qualification (Veteška, Tureckiová, 2008) we understand a system of abilities needed to acquire capabilities for performing a specific activity. In European Union documents, we encounter a shift toward qualification (specific prerequisites) based on acquired competences.

Thus, during education, the field social worker acquires theoretical knowledge and develops their abilities and skills. The information obtained in the educational process is transformed into individual experience through practical application. According to Ital, Knoferl (in: Veteška, Tureckiová, 2008), specific competences arise from the sum of experiences and skills. If abilities and skills are further expanded, e.g., within further education and educational programs, knowledge increases and a "key qualification" emerges.

As Mlčák (2005) states, a unified taxonomy of professional competences that would be accepted by professional workers has not yet been developed. The reason is the complexity of the issue and the dynamically changing roles and activities of social workers.

In Great Britain, the education of social workers is based on a competence model that includes practice competences such as communicating and engaging, supporting and enabling, assessing and planning, intervening and providing services, working in an organization, and developing professional competences.

In the Czech Republic, Havrdová dealt with the issue of professional competences; she was motivated by the British model – Paper 30 – based on the above-mentioned competences when creating a system of practical competences.

Havrdová (1999, p. 42) understands practical competences as "a functional manifestation of a well-mastered and recognized professional role of a social worker, which includes professional knowledge, the ability to reflect adequately on the context, and to sensitively apply the values of the profession."

Inspired by the British model and Havrdová's model, we decided to conduct qualitative research on practical competences in order to determine which ones the field social worker possesses in family remediation under our conditions.

2 Qualitative Research

2.1 Research Aims and Questions Since we present only partial findings from the conducted research in relation to the partial research results, the research aim is to identify and reflect how the field social worker develops effective communication and contributes to the work of the organization.

Based on the set aims, we defined the following research questions: 1. What do field social workers understand by the competence to develop effective communication? 2. How does the field social worker contribute to the work of the organization and to team cooperation? 2.2 Sample The sample consisted of field social workers from the non-profit sector who carry out family remediation. Participant selection was intentional with regard to the research needs. The research sample consisted of a total of 22 participants (19 women and 3 men) from SPDDD Úsmev ako dar, ASSP, o. z., Návrat, o. z., Kľúč, n. o., i.e., 4 focus groups.

2.3 Research Methodology We used the following methods to obtain and process empirical data: In the preparatory phase, we worked using the method of theoretical knowledge, i.e., classifying empirical findings into the structure of a scientific, logically ordered system of knowledge. The research is based on qualitative methodology, through which we sought to understand the social phenomenon under study. Data collection was carried out using the qualitative method of Focus Group – a thematically focused group interview (semi-structured focus group). To create the story structure, we used the "laid-out cards" technique. We present the process of obtaining and processing the individual research phases in Table No. 1. The implementation of focus groups lasted 3 months. For the analysis of qualitative data, we used MS Word and Atlas.ti 6.2, demo version. During recording and data processing, we observed the ethical aspects of the research.

Tab. No. 1: Sequence and content of individual analytical procedures in the research (Skutil et al., 2011, p. 233) 2.4 Interpretation and Research Results From the results of the focus groups, we identified the following categories through open coding: Open communication and Team worker. We will describe the individual categories in detail through codes and evaluate them in relation to the research questions. 1. What do field social workers understand by the competence to develop effective communication?

Participants consider it important to pay attention to the first contact with the family, to establish good contact. We consider contact to be the beginning of communication. Communication is part of our daily lives, and the field social worker uses communication as a tool from the very first contact with the client. Only by creating a safe, trusting, and open relationship can we further cooperate with the family. Genuine contact between two people occurs when they meet in a moment to form a connection between themselves. Satir (1995) states that face-to-face contact is aided by: eye contact through the visual channel, auditory contact through the auditory channel, body position and physical proximity within arm's reach, and the person's contact with themselves – congruence (emotional honesty, openness, alignment of inner and outer expressions, personal integrity).

At the beginning of contact, it is enough to trust the client's abilities. Úlehla (2005) says that if we can see in the client a human being capable of independently deciding what is good for them, it will not be difficult for us to believe that the client always wants to cooperate. Ultimately, a sense of security arises where we feel that we are being listened to, understood, and that they will help us with what we ourselves need.

If we establish contact positively, the interaction will proceed in a positive direction. In cases where we establish contact problematically, we can expect obstacles to appear in mutual cooperation. If the client refuses contact and has no interest in cooperation, our activities will not be help but control. In any case, the client should feel from the field social worker that they are respected and unconditionally accepted. They should feel that we believe in their ability to handle the given problem with our support and guidance, thereby improving their quality of life. We also keep in mind that trust is a process that develops gradually through experiences of good shared work and through the preservation of confidential (intimate) information.

Active or empathetic listening is understanding what the client is saying. Through active listening, we can support the client toward open communication. The ability to perceive the other is part of active communication. Listening with understanding we consider a means of achieving change, improving interpersonal relationships, and making life functioning more effective.

Active listening refrains from value judgments; then the client gains the feeling that they will not be rejected but heard. We let them know that we have time for them and that we are interested in what they are telling us. Through an accepting approach, we achieve that the client begins to perceive themselves and their problems more realistically, finding faith and the ability to solve their problems.

According to CCETSW – Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (In: Dominelli, 2004), to engage presupposes the ability to enter into an effective working relationship based on a degree of trust and respect. Engagement is therefore the foundation of partnership.

Another important ability of the field social worker that we identified from the participants' statements is adapting communication to the client's individuality. This presupposes using their vocabulary, some slang, taking into account age, individuality, and the situation they are in. The words the client uses in conversation should be incorporated into the field social worker's vocabulary and, at an appropriate moment, used in a way that encourages the client toward further cooperation.

In communication, we also consider the emotional side of the conversation. Our emotions are reflected in communication, so we provide space for experiencing and venting them, i.e., open expressions of feelings, which the field social worker takes into account and responds to in an appropriate manner.

Through emotional experience of some problems, by providing support, we gradually open topics that we register in the mutual conversation. If we succeed in opening a problem and the client begins to talk about the situation with a smile, with joy, we have contributed to its resolution. In any case, we leave space for the client to vent negative emotions and subsequently address them.

When establishing communication, we take into account the components of both verbal and non-verbal communication. Knowledge of the manifestations of non-verbal communication helps us identify the state the client is in. The field social worker should control and have their own non-verbal expressions under control. Shared information is supplemented by non-verbal expressions – our body language, e.g., whether we offer a hand, how we look, our body posture. Non-verbal communication is the oldest type of communication, and through non-verbal communication we can supplement, replace, emphasize, or change the meaning of what is said.

Last but not least, we also consider the time aspect, i.e., working with time and space. The field social worker works in the client's natural environment, in which they should be able to create space for conducting a conversation, sometimes even under difficult conditions. Working with time requires that the client knows how long the conversation will last. At the same time, the field social worker is expected to adhere to meeting schedules.

Communication can be described as a process of sending, transmitting, and receiving information. The process begins with the sender transmitting a certain type of information to the recipient. The sender transforms their intention into a form that the recipient can understand. We encode information when we intentionally select the words we speak. The encoded message reaches the recipient through multiple communication channels. The recipient simply enters the communication and decodes the message.

We can speak of effective feedback when the message has reached the recipient, who decoded it and sent a response to the original sender. We call this process feedback. Feedback provides us with information on how the recipient deciphered the message.

As participants state, an important part of effective communication, as well as of the overall personality of the field social worker, is a positive outlook on life and empathy. The very formulation of sentences in a positive spirit in communication, and the provision of hope for improving the client's difficult life situation, depend on this. Empathy is the human ability to perceive the world through communication in direct contact with another person, as that other person perceives it. The goal and meaning of empathy is to help oneself and others in mutual communication. Mlčák (2005) discusses various conceptualizations of empathy, one of which is empathy as a communication process. This process of empathy depends on a) natural disposition, b) sensitive awareness of the feelings of others, and c) a learned way of supportive expression of feelings.

2. How does the field social worker contribute to the work of the organization and to team cooperation?

Based on the participants' statements, the field social worker should first and foremost fulfill the mission and purpose of the organization and identify with the organization's vision. It is also expected from the organization that it provides the worker with a clear idea of the intentions and goals through which they fulfill the priorities of state family policy. The basic strategic goals of policy also include achieving family success in the realization of their functions, which field social workers help with in their work with dysfunctional families.

According to CCETSW (In: Dominelli, 2004), an important part of a professional approach is feeling responsibility toward the organization's goals, as well as not being merely an employee who only follows instructions. A responsible professional is one who takes responsibility for whatever is reasonably possible, carries out professional goals, including a positive contribution to influencing the organization in order to maximize the potential for achieving these goals.

Participants are of the opinion that institutional anchoring is necessary because the organization helps and supports the field social worker in the professional performance of their work. All components within the organization should be aware of the available resources that can be beneficial for families and use them effectively for the client's benefit.

For the field social worker, it is important to understand the structure of the organization, as well as to characterize the team and identify their own place within the team. However, practice shows that working in a multidisciplinary team arises naturally from the needs of the family (multi-problem families). Schavel (2007) states that comprehensive solutions require cooperation with other professionals. The formation of a professional team depends on the content and intensity of the client's problem.

Teamwork brings certain positives (e.g., increased quality of work, improved interaction among team members, minimized risk of neglecting intervention procedures, mutual provision of feedback and professional support, etc.) as well as disadvantages, which are important to identify and to adopt effective measures for their elimination.

Working in the organization also involves the requirement for a dignified place for the field worker within the organization and the creation of adequate conditions for performing the work, even though the worker carries out most of their work in the field and in the family's natural environment.

In family remediation, the field social worker is expected to act as the coordinator of the team involved in addressing the client's adverse situation. According to Matoušek et al. (2008), we can use management as a tool that helps organizations focus on their true mission and on quality professional work for the client's benefit. In case management, the client themselves with their problems is at the center of interest, and an optimal support network is created around them (Levická, 2006). Case management is effective when working with multi-problem families to prevent overlapping services and thereby increase costs.

The team consists of individual members who complement each other and work toward a common goal. Strieženec (1999) includes the following among the basic prerequisites for effective team work:

• activation of the professional and social abilities of team members,
• internal informal structure,
• creation of a synergistic field,
• adequate level of self-assessment and self-confidence of team members,
• emergence of functional and organizational division of labor,
• existence of a specific system of rewards and sanctions.

In team cooperation, team members know the common goal, each person in the team has an assigned task and associated responsibilities. During the pursuit of the goal, members were in mutual interaction and bore personal responsibility for achieving the partial goals. A non-negligible fact is the provision of social (professional) support, which in the performance of work can, in a certain way, act as a "buffer" against burnout syndrome.

Havrdová (1999) states that the foundations of team cooperation include sharing professional uncertainties, recognizing theoretical connections, and the multiplicity of possible solutions. We believe that team cooperation and the interventions of the field social worker themselves are all the more efficient and effective when the steps leading to the achievement of the goal are discussed within the team.

From the professional work of the field social worker, it is expected that their interventions will be provided at a professional level. Every field social worker acquires knowledge and develops certain abilities and skills during their education. We can conclude that through the practical performance of their work, field social workers gain and enrich themselves with experience from working with families and acquire specific skills, such as handling specific situations in families. With the knowledge gained, they enrich their colleagues in team cooperation, their organization through their contributions, and last but not least, influence public and professional opinion and promote awareness of field social work.

The goals and mission of the organization change and develop. Professional work is not defined forever but moves with the times, evolving together with the question of why to do this work. If someone does the same work for twenty years and thinks they need to change nothing, then they are not working professionally (Úlehla, 2005). The author further recommends reflecting on the meaning, purpose, and mission of the organization. In team cooperation, together with leaders, they should address the question of why they do their work and how they could do it differently. In reflecting on how to do the work, it would help if they received an answer to the question of why they perform the work.

Conclusion

A person lives in a social environment and is in constant interaction with it. At the boundary between the individual and the environment, life problems and stresses arise that are the subject of the field social worker's interest. In order for the field social worker to be able to intervene effectively and help, they need to be equipped with competences.

Through open communication, we come to know the natural world and the social environment of the client. Constructivist theory helps the field social worker to gain a deeper understanding of the client's needs, interests, and values, and to help the client discover the meaning of their life efforts and existence. Using Virginia Satir's communication theory, we can identify communication patterns within the family and strategies of family communication.

To achieve set goals, the field social worker should be a team worker who, together in team cooperation, can share professional concerns and uncertainties, and mutually provide professional and emotional support to colleagues. When working in an organization, they act in the spirit of the organization's mission, vision, and goals.

The field social worker works with the boundaries of the client and the social environment. They influence changes in the client's functioning and at the same time influence the environment with the aim of minimizing negative phenomena and influences. They strive to soften the tension and stress between the client's systems and the environment. The principles guiding the field social worker in remediation are the value and dignity of the client as a human being, as well as the development of a democratic society with regard to the needs and interests of the child and their family.

Author: PaedDr. Martina Kravárová, PhD., prof. MUDr. Jozef Mikloško, PhD. List of References

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