Presentation by Trish Kane to the Disability Working Group at the NGO Resource Centre, March 25th, 2010.

1. Trish Kane (VSO)
Social Work Advisor
Department of Social Work & Centre for Social Work Development
University of Social Sciences and Humanities
336 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi

2. This Session will provide
........
An overview of social work internationally (brief
history, definition, development)
Briefly examine the values necessary to do it
Identify the core competencies and skills relevant to
social work
Explore the history & current development of social
work in Vietnam
Highlight the recommendations for Social Work
development in Vietnam

3. Definition (IASSW/IFSW)
‘The social work profession promotes social
change, problem-solving in human
relationships and the empowerment and
liberation of people to enhance well-being.
Utilising theories of human behaviour and
social systems, social work intervenes at the
point where people interact with their
environments. Principles of human rights
and social justice are fundamental to social
work’

4. Background
Developing since late 1800’s in industrial
countries
Originally based on Charity model
Family & community usually managed
issues
Recognition of complex social problems
Moved to more systematic approach
Formal education & professional
associations created
Often the ‘Social Work’ title is legally

5. Social work.......
Bases its methodology on a systematic body of
evidence based knowledge derived from research
and practice evaluation.......
The social work profession draws on theories of
human development and behaviour and social
systems to analyse complex social systems and to
facilitate individual, organisational, social and
cultural change
(IASSW/IFSW 2000)

6. Social Work Education
The international recognised standard is now an
Undergraduate University Degree
Variations often require MASW
In many countries professionals often require a
licence and registration to practice
Practice is monitored by National Associations (80
countries)
Associations – provide code of ethics to practice,
monitor and sanction unacceptable practice
Social Workers are expected to acquire the knowledge
skills and values that relate to the vision of SW

7. What do you learn as a social
worker?
Values and principles of social work
Some skills and knowledge needed to practice
Reflective practice (about yourself as a practitioner)
KNOWLEDGE (examples)
Child development Youth studies
Law Counselling
Social policy Art/Drama
Psychology Case management
Sociology Disability studies

8. SKILLS (examples)
Communications (all – verbal, non-verbal,
observation, listening, interaction, presentation
etc.,)
Facilitation Interpersonal
Mediation & conflict resolution
Planning/Organisation/Time management
Analysis & assessment
Specific specialist skills e.g. Techniques for working
with special groups/individuals
Counselling Social research
NB skills happen at 3 levels; basic, intermediate &
advanced. You must gain experience to progress

9. Some values underpinning Social
Work
Rights based approach
Anti-oppressive
Partnership model
Empowerment principles
Equality, respect and dignity
Participation
Networking
Collaboration
Honesty
Trust/integrity

10. What do professional Social Workers
Do?
Social workers do many things! SW is a complex
activity that often has no absolute solutions. Each case
that you deal with is unique to a given situation in time.
It is often connected to a set of circumstances that you
may not have dealt with previously.
Managing a case can be like a ‘drama’ in which the
key characters and all factors related to a situation and
the environment must be identified before the story
continues to a solution. The drama can take a long
time to unfold! And indeed, sometimes it may never
reach conclusion.
It may require you to increase your knowledge & skills
to be effective in a particular situation

11. Who do Social Workers work
for/with?
Social Workers generally work with people who are;
Vulnerable in some way (e.g. street children, older
people, PWD)
Excluded from all that society generally offers (e.g.
isolated, marginalised, minority people)
Cannot participate fully in aspects of society (e.g.
some women, people living in poverty)
Suffer from Stigma & Discrimination (e.g. HIV/AIDS,
sex workers, drug addicts)
Social Workers often work in the complex social
political environment/system that placed people in their
situations

12. Direct work can involve working with
Individuals
Groups
Organisations
Communities
Families
NGO’s
Government departments
SW’s often work on capacity building, advocacy,
community development, training, counselling,
lobbying, research, policy development....etc.,

13. Some Core competencies
necessary
Solid communication & interpersonal skills
Sound theoretical knowledge for stage of professional
development
Assess needs and circumstances
Plan, carry out and review SW practice
Support, lobby and advocate
Competent case management
Manage risk and risk assessments
Be accountable and engage in effective supervision and
CPD
Demonstrate professional practice
Critical self reflective practice

14. Social Work in Vietnam
“The development of social work plays an important
role in the current context of Viet Nam. With the
development of social work Viet Nam is able to
alleviate poverty, address social problems
effectively, promote greater social justice and
equality, and respond to other complicated
problems that Viet Nam faces. There is an urgent
need to develop social work as a profession.”
(Minister of MOLISA, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Da Nang
November 2009)

15. Context of Social Work in
Vietnam
1997 early discussions to develop SW in
Vietnam
Progress a little slow!
Led somewhat by the international concerns &
commitments to child protection issues
2004 MOET approved a curriculum for
university
MOET, MOLISA & UNICEF commissioned a
research study in 2005 the Human Resource
and Training Needs for the Development of
Social Work in Vietnam (2005)
Recommend establishment of Social Work

16. Background
In the last decade, Vietnam has experienced rapid
economic growth. While new opportunities and economic
benefits have improved the lives of many Vietnamese
people, there are ever-increasing gaps between the rich
and the poor, and between rural and urban populations. A
significant proportion of of the economic benefits go to the
richest 20% (UNICEF 2005).
Many Vietnamese people continue to live in hardship, and
a quarter of children under five are malnourished. This has
placed unprecedented pressure on families, and thus
children. Consequently, social problems such as family
breakdown, homelessness, drug use, sexual and economic
exploitation, trafficking and violence are on the rise.

17. This in turn has contributed to an increased number of
abandoned, neglected, abused and exploited children. It is
estimated that 9 percent of the total child population, or
2.6 million children are in need of special protection.
Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (2008)
Economic Growth =
new social problems emerge in tandem with economic
growth
Change in working patterns, family support,
urbanisation etc., have led to a decrease in ability to
‘support socially’

18. Lack of capacity to care for elderly, sick and/or
children
Often increase in drug & alcohol abuse – leading to
increase in domestic violence
Children, women and PWD often most vulnerable
to poverty
Migration to cities can create a multitude of
problems
Health issues associated with this include increase
in mental health problems i.e. Due to isolation,
loneliness and demands of industrial society
In Vietnam – increase of HIV/AIDS, assoc with men
using prostitutes/sex workers and drug misuse

19. The Reality is that .........
.......many functions of social work have existed in
Vietnamese society for years, if not centuries.
These functions mainly took the shape of social
activities, social mobilization and direct care by
volunteers rather than of a professional service
with the capacity to respond adequately and
systematically to the needs of vulnerable people
for prevention, support and protection.

20. Until now, social work and child protection
services have largely been provided by people
(often community volunteers), who are either
untrained or trained in disciplines other than
social work.
The services they provide, whether in the
community or in institutions, are rarely
inspected and monitored and there is little to no
supervision and support given to these workers.

21. Recent Developments
Da Nang Conference
In an effort to advocate for the recognition of social
work as a profession and to improve the quality of
social work education MOLISA, supported by UNICEF,
Atlantic Philanthropies, Save the Children Alliance and
the Irish Embassy, organised a National Conference
on Social Work Development in Da Nang on 3/4
November 2009.
A team of international experts in social work were
invited to provide technical assistance during the
process of preparation and organization of the
conference.

22. Outcomes
There were many recommendations and
commitments from the conference but a key one
was given by MOLISA (& partners) to support the
development of a National Proposal on Social
Work and the integration of social work
functions in crucial legal and policy documents,
including in the field of social protection and, in
particular, child protection. In these efforts MOLISA
will continue to cooperate with other Ministries that
have an important role to play in social work.
A cooperative agreement was also signed

23. Key Conference Recommendations
Enhance the understanding and commitment of policy
makers, academics, service providers, and other
stakeholders for the development of social work in Viet
Nam;
Facilitate exchange of knowledge, experience and
practice among local, national, and international social
work professionals;
Establish high quality social work education
programmes for graduate, post-graduate and vocational
levels
Strengthen the capacity of universities and training
institutions to effectively implement high quality social
work education programmes;

24. Strengthen the capacity of existing untrained social
work “para-professionals” within community and
institutional settings, in order for them to provide more
professional and effective social work services (on the
job training);
Develop specific job codes and designated social work
positions in a number of agencies and organizations,
and develop a comprehensive and effective system of
social work services;
Increase multi-directional partnerships between
international, national, regional, and local efforts in order
to further develop and improve social work education,
structures and services;
Improve professional social work services and social
assistance for vulnerable people, by establishing
integrated education and cross-sectoral delivery across

25. Challenges
Qualifying Social Workers need a job code &
professional recognition (failure will impede development)
Recognition and employment of qualified social
workers
The Social Work model needs to reflect a
Vietnamese context
Recognise and address the training needs of the
‘para-professional’ level (unqualified but doing it
anyway)
Collaborate in a partnership approach to SW
development in Vietnam
Raise the public profile of Social Work in Vietnam (job

26. Challenges
Develop a good model of tertiary social work
education
Develop a model of social work training for those
who are currently doing it
Ensure participation ot those relevant to social work
development on the consultation process for the
Strategic plan

27. UNICEF Viet Nam website (2009) Country
Overview at www.unicef.org/vietnam/overview
Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs
(2008) Report from MOLISA to the Culture and
Education Committee for Children and Young
People dated October 2008 .
Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs,
Canadian International Development Agency and
UNICEF Viet Nam (2005) Situation Analysis of
Institutional and Alternative Care Programmes in
Viet Nam .
UNICEF Vietnam (2005) the Human Resource and
Training Needs for the Development of Social Work in
Vietnam (2005)