Social counseling
Social counseling comprises the social work or socio-educational counseling offer for individuals, single parents or families with a wide variety of social problems. The focus is on the social system and clients with their needs as well as the development of solutions for questions and problems. Social and social law advice is to be distinguished from legal advice, although in practice there are overlaps that are made possible or covered by the Legal Services Act . The professional filling of the positions is usually carried out by qualified social workers or qualified social pedagogues . Advice is provided free of charge, confidentially, if necessary anonymously, and independent of worldview and religion.
General social counseling arises from the intention to provide people with an offer of counseling and accompaniment, help and support that is easily accessible. ASb orients itself directly towards solutions for a wide range of problems, is the first point of contact and clearing house, in many cases the first listener for people, and has its own range of different types and forms of help within the framework of a holistic advisory approach. Similar to the family doctor principle within the framework of the help system, the ASb, as a generalist, also mediates to specialized services if necessary , manages and coordinates various support and advisory services and measures. The service also coordinates the use of volunteers to complement professional social work .
Against this background, ASb sees itself as a mentor for people who fail to develop an orientation in the diverse range of offers of help and legal claims. It accompanies people who are overwhelmed by the complexity of everyday life and who would have to make use of a number of different special specialist services to regulate their often multifactorial and comprehensive problems and would be overwhelmed even if the cooperation of these specialists could be optimally organized. In addition, not all questions require the consultation of a specialized service. ASb offers pragmatic and solution-oriented help in enforcing individual rights.
Because of the low degree of specialization and its high flexibility to be able to react promptly and promptly to changing needs, the ASb is often seen as the core and foundation of a spectrum of advisory services.
Range of offers (selection)
- First point of contact, coordination and placement
- Clearing in the event of unclear responsibilities or multiple problems
- Orientation aids on independent life planning (discussions, advice, support) as well as active assistance in coping with various everyday problems ( help for self-help )
- Design of counseling, support and accompaniment processes with individuals or families to stabilize personal, family and economic circumstances in difficult life situations, for example in the case of chronic illness , long-term unemployment , in old age, with disabilities
- Information and advice on living aids, such as B. Benefits according to SGB II (so-called Hartz IV ), SGB XII and other social service providers , financial assistance from the provider or the application for foundation funds
- Help with the application as well as support in the enforcement of social aid or legal claims at offices and institutions ("lawyer function", representation of interests)
- Advice and help on economic consolidation in the event of unemployment , social benefits or longer illness
- Help to overcome financial difficulties in the case of over-indebtedness
- Providing further help taking into account the living space-related environment
- Possibly. Mediation to or involvement of specialized services ( marriage counseling , debt counseling , addiction counseling , social psychiatric service, etc.)
- Involvement of volunteers
- Further development of contact and cooperation structures
The specific orientation of the advisory service and the focus of the work are based on the existing need for help and support, the other existing help and specialist service structure, as well as service requirements.
Within the Caritas associations , the service is called General Social Counseling (ASb) . Deviating (historical) names are e.g. B. General social counseling, social counseling, general life counseling or general social service (ASD) - not to be confused with the offers of the same name from many youth welfare offices . The range of services can usually be found in every major city and district at the respective Caritas association. Also in other charities , e.g. B. the Diakonisches Werk , there are similarly designed social advice centers.
On a project basis, the Verein Sozial Gesundheit e. V. offers a “doctor's practice internal social counseling” in several general practitioner practices in the Lichtenberg district . The project is funded by the borough, and from 2020 by the Stiftung Deutsche Klassenlotterie Berlin.
The social counseling is a special field of social work (see also: Occupational social work in Germany and Occupational social work in Switzerland).
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Berit Müller: The “doctor's practice internal social counseling” project can be expanded thanks to lottery funds. In: berliner-woche.de. November 7, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
- ↑ When people disappear in Berlin: "And some days I suckle a sausage". In: tagesspiegel.de. November 19, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .