Social care profession
In Austria , social care professions are defined as certain assistance professions whose relatives work in nursing, care and housekeeping with different qualifications and areas of focus. These include qualified social workers, specialist social workers and home helpers. The training courses regulated by federal law are carried out at technical schools.
Social worker
education
The areas of work for the elderly (A), work for the disabled (BA) and support for the disabled (BB) are provided as training branches for social workers (SOB); the family work area (F) is reserved for qualified social workers. The duration of the training depends on whether a specialist or diploma degree is sought.
With the exception of the training branch accompanying the disabled, the qualification as a nursing assistant is included in accordance with the Health and Nursing Act (GuKG). Prospective specialist or qualified social workers in the field of assistance for the disabled (as well as home helpers) instead complete the training module “Support in basic care”, the contents of which are taken from the curriculum for care assistance. Among other things, the module provides for fewer teaching units in the subject of drug theory, as the members of these professional groups only help with the oral administration of drugs, but are not allowed to perform insulin injections. The theoretical training is supplemented by an internship of 40 hours in a care facility for the disabled or a nursing home. The trainees are instructed and supervised by qualified health and nursing staff.
General field of activity
Social workers help to shape the living environment of old people and people with health problems or other impairments in order to maintain or improve their quality of life. To do this, they record the current life situation of their clients, carry out certain measures, accompany and help with the knowledge of the problems of a life with impairments.
Compulsory training
Regardless of their degree, social workers are required to complete 32 hours of advanced training within two years.
Graduated social worker
The training to become a qualified social worker lasts three years with a scope of 3600 hours, of which 1800 teaching units theory and 1800 hours practice. The respective degrees are based on the training focus:
- Diploma social worker A (work for the elderly)
- Diplom-Sozialbetreuer F (family work)
- Diplom-Sozialbetreuer BA (handicapped work)
- Qualified social worker BB (handicapped support).
Compared to the specialist social worker, graduate social workers have a larger range of tasks and responsibilities: In addition to general activities, they also perform conceptual and planning tasks, coordinate the work of other people involved in social care and provide them with technical guidance if necessary . Their qualifications enable them to participate in the professional development of the services offered by their own organization or facility and to carry out quality development measures.
Specialist social worker
The two-year training comprises 1200 teaching units of theory and 1200 hours of practice. The respective degrees are based on the training focus:
- Specialist social worker A
- Specialist social worker BA
- Specialist social worker BB.
Home helpers
The training to become a home helper takes place as a course with 200 theory lessons and 200 hours of internship. With the conclusion, the home helper is entitled to provide support with basic care. 16 hours of advanced training must be completed within two years.
Legal basis
- Agreement according to Art. 15a B-VG between the federal government and the states on social care professions
- Appendix 1: Training and areas of activity for social care professions
- Appendix 2: Training module "Support with basic care"
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Annex 1 - Training and areas of activity of the social care professions to the agreement on social care professions , accessed on July 7, 2020.
- ↑ a b c Appendix 2 - Training module "Support in basic care" for the agreement on social care professions , accessed on 7 July 2020.
- ↑ Agreement according to Art. 15a B-VG between the federal government and the states on social care professions , Federal Law Gazette I No. 55/2005 , accessed on July 7, 2020.