CORE COMPETENCIES USED AT FIELD PLACEMENT

By: Ronica Thompson

CORE COMPETENCY 1

CORE COMPETENCY 1
Identifying as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 1.1

Advocate for client access to the services of social work Example: I will educate myself on all the community resources Child Protective Services and Foster Care as to offer the clients.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 1.2

Practice personal reflection and self-correlation to assure continual professional development. Example: I will use the NASW Code of Ethics when engaging in clients in Foster Care and Child Protective Services to make decisions and go to my supervisor for questions that Im uncertain about.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 1.3

Attend to professional roles and boundaries. Example: I will read the agencys policies and procedures to make sure Im not stepping out of my boundaries as a Social Work intern.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 1.4 & 1.5

(1.4) Demonstrate professional demeanor in

behavior. (1.5) Appearance and Communication

Example: I will speak to clients and staff in a clear and professional manner being sure to keep the clients information confidential. I will dress appropriately and be on time every day.

PRACTICE 1.6
Engage in career-long learning and use supervision and consultation.

Example: I will meet with my supervisor daily before and after work to discuss my daily tasks, and what I learned from them to make sure effective learning is taking place. I will also go to my supervisor with questions that may arise during my field placement.

CORE COMPETENCY 2

CORE COMPETENCY 2

Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 2.1

Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice. Example: As a social worker it is my job to be professional at all times. When working with clients in DSS, I will not let my personal values interfere with my professional values.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 2.2

Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the International Federation of Social Workers/International Association of School of Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles.
Example: I will always check with my supervisor/instructor and refer back to my NASW Code of Ethics involving any ethical dilemmas that may arise that Im uncertain about.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 2.3

Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts. Example: When trying to resolve ethical dilemmas, I will talk with my supervisor or talk with a social worker who has more experience on the situation.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 2.4

Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions.
Example: I will learn techniques on ethical strategies daily from my supervisor and instructor to apply in direct practice when working with clients.

CORE COMPETENCY 3

COMPETENCY 3
Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 3.1

Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom. Example: I will use research-based knowledge to guide my practice when Im faced with a situation Im unsure about.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 3.2

Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation. Example: I will become familiar with all the forms of assessment within CPS and Foster Care.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 3.3

Demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues. Example: I will speak and write to clients in a professional way.

CORE COMPETENCY 4

CORE COMPETENCY 4
Engage diversity and difference in practice.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 4.1

Recognize the extent to which a cultures structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power.
Example: I will be mindful of all the different cultures I will encounter while working with Columbus County DSS. I will not let my culture values interfere with my work.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 4.2

Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups.
Example: I will educate myself on the different cultures Ill be faced with at Columbus County DSS. By doing this I can make sure my personal values dont affect my work.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 4.3

Recognize and communicate their understanding of the importance of differences in shaping life experiences.
Example: When encountering a client with a different language I dont understand, I will ask the translator for help.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 4.4

View themselves as learners and engage those with whom they work as informants.
Example: I will work with my supervisor when dealing with cultures Im unfamiliar about. By working with my supervisor I will gain the knowledge I need to become a better social worker when assisting different cultures.

CORE COMPETENCY 5

CORE COMPETENCY 5
Advance human rights and social and economic justice.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 5.1

Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination. Example: I will work with my supervisor as well as my co-workers to understand how to handle oppression and discrimination when dealing with clients.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 5.2

Advocate for human rights and social and economic justice.

Example: I will advocate for the children who dont have a voice and the ones who are afraid to speak up in the Columbus County community.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 5.3

Engage in practices that advance social and economic justice.

Example: I will use Columbus County DSS policies and procedures as a guide to make sure social and economic justice is met.

CORE COMPETENCY 6

COMPETENCY 6
Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 6.1

Use practice experience to inform scientific inquiry. Example: I will use my computer skills to research information on foster care services in order to become more familiar with them.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 6.2

Use research findings when working with clients as needed. Example: I will apply foster care research findings when working with clients as needed.

CORE COMPETENCY 7

COMPETENCY 7
Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 7.1

Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Example: When working with clients in CPS, I will use the ecological perspective to get a better understanding of the client and their situations.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 7.2

Critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment. Example: I will use different resources to help the clients identify their needs.

CORE COMPETENCY 8

COMPETENCY 8
Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 8.1

Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being.
Example: As a future social worker it will be my job to inform clients about the policies and laws regarding foster care information and make sure they have an understanding of the rights regarding themselves and family.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 8.2

Collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective policy action.
Example: As a social work intern, I talk with my supervisor and other social workers in the Foster Care Department about confidential information regarding each client who is aging out of foster care.

CORE COMPETENCY 9

COMPETENCY 9
Respond to contexts that shape practice.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 9.1

Continuously discover, appraise, and attend to changing locales, populations, scientific and technological developments, and emerging societal trends to provide relevant services. Example: I will change the Foster Care brochures into Spanish due to the increasing population of Hispanics in Columbus County, NC.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 9.2 Provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and practice to improve the quality of social services. Example: I will attend staff meetings with Child Protective Services (CPS) to discuss new ideas.

CORE COMPETENCY 10

COMPETENCY 10
Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.1

Substantively and affectively prepare for action with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Example: As a social worker I will review a clients assessment form and assure that the necessary paperwork is prepared before meeting with the client.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.2

Use empathy and other interpersonal skills. Example: As a social worker I will listen attentively to all the clients I encounter and be understanding. I will make eye contact with the client and use appropriate voice tone and body language.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.3

Develop a mutually agreed-on focus of work. Example: Before starting my day at Columbus County DSS, I always discuss with my supervisor what I am going to be doing that day, and ask if there is anything else that I should be doing.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.4

Collect, organize and interpret client data. As a social worker I will conduct a careplan meeting with the client to collect information, interpret information, and organize it into the problem, goal, and intervention of a treatment.

PRACTICE BEHAVIORS 10.5, 10.6 AND 10.7

10.5 Assess client strengths and limitations 10.6 Develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives 10.7 Select appropriate intervention strategies Example: I will use the strengths perspective to assess clients strengths and weaknesses and to develop appropriate goals, objectives and interventions for the client. Including involvement from the client and everyone involved in the case.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.8

Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals Example: Develop a resource book for clients aging out of Foster Care.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.9

Implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities. Example: As a social worker working with Child Protective Services (CPS), I will encourage parents to attend parenting skill classes before they abuse or neglect their children.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.10

Help clients resolve problems. Example: As a social worker, I will provide all the necessary resources to help clients help themselves.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.11

Negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients. As a social worker I will advocate for clients needs in foster care.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.12

Facilitate transitions and endings. Example: As a social worker I will make sure I let clients know when I am opening, transferring or closing their case.

PRACTICE BEHAVIOR 10.13

Social workers critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions. Example: As a social worker I will research and follow-up on my clients who have received certain interventions. I want to make sure that the intervention they have been given is thoroughly working.