Developing The Social Work Profession The Georgian Experience

Developing The Social Work Profession: The Georgian Experience Erasmus Mundus Programme – University of Turku, Finland Shorena Sadzaglishvili, Ph. D, MSW Ilia State University Associate Professor, Director M. S. W /PHD Programs shorena_sadzaglishvili@iliauni. edu. ge 9. 10. 2015

Questions • How to build a new Profession of Social Work in a country where there was no social work before? • How social work is affected by different cultural and socialpolitical backgrounds? • What can be learned from the Georgian example? • How to facilitate Global Social Work development initiatives? – A new world order which makes reality of respect for human rights and dignity and different structure of human relationships.

Social Work = Well-being • Social Change • Problem Solving in Human Relationships • The empowerment • Liberation • Human Rights • Social Justice CASE WORK and SOCIAL ACTIVISM

Global Social Work or Idiosyncratic • Super National Concerns in the context of globalization discourse and ongoing global political and economic processes: migration, refuges, poverty, public health, violence, disability, children without care, human rights, etc. should be answered from the global perspectives, but within the ecological contexts of each country. • Best practices for alleviating social problems world wide and build adequate social welfare systems: best social work interventions, polices that consider an interplay of unique macro, meso and micro factors and based on cross national comparative social work and social policy research outcomes.

Presentation Plan • Brief Overview Of Georgia • SW Developmental Milestones • From The Beginning To Now – Achievements • Challenges • Need For Global Social Work Development

Georgia –Short Overview • • 4, 300, 029 (UN 2013) 116 th in population among the 193 nations of the world. • • 22. 4% of the population - over 60 years of age 16. 5% of the population under 15 years of age. • • • Internally displaced persons – 300. 000 Extreme child poverty – 8 % Infant mortality rate (per 1 000 live births): 25. 6 • • • Sex ratio (males per 100 females)- 89 the annual population growth rate for 2010– 15: -0. 6%. (US- 22. 5%) Life expectancy at birth (females and males, years): 77. 3 • • 52. 9% of the population lives in urban areas The capital city, Tbilisi - 1, 121, 000 • • Nominal GDP Estimates= 16, 162 millions of US$ (111 th ) – among 193, (WB, 2013) HDI _ 0. 744 , change – 0. 003 (79 th among 102) – (UN, 2014) High Human Development category, • - See more at: https: //data. un. org/Country. Profile. aspx? cr. Name=GEORGIA

The USSR is collapsed / a new market oriented society/ No social care/welfare system No social institutions No social work role Macro Mezzo Micro Impoverished people (no jobs, no food, etc. ); No protection for children, disabled, mentally ill, etc.

Social Work As An Emerging Professional Practice – Developmental Milestones � 1999 – SW introduced with 18 child care SWs (Go. G, UNICEF, Every Child) � 2000 – Open Society Institute Social Work Fellowship Program � 2001 – Law on Foster Care and Adoption � 2004 – Georgian Association of Social Workers established –now uniting 517 social workers in the country; � 2006 – First BSW, MSW and Certificate Courses introduced at the state Universities � 2006 – Social work acknowledged as a regulated profession by the law of social assistance � 2009 - State Child Care Standards approved (2009, August, Decree # 281/N) � 2010 /2013 Ph. D introduced � 2012 - Social work services introduced in Criminal Justice System Reform Process

The Main Actors INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAM, ACADEMIC FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM NETWORK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

GASW Goals 1. Lobbing for the development and implementation of the necessary legal and policy infrastructure 2. Providing professional expertise to the local social service providers 3. Development of a strong education base 4. Setting the professional standards

The First Projects • Social Work Code of Ethics. (2005). Georgian Association of Social Workers, Tbilisi, Georgia • Social Work Professional Terminology. (2006). Georgian Association of Social Workers, Tbilisi, Georgia • Social Work Practice Standards (2007). Georgian Association of Social Workers, Tbilisi, Georgia

Terminology – Why Does It Matter? Service User Client British Model American Model - From welfare to a customer oriented organization - Service oriented - Greater time spent on administration - less time on client contact - child and family social workers serve as child protection workers Beneficiary – Donor funded grants welfare recipient - Clinically oriented social work practice - equally balanced power relationship

Short Stories Of Making A Difference … 1. 2. Child Protection Education

CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM - Lack of individual approaches Child abuse and neglect High corruption Poor infrastructure Exploitation Poor psycho-social development etc.

Country Child Care Background -46 large state institutions managed by several state entities - Limited understanding of institutional harm - No alternative family substitute or family support services - No professionally trained social workers - No policies and legislation supporting child care system reform - 3 large state institutions for children with disabilities managed by Mo. LHSA - Alternative services (SGH, Foster) - Family support services (day centers, FA, early intervention) - Professional social work - Outsourcing and monitoring - Legislative framework - More state, less donor resources

Targeting Deinstitutionalization And Development Of Alternative Services Policy o Government Child Welfare Action Plans o State Child Care Standards approved (2009, August, Decree # 281/N) o “Gate keeping” policy guiding principle – Statutory decree, 2011 o Social work practice forms – Statutory decree, 2011 o Social work professional supervision and performance appraisal systems – statutory decree, 2011 o Child protection mechanism: Child referral statutory procedures – mandatory reporting o Well-operational Child Care and Guardianship Counsels Strengthening reintegration and prevention o Family support services/outsourcing mechanism - day care centers, food assistance , targeted social assistance, etc. o Government reintegration benefit o Government crises intervention fund o Donor supported social fund (top-up reint. support, etc) New family substitute services o Kinship and foster (regular, specialized, emergency) o Small Group Homes (for 8 or 10 children) Quality assurance system o Licensing of 24 -hr services, Child Care Standards, Monitoring mechanism

According to the 2014 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities Ilia State University maintains the first place in Georgia (a rise on the previous year with 716 units improved mark – 1821), as well as the first place in the Caucasus. The university was the first university in Georgia to introduce principles of liberal education.

Social Work Education – MSW Program- ISU, School of Arts and Science 76 MSWs (74 FEMALE/2 MALE), 17+16=33 Current MSW Students; 5 Ph. D Students Completed 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 No Degree 11 1 14 7 2 8 2 1 Drop Out Rate: 10 MALE - 6 1 1 6 1 9 2 19 1

The First Social Work Students Conference

Number Of Social Workers According To Sectors In Georgia Total 558 224 334 Statutory Social Services NGO Social Services

SW Numbers According To Fields In Statutory Sector 20 15 14 Guirdianship and Care for Children, Elderly and People with Disability Probation Services 32 Crime Prevention Services 40 Correctional Settings 240 Mental Health Services Traffiking and Domestic Violence Social Housing Services

SW Numbers According To Fields In NGO Sector 9 9 Child Protection 11 9 Harm Reduction 6 Violence 10 HIV/AIDs 11 93 Youth Work Mental Health Violence against Women 12 Social Protection 63 Human Rights IDPs Paliative Care

GASW Members - 517 71 SW practioners 180 266 SW Students Other interested professionals

Social Workers’ Role In The Statutory Sector Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs (MHLSA) Social Service Agency Anti Trafficking and Domestic Violence Fund Inspection and Monitoring Department of MHLSA Ministry of Penitentiary and Probation National Probation Agency Penitentiary Department Ministry of Justice Crime Prevention Center Mediation Center Persecutor’s Office Ministry of Education and Science – Office of Resource Officers of Education, Psychological Center. • Municipality – Social Department, Social Housing only 3 -------------------------------- • Case management • Advocacy • Mediation • Monitoring • Program Development • Broker • • •

Social Workers’ Role In NGO Sector • • • Case management Advocacy Mediation Facilitation Community Mobilization Educating Counseling Program Development and Management Social Policy Analyses and Planning Social Research

Legislative framework, strategies and action plans , new social assistance system Macro Mezzo Social Service Agency Guardianship and Care Panels Inspection and Monitoring Department Social Rehabilitation Department in Probation Office Social worker’s role is established Micro Connected with different services;

Supportive Factors • External influence : International, Donor and NGO Support o EU budget support o Soros Foundation, UNICEF, USAID, other donors o Local and international NGO capacity • Coordinated Approach o Inter-ministerial Council o UNICEF , EU organizing role o NGO coalition, e. g. Georgian Coalition for Child and Youth Welfare, etc. • Political Will and Government Leadership o Legislative framework, strategies and action plans – e. g. a strict gate keeping policy, etc. o Social Assistance System (targeted social assistance, reintegration and foster care payments, free kindergarten, universal health care, etc. )

Challenges. . General • Lack of cross-sectorial coordination and state leadership/ownership • Lack of professional SW human resources • Reactive rather proactive social care/welfare system • State resources scarce, external funding reducing, etc. • Social Work job market for B. S. W. , M. S. W. - No difference • Education: social work is not considered as a science –the role of social work Ph. Ds is only seen in teaching Specific • Lack of programs in community mobilization and development • No School and School Linked Services – School Social Work does not exist • Need for social work development at the municipality level • Lack of public awareness on children’s & human rights (street connected children, Roma children, disabled children, etc. ) • Services needed for children who leave the state care • Lack of family support services – prevention services for at risk families in need of complex support • Unemployment

Future Cooperation with Turku University - Collaborative initiatives with the Social Work Schools abroad - To facilitate global learning and teaching opportunities through summer internships abroad to examine social policy and social work practice modalities in local countries / to gain a deeper understanding of diverse cultures. - To examine and teach contemporary social, political, and economic issues from a global perspective. Expand instructional programs and course content on topics relevant to social work policy, research and practice to address global issues such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, trafficking in persons, disability and children separated from their families. - To encourage cross-cultural research initiatives/collaborations and mutual learning opportunities (conferences, scientific meetings, etc. ) - Foster connections with UN agencies, international development organizations, and governments to advance faculty and student research, practice, and technical assistance opportunities. - To highlight good practices in international social work.