Since the late 80s. Russia is experiencing significant political, economic and social changes. The previous systems of social security, education, health care and culture are falling into decay, all previous forms of life are being transformed, and the system of values ​​characteristic of the outgoing society is disintegrating. In moral and psychological terms, the content of such processes is an atmosphere of intolerance and confrontation, disrespect for the law, and an increase in crime and violence. Perhaps never before has the state of anomie described by E. Durkheim, i.e. non-normativity, the crisis of moral and ethical standards, the collapse of old values, which have not yet been replaced by new ones, did not manifest itself so acutely. Social development takes on deformed forms, displacing, if not the majority, then a significant part of the population from active economic life, turning millions of people into poor people and marginalized people. Both theoretically and practically, transformations of systems of this scale, including economics, politics, social relations, and the mentality of society, require uncovering the underlying causes of negative phenomena, scientific analysis of ongoing processes, and a balanced determination of ways and means to overcome them.

A superficial approach to possible transformations, a socio-political response at the level of “common sense”, when they consider only one side of the problem, one aspect of the phenomenon of reality, without taking into account the complexity of their systemic connections, dependencies and mediations, without modeling forecasts of the consequences of this or that interventions, unfortunately, have repeatedly demonstrated, at best, the achievement (along with the intended goal) of undesirable, side results, and in the worst case, obtaining results opposite to the intended goal.

The complex interweaving of various aspects of reality determines the polycausality of social problems in society. This, in turn, predetermines the multiplicity of social technologies and techniques that are designed to solve these problems. Nature and state of various parameters social sphere, the level of its development depends on many circumstances, and an attempt to reduce everything to a few selected factors, “convenient” for one reason or another, can lead to serious miscalculations in the development and implementation social programs. Among the circumstances mentioned, it should be noted:

The state of the productive forces, their potential and current knowledge intensity, the ability to perceive and use the achievements of the scientific and technological revolution;

Socio-economic model of society;

Social stratification of society and the level of realization of the interests of various groups in the political structure;

Maturity of the spiritual culture of society.

The mechanism through which changes in society should mainly be carried out is the social policy of the state, which determines the realization of the objective possibilities of the economic, political and spiritual potential of society.

The experience of social policy carried out under Soviet power, as well as the results of the first years of radical economic reforms, now force us to develop concepts of social policy that resolutely reject the “gross” approach and the provision of universal, untargeted assistance. The reason for this is not only the economic difficulties of the state, which is unable to provide “continuous” social support, but also a change in the approach to people in society, the increasing role of individual responsibility and initiative. The priority objects of social support are considered to be low-income and socially vulnerable segments of the population who are faced with a real threat of economic and social degradation - disabled people, pensioners, large families, the unemployed, refugees, etc. Social programs are now more specifically focused on the development of self-help and self-sufficiency, specific consideration of the specific interests and needs of these population groups, and the personal nature of assistance. This approach gets legal support V Russian Federation and its subjects in the form of federal laws, decrees of the President of the Russian Federation and other regulations.

One of the leading forms of socio-political, organizational and managerial response to the current crisis situation, an instrument for implementing social policy, is professional social work. Its content can be considered the provision of assistance to people who find themselves in difficult life situations, through identifying their problems, information, advisory activities, direct in-kind, financial, social and domestic assistance, pedagogical and psychological support, stimulating own strength those in need, orienting them towards active participation in resolving their own problem situations.

The essence of social work is helping individuals and various groups to implement social rights. Since social rights are very multifaceted and ensure the social functioning of the individual, the problems that social work seeks to solve are very broad and varied; Moreover, in a specific social situation they intersect different kinds and types of social problems.

First of all, the object of social work is not only individuals, but also their groups - families, work and neighborhood groups, youth or professional groups, associations of people experiencing similar difficulties. Therefore every action social worker, each technology or technique he uses must necessarily combine individual and group methods: resolving problems in relationships between children and parents or inter-spousal relationships, communication difficulties among employees of an enterprise, interpersonal or intergroup conflicts is impossible without changing the personality of the people involved in the conflict. Personal changes in those who seek help are also impossible without restructuring the social connections of their immediate social environment.

In this regard, the analysis of social work problems at the first stage reveals their personal, group, family, etc. grounds. In principle, the pyramid of cause-and-effect relationships and mediations can include all levels - from the individual to the universal or planetary scale (it is undeniable, for example, that one of the causes of hunger and poverty is global climatic reasons, limited natural resources), however, taking this into account, the social worker, when analyzing the client’s situation, choosing specific technologies assistance to him should consider first of all the problems and causes of an operational nature that he is able to influence and which are capable of stabilizing or improving social situation client.

Much in social work depends on the type of society and the nature of the exercise of power. Social work, by definition, is characteristic of a democratic society and a welfare state. However, neither democracy nor sociality are stable constants. A political declaration or even a legal fixation of democratic norms does not always coincide with their implementation. The sensitivity of the authorities to the needs and opinions of the population directly affects the social activity of people. Unsuccessful power structures, once relevant to the needs of the time, and then hopelessly outdated, can make social policy ineffective, even if its preconditions were quite successful. Finally, the personal factor in power and management significantly influences the content and forms of activity of the relevant bodies and institutions, and the perception of this activity by the population.

Social and environmental problems play an important role in modern reality, and their significance is determined not only by the negative consequences of the uncontrolled, extensive development of technogenic processes - man-made disasters, environmental pollution and lowering standards environment. The scale of even everyday, non-catastrophic anthropogenic impact on various systems of our planet today exceeds the Earth’s ability to self-heal. Any act of human activity, even if based on state-of-the-art technology, inevitably entails thermal pollution of the atmosphere. At the same time, it is impossible to stop the man-made impact on nature. Socio-ecological content is inherent to everyone to one degree or another. social technologies and methods, and the degree of its expression depends not only on the specific conditions of their implementation, but also on the level of development of the universal and ecological culture of people.

The nature of socio-economic problems is of serious importance for the development of social policy, and this significance is multifaceted. Firstly, the quantity financial resources that society and the state are able to allocate to solve certain social issues depends, not least of all, on the state of the economy. Secondly, a considerable number of problems in society are of a nature bordering between purely economic and purely social. Thirdly, resolving a number of economic problems in society is impossible without resolving social problems: the difficulty of carrying out reforms in Russia is not least explained by the fact that the majority of the population lost their social and property status during these reforms, i.e. their situation worsened. At the same time, without an increase in education, physical and social health, social competence and political literacy of the population, it is impossible to develop new, high-tech activities and implement promising social technologies.

The problems of social stratification have a unique significance in society. On the one hand, an increasingly partial system of society, taking into account more and more specific, private, individual grounds for distinguishing social strata and groups, is an attribute of democratic and social development. Only in such a system does it become possible to present, if not all, then at least the maximum number of interests and preferences. Society finds the opportunity to institutionalize and recognize the views of a minority within a subculture, no longer trying to fit all individuals into one rank. On the other side, social differentiation, giving some groups of society wealth, power and information and pushing other parts of the population away from these the most important sources social resources not only to the brink of poverty, but sometimes even to the brink of physiological survival (and the reasons for such differentiation are neither objectively nor subjectively justified), cannot serve as a guarantee of social stability. In modern society, with its predominantly non-violent ways social management and regulation, social differences can only exist on. the basis of social consent, when they are recognized as an acceptable majority of the population. A sharp simplification of the social structure, in which a small layer (6-10% of the population) of the super-rich is opposed by the rest of the mass - the poor, the have-nots and the poor - makes the social system vulnerable.

Behavioral problems constitute a specific set of social problems. When analyzing the deviant behavior of individuals or groups, the categories of alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals, prostitutes, etc. are usually distinguished. But the concept of deviation is somewhat broader. To define deviation, it is necessary first of all to specify the concept of a norm, that general social moral-behavioral, value-regulatory core from which carriers of deviant behavior “deviate.” In the process of such an analysis, it turns out that the problem of determining the norm is extremely complex, historically variable and socially specific. Deviant behavior (and a social worker must keep this in mind when analyzing the situation) can either be a manifestation of asociality or even antisociality, or a variant of search, heuristic behavior, which in the near future may become the norm for the majority.

As the information revolution develops in the world, social problems of access to information and communication support of life are becoming increasingly important. The opinion that information is power, and one of the most effective, began to take shape at the beginning of the 20th century, with the advent of technical means mass media(MASS MEDIA). The theoretical analysis of the mechanisms of crowd behavior (carried out by G. Le Bon) coincided with the artistic understanding of this process1; during the period when funds mass communication There were only gramophone records and a very primitive radio, astute thinkers already foresaw the enormous impact of the media on the masses and their enormous danger due to the ability to manipulate people.

Leaving aside political technologies, which are impossible without the use of the media, we note that in the social sphere information processes are also of great importance. No wonder they are large-scale (within entire countries) social projects, aimed at stabilizing the socio-economic situation in some states previously known for extreme instability, necessarily included leveling social inequality and ensuring the widest possible access to information (both to receive it and to disseminate one’s own opinions and views) to the widest possible segments of the population. Access to information and information technology, among other things, is like a pass into the 21st century, this is the threshold without overcoming which one cannot hope to be included in modern, progressive, innovative processes, to achieve a high status in the society of the future.

Problems of symbolization and modeling of the world belong to the field of sociocultural development and, at first glance, do not directly affect the field of social work. However, in reality, this is the area of ​​understanding the world, its value analysis and development. Even the verbal formulation of ideas and images can have a certain impact on a person’s well-being and activity (compare the terms “dismissal from work” and “release from work”). By giving a name to a phenomenon, we thereby endow it with certain ideas that influence our perception of the content. Long-term (and still unfinished) debates about the name of the profession of social work emphasized in each proposed term (socionomic, social engineer, social worker, etc.) various aspects of this activity. Symbolization of the world also lies in the creation of ideal structures, most often unwritten, but, nevertheless, actively influencing real processes.

Thus, the “mystical power of law” exists independently of current codes and regulations: it can be combined even with the “customary law” of early state formations and may be absent in the most masterfully developed system of legislation. The “image of personality” changes historically and ethnically, while, along with many specific individuals, there is an ideal idea of ​​what a personality is, characteristic of each time and people. Finally, a difficult-to-formulate, but powerful system of values, which transforms a collection of individuals into a society, and a society of a certain type, and distinguishes in this society separate groups whose members share a commitment to a certain system of values, in some way different from the general one - this also applies to the world symbolization of reality. Let us note that this sphere of activity characterizes the rational, intellectual and mental side of human activity.

The essence and content of social work with families.

The modern family is called upon not only to solve numerous problems related to the daily life of its members, to the birth and upbringing of a child, to supporting the disabled, but also to be a kind of psychological shelter for a person. It provides economic, social, psychological and physical safety and security to its members. Today, many families need help and support in order to fully implement the functions prescribed by society.

Single-parent and large families, families of single mothers, military personnel, families raising children with disabilities, adopted and foster children, having disabled parents, student families, families of refugees, migrants, the unemployed, asocial families, etc. need such assistance. Social work in them should be aimed at solving everyday problems family problems, strengthening and development of positive family relationships, restoration of internal resources, stabilization of achieved positive results, socio-economic status and orientation towards the realization of socializing potential. Based on this, the social worker is called upon to perform the following functions:

Diagnostic (studying the characteristics of the family, identifying its potential);

Security and protective (legal support for the family, ensuring its social guarantees, creating conditions for the realization of its rights and freedoms);

Organizational and communicative (organizing communication, initiating joint activities, joint leisure, creativity);

Social-psychological-pedagogical (psychological and pedagogical education of family members, provision of emergency psychological assistance, preventive support and patronage);

Prognostic (modeling of situations and development of specific targeted assistance programs);

Coordination (establishing and maintaining the unification of efforts of departments of assistance to families and children, social assistance to the population, departments of family troubles of internal affairs bodies, social educators educational institutions, rehabilitation centers and services) Fundamentals of social work: tutorial for university students / Ed. N. F. Basova. - M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2004. - 288 p. (p. 61)..

Social work with families is a specially organized activity aimed at small groups of people in need of social protection and support from outside. This is one of the types of social protection of the population, the main content of which is assistance, assistance in restoring and maintaining the normal functioning of the family. Social work with families today is a multifunctional activity for social protection and support, social services for families at the state level.

This activity is carried out by specialists in social work with families of various profiles. It is implemented in the conditions of a specific society (federal or territorial) and is determined by its specifics.

Social work with families consists of:

1. Social protection of the family is a multi-level system primarily government measures to ensure minimum social guarantees, rights, benefits and freedoms of a normally functioning family in a situation of risk in the interests of the harmonious development of the family, individual and society. An important role in the social protection of the family is assigned to the family itself: strengthening parental ties; building resistance against propaganda of sex, drugs, violence, and aggressive behavior; maintaining normal psychological health of the family, etc.

Currently in Russia there are four main forms of social protection for families with children:

v Cash payments to the family for children in connection with the birth, maintenance and upbringing of children (benefits and pensions).

v Labor, tax, housing, credit, medical and other benefits for families with children, parents and children.

v Legal, medical, psychological, pedagogical and economic consulting, parental education, scientific and practical conferences and congresses.

v Federal, regional targeted and social programs such as “Family Planning” and “Children of Russia” and others.

2. - Social support for the family involves formal and informal activities and relationships between specialists and families who temporarily find themselves in difficult circumstances regarding professional retraining (education of family members), employment, income provision, etc. it includes medical insurance, as well as various forms (moral, psychologist - pedagogical, material and physical) of assistance from individuals and groups offering role models, social sympathy and unity. Social support for the family involves preventive and restorative measures for the family in the event of the death of a loved one, illness, unemployment, etc.

An important role in social support for families in the context of the development of market relations is played by Employment Centers at all levels, which solve the following tasks:

· collection and dissemination of information on issues of social support for families;

· provision of consulting services on issues of vocational training and employment;

· assistance in opening family-type enterprises;

· vocational guidance children and adolescents;

· payment of benefits for temporary unemployment;

· consulting on selection and use work force;

· assistance in staffing;

· socially - psychological work with clients.

Social support is necessary for families with reduced behavioral activity, pessimistic attitude and feeling unwell. It acquires special importance in those regions and territories where there are few or virtually no female vacancies. various types of social support make it possible to stop personal and family disintegration, help people believe in themselves, and orient them towards self-employment, home work, and the development of subsidiary farming.

Family social services are the activities of social services to provide social, social, medical, psychological, pedagogical, social and legal services and material assistance, carry out social adaptation and rehabilitation of citizens in difficult life situations. In the narrow sense of the word, it is understood as the process of providing families, individuals who are dependent on others and are unable to take care of themselves, with specific social services necessary to meet the needs of their normal development and existence.

It is assumed that all families need social services at least occasionally, and many of these services can be provided by untrained volunteers. Family social services are at the same time a system of social services provided free of charge mainly to elderly families and families of disabled people at home and in social service institutions, regardless of the form of ownership.

An invaluable role in this today is played by 190 territorial Centers for social assistance to families and children, 444 departments for working with families and children, in social service centers and 203 other social service institutions for families and children (40), whose attention covers at least four groups of families:

· large, single-parent, childless, divorcing, young, families of minor parents;

· low-income people with terminally ill people;

· families with an unfavorable psychological climate, with emotional conflict relationships, with the pedagogical failure of parents and harsh treatment of children;

· families containing persons leading an immoral, criminal lifestyle, those who have been convicted or who have returned from prison.

Their main tasks are:

1. Identification of the causes and factors of social ill-being of specific families and their need for social assistance.

2. Determination and provision of specific types and forms of socio-economic, psychological, social, socio-pedagogical and other social services to families in need of social assistance.

3. Support for families in solving problems of their self-sufficiency, realizing their own capabilities to overcome difficult life situations.

4. Social patronage of families in need of social assistance, rehabilitation and support. (We will look in more detail in the next paragraph).

5. Analysis of the level of social services for families, forecasting their need for social assistance and preparing proposals for the development of the sphere of social services.

6. Involvement of various government and non-governmental organizations in solving issues of social services for families. Specialized psychological and pedagogical assistance is actively developing in the system of social service institutions for families and children. Today it is represented everywhere by Centers for Psychological and Pedagogical Assistance to the Population, the main objectives of which are:

Increasing stress resistance and psychological culture of the population, especially in the form of interpersonal, family, and parental communication;

Assisting citizens in creating an atmosphere of mutual understanding and mutual respect in the family, overcoming conflicts and other violations of marital and family relationships;

Increasing the potential of the family’s formative influence on children, their mental and spiritual development;

Assistance to families experiencing various kinds of difficulties in raising children, in mastering knowledge of their age-related psychological characteristics, in preventing possible emotional and psychological crises in children and adolescents;

Psychological assistance to families in social adaptation to changing social conditions economic conditions life;

Regular analysis of requests to the Center and development of recommendations for local government authorities on the prevention of crisis manifestations in the family.

Thus, having analyzed the areas of social work activities in relation to families, we can conclude that assistance to families is provided systematically and in large quantities. Despite all the efforts of government and non-government organizations to help families, the problems of intra-family relationships and generally preserving the value of the family remain relevant to this day.

Conclusion.

In our work, we analyzed the types of families and identified among them those that are relevant for social work: large families, families with disabled people, low-income and poor families, dysfunctional families, single-parent families, etc.

Listed the main functions of the family in various fields family activities: reproductive, educational, household, economic, sphere of primary social control, sphere of spiritual communication, social status, leisure, emotional, sexual. Thus, confirming the need of society for the family as a social institution.

They described the problems of modern families, dividing them into several groups: Social - economic problems, Social - everyday problems, Social - psychological problems, Problems of stability of a modern family, Problems of family education, Problems of families at risk.

They listed the areas of social work with families and revealed their content: social protection of the family, social support of the family, social services for the family. As part of social services, families focused their attention on the Centers for social assistance to families and children.

We came to the conclusion that the modern Russian family is going through a crisis, but a social worker can and should help restore the prestige and stability of the family. The family, as a guarantee of the stability of society as a whole, requires close attention from government authorities and the public, taking more measures to improve the situation of families, all this should be done, including with the help of social workers.

Bibliography.

1. Theory and practice of social work: main directions of development in the XX-XXI centuries (domestic and Foreign experience): Reader. / Comp. and scientific ed. S. I. Grigoriev, L. I. Guslyakova. 2nd ed., add. and processed - M.: Publishing House“MAGISTER PRESS”, 2004. - 479 p.

2. Fundamentals of social work: a textbook for university students / Ed. N. F. Basova. - M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2004. - 288 p.

3. Kholostova E.I. Social work: textbook. - M.: "Dashkov and Co", 2004 - 692 p.

4. Pavlenok P. D. Theory, history and methods of social work: textbook. - M.: "Dashkov and Co", 2003. - 428 p.

5. Technologies of social work in various spheres of life / Ed. prof. P. D. Pavlenka: textbook. - M.: "Dashkov and Co", 2004. - 236 p.

6. Technology of social work with families and children / Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug / Under the general direction. ed. Yu. V. Krupova. - Khanty-Mansiysk: GUIP “Polygraphist”, 2003. - 117 p.

7. Dictionary reference book for social work. Ed. E. I. Kholostova. - M., 1997. - 397 p.

8. Technologies of social work/Ed. prof. E. I. Kholostova. - M.: INFRA - M, 2003. - 400 p.

9. Firsov M.V., Studenova E.G. Theory of social work: Textbook. aid for students higher textbook establishments. - M.: Humanitarian Publishing Center VLADOS, 2001. - 432 p.

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1.1. The essence of social work

The modern understanding of the foundations of social development proceeds from the fact that the state’s social policy should be aimed at creating conditions that ensure decent life and free development of man. In this regard, it is important to protect labor and people’s health, establish a guaranteed minimum wage, ensure state support family, motherhood and childhood, disabled people and senior citizens, development of social services, establishment of state pensions, benefits and other guarantees of social protection (among which social security by age, in case of illness, disability, loss of a breadwinner, etc. is especially highlighted).

Social work – universal social institution: its carriers provide assistance to all individuals, regardless of social status, nationality, religion, race, gender, age and other circumstances.

The only criterion in this matter is the need for help and the inability to cope with life’s difficulties on one’s own.

Social work - professional activity, which aims to assist people and social groups in overcoming personal and social difficulties through support, protection, correction and rehabilitation.

As an activity aimed at helping people solve their problems, social work is one of the humane professions. Like medicine, which aims to rid people of diseases, or pedagogy, aimed at the formation of the human personality, it is a practical expression of the principle of humanism, according to which the highest value in society is man. Humanity is moral quality, which characterizes the attitude of social workers towards their clients.

Like all social institutions, the institute of social protection and social work ultimately fulfills the most important task for the state and society - the task of stabilizing and preserving society, maintaining and harmonizing existing social relations and providing conditions for its comprehensive development - i.e. in fact, it is one of the essential factors in ensuring the stability and security of the state.

1.2. History of the development of social work with the poor

Social work as a social phenomenon has been characteristic of human society since its existence: at various periods of its development, society helps its members in various forms to help them survive. This model of assistance is determined by the level of development of society and its culture in a specific historical period. The very first forms of social assistance are alms. With the advent of the state, the process of providing assistance is enriched with systemic properties (legislative basis for assistance, regulation of the process, etc.).

The spread of Christian ideology played a special role in the development of social work. In addition to the fact that the church is actively involved in real activities to create institutions of assistance and support for various categories of the population, Christian doctrine introduces a new moral meaning into the process of providing assistance. The very understanding of such phenomena as poverty is being revised in the context of a unique socio-religious activity aimed at transforming the world in the image and likeness of God.

In the second half of the 19th century. not only the state, the church, but also various public organizations, first of all – charitable, educational societies, feminist organizations.

The state system of assistance and support has focused its attention mainly on the treatment of social ills, such as poverty, homelessness, and disability. In a number of countries there are state organizations, purposefully implementing local government policy in the matter of social security and support (Elberfeld social security system in Germany, zemstvo charity system in Russia, etc.).

The development of social work in Russia has its own logic and features, which are expressed both in the conceptual apparatus of the history of Russian social assistance (charity and charity are the main, specific concepts of domestic experience) both in content and in forms. This specificity was formed in the conditions of the civilizational uniqueness of Russia (features of lifestyle, mentality, cultural traditions, folk pedagogy, etc.).

The identification of the main stages of pre-revolutionary charity and charity activities is associated with the nature of the participation of various forces in it: church, state, public.

So, the first stage: X - mid-18th centuries. – marked by active charitable activities of the church and the gradual formation state system charity. By the second half of the 18th century, a stable public policy aimed at helping the disadvantaged and needy. Effective forms and methods of helping those in need appear: orphans, illegitimate children, widows, the elderly, the disabled, the disabled, the crippled, the mentally ill, imprisoned fire victims, etc. There are two types of charity: “closed” - in institutions specially created for this purpose (hospitals, shelters , almshouses, etc.), “open” - outside institutions, carried out in the form of pensions, benefits, provision of land, profession. Church and private charity exists alongside state charity and is sometimes of leading importance.

Second stage: mid-18th–mid-19th centuries. – functioning of state-public charity. Of particular importance in this direction is the activity of Catherine II in strengthening the legislative and organizational basis for charity (opening orders for public charity); development of a closed charity system under the leadership of I.I. Betsky, and the emergence of public charity (the creation of public charitable societies such as Volnoe economic society, Imperial Humane Society, etc.).

The third stage: reforms 1861–1917 – a period of public charity. In the post-reform period, public charity and charity underwent major changes: qualitatively new principles for the organization and activities of charitable societies and institutions appeared. Distinctive features charitable activities become decentralization, “openness” and public charity, a focus on prevention in social activities, the emergence and spread of original forms and methods of working with a wide contingent of the population, as well as the growth in the number of private charity. Despite the numerous shortcomings of the Russian charity system (the most important of which are the dispersal of funds and efforts, the lack of a unified program), this time became a heyday in the history of domestic social assistance.

The post-revolutionary and Soviet period is characterized by the development, mainly, of the social security system, which was generally established by the end of the 20s. In modern conditions, a model of social work is being formed that reflects the characteristics of social processes modern Russia and using the experience and traditions of organizing social activities in the field of charity and social welfare.

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Annotation. The topic is devoted to the study of the essence and content of social work in modern conditions of political and socio-economic development of the Russian Federation and its connection with state social policy. The features of social work in the conditions of modernization of modern Russian society are determined.

Target: to introduce students to the features of social work as a social phenomenon, while social work is conceptually viewed as a system of theoretical and practical activity, which is based on a certain scientific and methodological basis and represents an organic unity of theory and practice.

The Russian Federation, being according to the Constitution social state, implements social policy, focusing on national interests and coordinating its activities with economic, foreign and defense policies. This policy is aimed at meeting the individual needs of citizens in housing, education, medical care, and social protection. For its successful functioning, society also needs to maintain civil harmony and public order. Therefore, with the help of social policy, the state creates a family support system, facilitating its task of caring for children, the elderly and the sick.

Thus, social policy is component domestic policy state, aimed at realizing civil rights, freedoms and needs of citizens and embodied in social programs and regulatory practices social relations in society.

The subjects of social policy are the state, which carries out its socio-political activities through the functioning of state power, and authorities at the federal, regional and local levels.

From the point of view of the object of effort, social policy is focused on solving the problems of various categories of the population in need of social support and state assistance.

Elements of the implementation of social policy are social security, social assistance, social protection, social work. The main one is social work, which directly implements the principles of social policy in practice.

Social policy and social work are closely interconnected. Both are characterized by two interdependent sides: scientific-cognitive and practical-organizational. Social work is a unique form, a way of implementing social policy, and social policy is the core, the guideline of social work. Social policy is a broader concept that defines aspects of social work. Unlike social work, it is more sustainable and stable. Social work is more dynamic, mobile, and rich in content compared to social policy. At the same time, their unity is indissoluble. What is social policy, so is social work. Implementation of the content, forms and methods of social

work is entirely determined by social policy. At the same time, social work - activities for social protection, support and assistance of socially vulnerable layers and groups, individual citizens, the population as a whole - cannot but affect (ultimately) the guidelines of social policy, its goals and objectives.

Social work is usually considered as an activity aimed at providing assistance and support to socially vulnerable groups of the population. However, it can (and should) be considered as a prevention activity negative consequences in the behavior and life activities of individuals, groups, and segments of the population.

In the most general view Social work in society is understood as systemic humanitarian activity aimed at ensuring social protection, social assistance, self-realization of the individual and the team.

Social work as an independent type of professional activity, it received recognition in Russia in 1991. The prerequisites for its formation and development are guardianship, charity, various forms of social assistance and support for a person who finds himself in a difficult life situation, which took place in Russia at all stages of its historical development. The official “birth” of the profession “social work”, its registration in the Qualification Directory management positions, specialists and employees is a legal formalization of what has been accumulated by theory, practice, and the history of the peoples of Russia.

In practical terms, social work is an activity carried out by a professionally trained specialist to provide assistance to people in need, who are unable to solve their life problems (personal, family, group, industrial, etc.) without outside help.

The main purpose of social work is to ensure a decent material, social and cultural standard of living for citizens, and to restore, if necessary, their ability to function in society.

Professional social work involves protecting the needs, interests, human dignity, and individual rights to a decent life.

The main features and characteristic features social work are: purposefulness, objectivity and transformative nature, determinism by social conditions and preventive nature.

Thus, the goals of social work reflect its constructive nature and multifaceted content. At their core, they are aimed at creating social conditions necessary for the normal functioning of society; activating clients' own strengths to solve difficult problems social tasks; providing assistance to those who are unable to cope with their life problems on their own.

Social work is a tool for implementing the political attitudes of subjects of social policy, like a practical area (slice) of social policy. Policy is its organizational basis, performing an important methodological function. This formulation of the problem does not at all diminish the importance of social work, but, on the contrary, emphasizes its utilitarian nature and practical orientation, without which political guidelines will turn into a declaration.

But at the same time, social work is also an independent field of activity with its own subjects and objects. In this aspect, social work is a means of social policy, a set of tools that allow it to reach a specific person, which is the goal of any socio-political activity.

Social work as a type of professional activity already has a sufficient history of accumulating empirical material both in Russia and abroad. Generalization and theoretical understanding of the experience of its organization allow us to conclude that social work has already declared itself as an integral system of scientific knowledge 1 .

Scientific and theoretical foundations of social work represent a set of scientific provisions and conclusions of a complex of social and humanitarian scientific disciplines that characterize various aspects of the formation, functioning and development of social work. These primarily include paradigms for researching social work problems, as well as scientifically based information about the patterns and principles, goals and objectives, structures and functions, forms and methods, resources and means, methods and techniques of social work. In addition, the scientific and theoretical foundations include conclusions about ways to develop the regulatory, legal and material and technical base of social work.

Scientific analysis of events and phenomena of social life, comprehensive consideration of trends in the development of social work practice provide a political approach to solving socio-social problems, compliance of the content of social work with modern requirements. In order to organize and carry out social work correctly, from a scientific point of view, in the unity of theory and practice to solve the problems of social protection of citizens, heads of all government bodies must master the theory of social work, which in a concentrated form represents the modern concept of its organization and implementation in society.

1 See: Zhukov V.I. Russian transformations: sociology, economics, politics. 1985-2001. - M.: MGSU, 2002.

Social work in conceptual terms can be considered as a system of theoretical and practical activity, which is based on a certain scientific and methodological basis and represents an organic unity of theory and practice.

The presence of fundamental theoretical principles is of decisive importance for understanding the laws of social work, the development of its principles, forms and methods.

Methodological basis social work is an integral scientific system of philosophical, economic, socio-political views that make up the worldview of people; the science of knowledge and transformation of the world, about the laws of development of society, nature and human thinking. Knowledge of the theory of social work equips social work personnel with a methodology for analyzing and assessing complex socio-political phenomena and processes, which makes it possible to scientifically predict ways to solve social problems 2 .

Knowledge of the basics modern concept social work, its theoretical and practical aspects makes it possible to deeply penetrate into the essence of social work itself, to explore its patterns and principles

py, to trace the main trends in its development, to determine the most appropriate forms, methods and means of social support and protection of people who find themselves in difficult life situations.

Social work has its own organization, each element of which is necessary, organically connected and interacts with others, performing certain functions. This kind of organization is called an integral system, consisting of several relatively independent, but at the same time dependent on each other elements. These are subjects and their powers, a management subsystem, forms and methods of implementation, objects and their connecting goals, principles, means and functions.

The conceptual vision of social work involves viewing it as a system. In this regard, it is necessary to highlight the main components that make up the system of social work in modern conditions in Russia. Let us briefly consider their essence and content.

Objects social work - these are those citizens and categories of the population and members of their families who need social support, assistance and protection. In addition, these include negative trends and social processes, as well as acute problems in society that have arisen due to a number of objective unfavorable socio-economic conditions in the country and require permission or regulation from the state.

Subjects social work - these are officials and special structures (bodies and forces) designed to carry out the functions of social work among various categories and groups of citizens who find themselves in difficult life situations.

Methodological basis social work includes a set of constitutional and legal norms, by-laws of the state and scientifically based theoretical provisions, principles and methods, categorical apparatus, on the basis of which the theory and practice of social work in society is built.

Goals and objectives social work is the expected intermediate and final results, which act as the system-forming basis for its organization, management and implementation among citizens.

Principles social work are guidelines, norms and rules governing the activities of officials in its management, organization, determination of the content, forms and methods of carrying out activities.

Functions Social work represents the main types of activities of its subjects, aimed at solving certain social problems of citizens who find themselves in difficult life situations. These include social protection, social support, social assistance, social services, social security, social insurance, etc.

Social needs - this is the totality of their needs, requests and interests in the social sphere of society, which stimulate people to social activity and require their satisfaction in the process of social work.

Resources social work is a system of legal norms, benefits, financial resources, material benefits and other social privileges that arise from the social status of a citizen and are used by subjects of social work to solve a wide range of tasks and problems in the social sphere.

Technologies social work is the mechanisms for the development and implementation of social programs, as well as complexes of forms, methods and material and technical means used to achieve the goals and solve the problems of social work in society.

Social work in the narrow sense of the word can be presented as a set of purposeful and strictly regulated actions, operations and procedures carried out by officials and special structures government agencies authorities in accordance with its goals and objectives.

System management social work is the activity of government bodies, which is aimed at developing and making decisions, managing forces and means, planning, organizing and coordinating the efforts of subjects, as well as monitoring the results of social work for the purpose of optimal functioning of its system.

Organization social work represents the structure of bodies, divisions and officials, along with the relationships established between them, rights and responsibilities (powers), as well as the procedure for the distribution of resources and funds allocated for social work in society.

Conceptually social work system can be presented as an integrated set of forces and means of social activity in society, its principles and functions, as well as various organizational forms and methods, united by the common goals and objectives of social support and protection of citizens 1.

The scientific foundations of social work are based on theoretical and socio-political principles and are organized in accordance with its inherent laws and principles.

Social work has its own patterns, arising from general patterns state development,

“It is appropriate to note here that the concept of “work” is used as identical to the concept of “activity.” Such clarification will help to avoid ambiguity in the interpretation of such concepts as “social work” and “social activity” that are often found in scientific and specialized literature.

improving social work in the Russian Federation. These patterns are an expression of significant, stable, recurring connections between phenomena and processes in the field of social work in the army and navy, in the daily activities of commanders and officers of educational structures.

The most important pattern of social work is the conditionality of its goals, objectives and content by state policy. The essence of this pattern is that the goals, objectives and content of social work are determined on the basis of Russian legislation, decrees and orders of the President, decrees and orders of the Government, as well as orders of the heads of social organizations and institutions.

One of the principles of social work is compliance of its content, forms and methods with the specific living conditions and activities of citizens. These tasks play a decisive role in relation to the content and selection of the most appropriate forms, methods and means of social work that correspond to the current situation.

An important pattern of social work is the dependence of its condition on the level of preparedness of its organizers, their competence and business qualities

There is no doubt that the main patterns include the relationship between the state’s social policy and the content of social work in society, as well as the relationship between the goals of social development and the level of development of social work. The laws of social work are objective in nature and manifest themselves regardless of the desire, knowledge and will of people.

These are the basic principles of social work. Their reflection and practical refraction are prin-

1 See: Bocharova V.G. Professional social work: a person-centered approach. - M., 2009.

tsipy - Science-based and field-tested guidelines. The principles allow us to correctly determine the content, organization, forms, methods and means of social work, and ensure its high efficiency.

The principles of social work can be defined as the main guidelines that reflect the objective laws of activity for the implementation of the rights, freedoms and benefits of military personnel and members of their families.

In their activities, leaders and managers of social work are guided by the following: basic principles of social work: legality; justice; objectivity; targeting and personification; integrated use of legal, organizational and educational means; close interaction with state authorities, local governments and public associations; consistency; activity; flexibility, etc.

In addition to those mentioned, researchers identify the following group of principles of social work.

General philosophical principles lie at the basis of all sciences about society, man and the mechanisms of their interaction: determinism, reflection, development, unity of consciousness and activity, historicism, the inextricable connection of the individual and his social environment.

Socio-political principles express requirements determined by the dependence of the content and direction of social work on the social policy of the state: the unity of the state approach in combination with the regional characteristics of social work, the democracy of its content and methods, taking into account the specific living conditions of an individual or social group when choosing the content, forms and methods of social work with them, the legality and fairness of the social worker’s activities.

Organizational principles reflect the complexity and diversity of organizational, functional-hierarchical connections and relationships: socio-technological competence of personnel, unity of rights and responsibilities, etc.

Psychological and pedagogical principles express requirements for the choice of means of psychological and pedagogical influence and interaction with the client: a comprehensive analysis of the assessment of the clients’ living conditions and the choice of forms and methods of working with them, an individual approach, purposefulness and targeting of social work.

Specific principles determine the basic rules of activity in the provision of social services: universality, protection of social rights, social response, preventive orientation, client-centrism, self-reliance, maximization of social resources, confidentiality, tolerance.

Along with theoretical foundations for social work practice important have socio-political foundations for its organization and implementation.

IN modern theory Social work distinguishes between broad and narrow interpretations of this activity. In a broad sense Social work is the influence of state authorities, state and municipal authorities, officials of organizations and institutions of the social sphere and the public on the social well-being of the population through the formation and implementation of social policy aimed at creating favorable living conditions for each person and his family members.

IN narrow understanding social work is a professional activity carried out by professionally trained specialists and aimed at providing individual assistance to a citizen, his family or a group of people through information, counseling, direct, in-kind assistance, pedagogical and psychological support, focusing on the manifestation of one’s own activity in resolving difficult situations and promoting this.

From a practical point of view, this approach to defining the concept of “social work” allows us to make a number of relevant CONCLUSIONS

Firstly, social work must be considered as an independent Kind of activity, which has a specific goal - to make maximum use of legal, organizational, educational means when its subjects fulfill the responsibilities assigned to them and the powers granted to them for the social protection of the population.

Secondly, there is every reason to raise the question of the competence of managers at all levels and links and their responsibility for the state of social work among various categories and groups of citizens who find themselves in difficult life situations.

Third, It is advisable to develop criteria for assessing social work and identify opportunities (ways and means) to improve its effectiveness.

Social work as Practical activities is aimed at supporting, developing personality, and rehabilitating individual and social subjectivity of a person. Social work is carried out at a professional and non-professional level. Non-professional level of social work- this is voluntary (charitable) assistance; professional social work is implemented through the functioning of a number of specializations aimed at solving specific human problems (medical, legal, economic, educational, etc.).

Social work is a unique social mechanism for regulating the behavior and activities of the individual and the team (social group). Functional processes that reflect the actions of this mechanism are: modeling social conditions and the way they are perceived;

adaptation systems of the subject (living society) to social reality. Social work is an activity to harmonize social and psychological processes regulation of behavior and activity of individuals and social groups of society.

Social work (a type of activity in society) is manifested in the unity of subject and technological content.

Subject content social work is determined by the goals in the direction of which efforts are concentrated in social activities, this is the provision of social protection, assistance, self-realization.

Technological content- the functioning of the social work model as a systemic social phenomenon is the process of transforming a goal into a result, which is reflected in two interrelated factors: modeling social perspectives; adaptation to the phenomenality of social conditions.

The criterion for the systematicity of the “image” of social work is its value imperative (demand): “The social need (the source of the content of social work) is subject to implementation.”

The “image” of the functional paradigm (model) of social work is manifested in the substantive content of its functions - consequences that have a socially significant role for society, the individual (any social group). TO basic functions of social work can be classified as: ethical, prognostic, preventive and communicative.

Ethical function social work is manifested in the fact that, in its potential (along with social policy), social work contributes to the establishment of a social philosophy of life in society, forms ethical standards social behavior and activity, created by the teacher

a significant incentive of society (army), social group for an individual or a team.

Prognostic function social work reflects its diagnostic potential. The practice of social work in society allows us to identify priorities in social needs, interests, motives of relevant social groups, diagnose the levels of social expectations of citizens, anticipate the directions of natural social transformations and the emergence of zones of social tension and risk. In this regard, social work acts as a method of social monitoring (continuous observation), the functioning and development of society.

Preventive function acts as a regulatory side of social work (as a natural continuation of the prognostic function). Based on the results of social forecasting, social work makes it possible to prevent undesirable social phenomena (critical level of social tension, destructive forms of manifestation of social conflicts, etc.). This function places increased demands on the level of competence and professionalism of social workers.

Communication function social work contributes to the life of society according to the norms of social harmony. Through the mechanisms of this activity, health improvement and strengthening of social relations between people, teams, and social groups in society are carried out. Social work allows for the mutual integration of social needs and interests into interdependent norms of social behavior and human action. In this regard, it acts as a regulator of the formation of social traditions (a kind of “social glue” of society) and as a method of social policy of the state.

The requirements for a highly professional level of social work in modern conditions arise from the severity of social processes at the stage of reform and modernization of Russian society. Main social problems today are:

increased stratification of society (increasing number of poor and rich);

development of population depopulation (aging of the nation);

increasing criminalization of social relations (special dynamics of the growth of child crime);

a surge in the number of socially lonely and rejected people (the phenomenon of loss of social meaning in life).

The reality is that socially significant values ​​fade into the background. Some young people have shifted their focus to antisocial behavior.

The professional approach in social work is predetermined by new content at the present stage.

Firstly, social work is based on the concept of self-realization, self-help of a person, development of his personal resources. In the practice of social work, this is manifested in the affirmation of a holistic (integral) approach to the vision of a person in society. “Biopsychosocial” unity of man is the basis of the functional paradigm of modern social work, which makes it possible to ensure the implementation of the orthobiosis program (reasonable human lifestyle) in the social environment. Ensuring the social health of society involves the unity of three main directions: Strengthening physical health (recreation); relieving mental stress (relaxation); strengthening mental health (catharsis).

Secondly, The modern vision of social work allows us to highlight a number of aspects that reflect the specifics of its content. The main aspects are:

geographical - social activities are carried out within certain boundaries: country, region, institution;

political - taking into account the features of the political system in the practice of social work;

economic - the basis of a person’s interests is formed by the proper conditions of his life;

cultural - recognition and respect in social practice of the culture of individuals and groups;

spiritual - acceptance of the value system of a particular society, team, individual.

Third, social work is expanding its field of influence and this requires a large team of highly qualified specialists with appropriate qualifications. The following specialties and specialists are especially in demand:

organizer of social protection of the population (social protection organization);

social service economist (socio-economic support for the population);

social service lawyer (social and legal support for the population);

psychosocial work with the population (social service psychologist).

Requirements for the activities of social workers are set out in “ Code of Ethics professional conduct", which was adopted in Athens by the General Assembly of Public Relations in May 1965.

Thus, social work is qualitative the new kind activities in Russian society. A characteristic feature of this activity is its humanitarian, managerial and professional potential. The combination of these properties of social work expresses its fundamental quality - a complexly organized system.

Topics for seminars

Social work theory as a science and academic discipline.

Social work as a special type of activity.

Goals and objectives of social work.

Methods of social work and features of their application.

Subjects and objects of social work.

Social work management system in the country.

Historical experience of social work in Russia.

Modern practice of social work abroad.

Topics for writing reports and abstracts

The relevance of the development of social work as a science at the present stage of development of society.

The relationship of social work with philosophy, history, political science, sociology, psychology, conflict management, pedagogy, medicine, law, economics, cultural studies and other scientific disciplines.

Institutionalization of social work in the modern period.

Objects of social work ( aged people, disabled people, low-income families, the unemployed, street children, persons without a fixed place of residence and occupation and other categories of the population).

Experience in training specialists in the field of social work in Russia.

Bibliography

Zhukov V.I., Tavadov G.T. Large ethnological dictionary. - M.: Publishing house RGSU; Omega-L., 2010.

Zhukov V.I. Russia in the global world: philosophy and sociology of transformations: In 3 volumes - Ed. 2nd, revised and additional - M.: Publishing house RGSU, 2007.

Fundamentals of social work / Ed. P.D. Pavlenka. - M.: Infra-M., 2009.

Kholostova E.I. Fundamentals of social work. - M.: INFRA-M, 2005.

Firsov M.V., Studenova E.G. Social work theory. - M.: VLA-DOS, 2000.

Topchiy L.V. Fundamentals of social work. - M., 2009.

Social work has become one of the types of social activities aimed at helping people and helping them in their difficulties. These types of social activities are as old as human society itself. Individuals could not unite into a community, could not simply survive, if they had not developed various forms of support for the weak. Such activities were based on moral and religious views and were carried out in those ways that were available to people at any given time

Social work is precisely the social mechanism that should translate potentially proclaimed rights into actually implemented ones. A social worker can identify the presence of a difficult life situation, help a family or individual turn to sources of social resources from which they should receive support, and assist in the development and implementation of a plan for resolving difficulties. The meaning of social work is to compensate for certain social damages, equalize the opportunities of various individuals, families, and groups in using their social rights.

Based on the above, we can conclude that the meaning of social work. - this is an activity to assist individuals, families, groups in the realization of their social rights and in compensating for physical, mental, intellectual, social and other deficiencies that impede full social functioning.

This activity can be both professional and volunteer, however, despite the importance of the volunteer movement, as the institute of social work develops, both the degree of training of personnel and the depth of specialization of its institutions will inevitably increase.

Social work is a universal social institution: its bearers provide assistance to all individuals, regardless of social status, nationality, religion, race, gender, age and other circumstances. The only criterion in this matter is the need for help and the inability to cope with life’s difficulties on one’s own.

Although among those involved in social work there are many people who belong to one religion or another, the institution of social work itself is secular in nature, being an attribute of civil society. Because of this, in addition to very influential moral imperatives, the activities of a social worker are also regulated by state legislation.

Why should it be classified as special types activities? An activity is a set of human actions aimed at the desired change in an object. A carpenter wants to make a table out of a piece of wood. The physicist strives to record the transitions of an electron from one state to another.

A social worker talks with his client to relieve his psychological stress, help him enter a normal rhythm of life, or assists a person bedridden by illness in purchasing food, personal hygiene items, etc. Everyone performs some actions aimed at achieving a goal and caused by the state of the object with which he is engaged. A carpenter has a piece of wood, a physicist has an electron, a social worker has a person in need of help, unable to solve his problems without outside help. The totality of everyone’s actions associated with influencing an object in the desired direction gives rise to corresponding activity. The peculiarity and character of each type of activity is generated by the characteristics of its subject.

Social work is an activity aimed at providing assistance to people who need it and who are unable to solve their problems without outside help. life problems, and in many cases live.

Any activity, including social work, has its own structure, each element of which is necessary, organically connected and interacts with others, and performs special functions. Such structures are called integral systems. Social work is a holistic system. Let's try to prove this by analyzing the structure of social work. Its structure consists of several relatively independent, but at the same time dependent on each other elements or, as they also say, components. This is the subject

Schematically it will look like this:

Any diagram simplifies the essence of the subject being studied, so one should not attach

it has absolute meaning. But it gives a clear idea of ​​the subject. IN

This is its cognitive meaning. The sequence of listing the components is not accidental: any activity is performed in the direction from subject to object, although it is the object at the end of the listing that is the main factor that determines the essence and nature of the activity. Therefore, it is legitimate to begin the description of social work with the object.

OBJECT OF SOCIAL WORK

The objects of social work are people who need outside help: the elderly, pensioners, disabled people, seriously ill people, children; people who find themselves in a difficult life situation - trouble; teenagers who find themselves in bad company, and many others.

SUBJECT OF SOCIAL WORK

All functions of providing assistance to those in need are performed by the subject of social work. The subject includes the same people and organizations that conduct and manage social work. This includes the state as a whole, which implements social policy. This and charity organisations, charitable societies such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society. These are public organizations: Children's Fund named after. IN AND. Lenin, Russian Association of Social

services, Association of Social Pedagogues and Social Workers, Union of Officers and

But the main subject of social work is, of course, not organizations, not associations, but people engaged in social work professionally or on a voluntary basis.

This is also 6. The content of the specialist’s activities, his main functions (and is also included in the printout for an introduction to the specialty)

The next mandatory component of social work as a system is content. It directly follows from the functions of work. In the most general terms, its functions are: informational, diagnostic, prognostic, organizational, psychological and pedagogical, providing practical assistance, and managerial.

The social worker begins his activity by collecting information about its object. Finds out gender, age, state of health, living conditions, ability to independently provide oneself with everything necessary for life, material wealth, marital status, neighborhood environment, mental characteristics, character, etc. In a word, he is engaged in information work.

Based on the information collected about his future wards, the social worker makes a “diagnosis”: assesses the volume, types of work, mode of his activities, difficulties, forms of methods, draws up a working day schedule for himself, plans physical and material costs, etc.

In parallel with the “diagnosis,” the social worker also builds a diagnosis of his activity: whether it will be difficult or easy for him to work, whether or not he will be able to provide effective assistance, with which official and unofficial organizations he will have to deal with the “patient,” etc.

Depending on the nature of social assistance (providing, for example, social and everyday assistance to a lonely patient or relieving psychological stress), a work plan is constructed, its content and type of practical assistance are determined. Regardless of whether a social worker is an organizer or a practical worker, he, to one degree or another, has to deal with management activities. Social work management is also an important and necessary component of its content.

Social work is carried out through means. Means are all those objects, tools, devices, actions with the help of which the goals of activity are achieved. The variety of functions of social work also causes the variety of its means. It is almost impossible to list them. This is a word, a fountain pen, special accounting forms, a telephone, business connections, psychotherapy techniques, personal charm, etc. It is important to keep in mind that the richer the arsenal of tools that a social worker has and is well-versed in, the more successful his activities. The choice and use of certain means depends entirely on the nature and characteristics of the object of social work. A bedridden patient is one thing, a nursing single mother is another. The range of funds in these cases differs significantly.

MANAGEMENT AND GOALS AS STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL WORK.

Social work is unthinkable without such a component as management. It includes assessment of the condition of the object, planning, development and decision-making, accounting and control, coordination, organizational and logistical support, selection, training and education of social work personnel. All these managerial actions are performed by absolutely all social workers, regardless of whether they are managerial or

practical social workers. In order for social work management to be successful, social workers need to know a lot, not only in the area of ​​their direct activity, but also in many other areas of social life, often far removed from social work. You need to have a good understanding of the social structure of society, the management system of the country and specifically social work, your own

rights and responsibilities of their clients, all legislation on social security and assistance, fundamentals of sociology, social psychology, pedagogy, social work. You need to know and be able to do a lot.

At the same time, it must be especially emphasized that social work management deals with a special category of people who need support and who are often unable to live without outside help. If in the case of a healthy person the decision on the issue can be postponed, then in relation to a sick person, a disabled person, a person

who has suffered severe stress, postponing is unacceptable, as it can cause irreparable consequences.

The listed components (object, content, means, management, subject) constitute the structure of social work. But structure is not yet a system.

An activity becomes a system when its components are linked into a single whole through functions and goals. We've already talked about functions.

What are the goals? A goal is an image of an object that a person wants to receive as a result of his activity. We can also say that a goal is a desired state for a person of the subject of his activity.

How does a social worker want to see a person when providing him with this or that assistance? Apparently, his needs were satisfied. So, the most common goal social worker - to meet the needs of their clients. All activities of the subject are subordinated to this goal; in accordance with it, the content is formed, management is organized, and adequate means, forms and methods of social work are selected. The goal, as can be seen, connects the components of social work into a single whole, makes unified system. Functions also play the same unifying role. Information, assessment, forecast, organization, management - all this concerns literally every component, connecting them into a single operating organism.