School of Social Work

at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Social Work Professionalization

in Ukraine
Natalia Gusak, PhD, MASW
Nadiia Kabachenko, PhD
Oksana Boiko, MASW

Map of Ukraine

Facts and figures

The second biggest country in Europe
(area: 603 700 km2)
Independence: August, 24, 1991
Population: nearly 42 millions (incl. 1,600,000 of
IDPs)
Average salary: 180 USD (without taxes)
Average pension: 80 USD
Minimum subsistence level: 60 USD
Minimum average profit: 66 USD
Military conflict since 2014
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National University of Kyiv

Mohyla Academy (est. 1615)

School of Social Work (est. 1994)

School of Social Work named after V.Poltavets
is the first in Ukraine professional school of
social work.

Since 1995 the School has had the first in

Ukraine Social Work Master program, since
1997 the first SW Bachelor program.
At our SSW UKMA since 1997 - 500 alumnies in
total (260 BA; 240 MA)

International cooperation
The School is the only one member from
Ukraine for IASSW and the East-European
Subregional Association of Schools of
Social Work (EESrASSW)

Current Ukrainian context

At present over 60 higher education institutions
and colleges (state and private) ensure social
work education
Nearly 140 000 persons working for the state call
themselves social workers but most of them do
not have special education (bachelor and master
degrees)
No statistics on the number of social workers in
NGOs. In some areas NGOs cover most of
services (like HIV/AIDS, children and youth etc.)
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Public recognition
The use of the title social worker is
identified by the Law of Ukraine On Social
Services (2003)
No special Law on Social Work
Existing Law on Social Services which is
lacking understanding the core of SW
profession
No licensing procedures, no protected title
status
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Social work public settings

in Ukraine

Ministry of Social Policy

Ministry of Health
Ministry of Education and Science
National Police of Ukraine
Public Penitentiary Service of Ukraine

Employment issues
Public institutional settings prevailing
medical personnel and low number of
social workers (1 social worker per 100150 clients)
Low salary (in public institutions - up to
100 USD which is equal to minimum
subsistence level)
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SW professionalization:
some achievements
After 20 years of subordination under sociology, social
welfare etc., since 2016 (regulation of the Cabinet of
Ministries of Ukraine) social work became a separate
area of knowledge in Ukraine
National SW educational standards are being
developed
Three cycles of education ensured by the new Law
on Higher Education (2016)
First PhD in Social Work and Social Policy Program
has been created and piloted
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Achievements (2)
SW tailor made courses based on arisen social
issues (human trafficking, social entrepreneurship,
monitoring and evaluation of social projects and
programs, international social work, LGBT issues,
mediation, advocacy, supervision, vocational
training etc.)
SW Certificate advanced training for practitioners,
educators, researchers, policy makers
Introduce evidence based principles to social
work policy, education & practice (e.g. in social
commissioning, social entrepreneurship, human
trafficking and forced labor)
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Achievements (3)
The social work profession is officially
recognized (included into the State Registry of
Profession 1999)
SW supervision for public institutions is
formalized and recognized (2015)
Private social services established

Social entrepreneurship well developed in Ukraine

(courses, over 700 enterprises, resource centres
etc.)
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Social enterprises in Ukraine

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Challenges for SW education

Despite official divorce from other disciplines
in 2016, its knowledge body is diffused by
other disciplines because of lack of teachers
with the SW academic degree (PhD in SW)
Lack of field practice supervisors with
appropriate education and experience
Limited number of hours for practice
placement within SW curriculum
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Challenges for SW
professionalization in Ukraine

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Challenges for SW
professionalization in Ukraine
1) New groups of clients emerged because of

military conflict in Ukraine:

IDPs
Veterans and their family members
PTSD survivors

2) On-going social services system reform:

lack of social policy reform strategy
need for decentralization
need for deinstitutionalization

3) Lack of SW occupational regulation (existing only

accreditation of education programs by the
Ministry of Education)
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Priority development areas

Social work research in as the key in
building local knowledge base and
enhancing its academic capacity
Study on the situation in the field of
social work education and practice
Developing and introducing Military
Social Work and Clinical Social Work
(curriculum & practice)
Creating National Association of Social
Workers
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!
Contacts:
gusakny@ukma.edu.ua
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SSW.NaUKMA

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