Career prospects

A degree in class L39 allows access to the State examination for qualification to the profession of Social Worker, pursuant to Presidential Decree no. 328 of 5 June 2001, the passing of which allows enrolment on the professional register.
The work of the social worker is carried out, in an employed, more rarely self-employed capacity, in public or private facilities, such as: Local Health Authorities, Hospitals, Municipalities, Regions, Prefectures, Ministries, Social Cooperatives.
In detail, the social worker finds professional outlets as an employee (more rarely as a freelancer) at:
- public and private facilities, local health boards, ministries (Justice, Labour, Health, etc.), local authorities, personal services and rehabilitation centres;

- in services for young people with justice problems and in those for adults in prison administrations;

- at prefectures, in rest homes, family homes and shelters for battered women.

Social services are organised within the framework of the various authorities to which specific competence is attributed by national or regional legislation.
The competencies associated with the function are:
- specific knowledge, skills and abilities of a specialist type in the socio-political field;

- specialisation and in-depth skills in one or more areas of professionalisation;

- self-learning and continuous updating ability;

- adequate transversal communication-relational, organisational-managerial and planning skills, in accordance with the level of autonomy and responsibility assigned, with the organisational and working methods adopted and with the main interlocutors (colleagues, other professionals and users).

Recognises marginalisation situations on the basis of indications received by teachers, doctors, law enforcement,

- establishes contact between the competent territorial services and the subject;

- notifies the judicial authorities of cases requiring their intervention (abandonment, abuse, etc.);

- coordinates the activities carried out by the competent structures;

- defines the paths to follow with people in need, also developing them within multidisciplinary teams;

- collaborates with the judicial authorities, in particular in fostering and adopting minors, in foster care, as an alternative to prison sentences;

- performs advisory duties at the courts;

- analyses needs and social resources present on the territory;

- identifies and activates the resources (personal of the user, of the institution in which he/she works and of the local community) that can be used to activate an assistance pathway with respect to the demand and/or the problem presented;

- periodically verifies the assistance plan until the defined objectives are achieved.