social counsellor

Social counsellors provide support and guidance to individuals in the social work area, to help them solve specific problems in their personal life. It involves addressing personal and relationship issues, dealing with inner conflicts, crisis moments such as depression and addiction, in an attempt to empower individuals to achieve change and improve their life quality.

Scope note

Excludes people performing counselling services in the medical therapeutic sense.

Alternative Labels

crisis counsellor

crisis counselor

crisis intervension counsellor

crisis intervention counsellor

crisis situation counsellor

crisis situation counselor

gerontology counsellor

personal counsellor

rehabilitation support counsellor

relationship advisor

social counselling worker

social counselor

social psychologist

social therapist

youth counseller

youth counsellor

Regulatory Aspect

To see if and how this occupation is regulated in EU Member States, EEA countries or Switzerland please consult the Regulated Professions Database of the Commission. Regulated Professions Database:

http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/services/free-movement-professionals/qualifications-recognition_en

Narrower occupations

- bereavement counsellor

- drug and alcohol addiction counsellor

- family planning counsellor

- marriage counsellor

- sexual violence counsellor

Skills & Competences

Essential Skills and Competences

accept own accountability apply quality standards in social services apply socially just working principles assess social service users' situation build helping relationship with social service users communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields communicate with social service users cooperate at inter-professional level deliver social services in diverse cultural communities demonstrate leadership in social service cases determine child welfare encourage counselled clients to examine themselves follow health and safety precautions in social care practices have emotional intelligence help clients make decisions during counselling sessions listen actively maintain a non-emotional involvement maintain records of work with service users maintain the trust of service users manage social crisis manage stress in the work place organise relapse prevention perform therapy sessions promote human rights promote inclusion promote social change provide social counselling refer social service users relate empathetically report on social development respond to individuals' extreme emotions undertake continuous professional development in social work use psychoeducation

Essential Knowledge

behavioural therapy client-centred counselling clinical social work cognitive behavioural therapy counselling methods human psychological development legal requirements in the social sector reflexion sexual disorders social justice social sciences supervision of persons

Optional Skills and Competences

address gender-related issues in family planning counselling administer appointments advise on family planning advise on mental health advise on pregnancy apply foreign languages in social services assess clients' drug and alcohol addictions assess the development of youth carry out psychiatric assessment of child communicate by use of interpretation services communicate with youth cooperate with professionals counsel patient on family concerns develop patient treatment strategies empower individuals, families and groups facilitate the healing process related to sexual assault help clients cope with grief identify mental health issues inform on the risks of substance and alcohol abuse plan youth activities practice gestalt therapy prepare youths for adulthood promote the safeguarding of young people provide anger management counselling provide counselling on abortion provide education on family life support the positiveness of youths support traumatised children support young victims of sexual assault use motivational incentives in addiction counselling work on the effects of abuse

Optional Knowledge

accounting techniques adolescent psychological development anger management dependency on drugs family therapy movement techniques peer group methods pharmacology psychological counselling methods psychological theories psychology relaxation techniques reproductive health sex education social development sophrology stages of bereavement strategies for handling cases of sexual assault types of psychotherapy sessions

Skills & Competences

Concept URI

Concept Uri

http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/5727b567-993d-4d41-a13d-81a6af1a9a8e

Status

released

Occupations