Adolescent psychological development

Description

Understand the developments and the development needs of children and young persons, observing the behaviour and the attachment relationships in order to detect developmental delay.

Alternative labels

adolescents’ psychological development
adolescent’s psychological development
psychological development of adolescents
adolescent behavioural development
psychological development of an adolescent
psychological development of children and young persons

Skill type

knowledge

Skill reusability level

cross-sector

Relationships with occupations

Essential knowledge

Adolescent psychological development is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Child care social worker: Child care social workers provide social services to children and their families in order to improve their social and psychological functioning. They aim to maximize family’s well-being and protect children from abuse and neglect. They assist adoption arrangements and find foster homes where needed.
Consultant social worker: Consultant social workers deliver high quality social work services by contributing to the development and improvement of social work and social care practice. They contribute to policy development, deliver trainings and focus on research in the field of social work practices.
Education welfare officer: Education welfare officers address the social and psychological well-being of students. They counsel students concerning their personal issues that affect their school behaviour, performance and social life. These issues may range from attention deficit problems, to social and personal issues such as poverty or domestic and sexual abuse. Education welfare officers also handle the communication between the students, the parents and the school.
Foster care support worker: Foster care support workers assist and support mentally or physically abused children to be legally separated from their parents. They help them to recover by placing them in appropriate families and making sure that the children welfare is a priority.
Educational counsellor: Educational counsellors provide practical and emotional support to students in a educational institution, either in small groups, classrooms, or individually. They function as an accessible school official whom students may contact for a wide variety of issues. Educational counsellors may provide advice on personal problems such as social integration and behavioural issues, and on school-related matters such as composing adequate curriculum schedules, discussing test scores, and informing students on further education options. They may work closely with a school social worker and/or school psychologist and make referrals to other support services if necessary.
Child welfare worker: Child welfare workers provide early intervention and support to children and their families in order to improve their social and psychological functioning. They aim to maximise the family well-being and protect children from abuse and neglect. They advocate for children so that their rights are respected within and outside the family. They may assist single parents or find foster homes for abandoned or abused children.
Child day care worker: Child day care workers provide social services to children and their families in order to improve their social and psychological functioning. They aim to maximise family’s well-being by caring of children during the day.
Youth offending team worker: Youth offending team workers support young offenders by preventing them from reoffending, counselling them for behavioural changes, referring them to agencies that provide housing, helping them back into education, involving them in constructive activities, visiting them when located in secure institutions and assessing future risks.
Residential childcare worker: Residential childcare workers counsel and support children who have physical or mental disabilities. They monitor their progress and provide them with care in a positive living environment. They liaise with the families in order to arrange their visits.
Educational psychologist: Educational psychologists are psychologists employed by educational institutions to provide psychological and emotional support to students in need. They are specialised in the provision of direct support and interventions to students, conducting psychological testing and assessment, and consulting with families, teachers and other school-based student support professionals, such as school social workers and educational counsellors, about the students. They may also work with the school administration to improve practical support strategies in order to improve the students’ well-being.
Mental health support worker: Mental health support workers assist and provide treatment to people with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems. They focus on personalised cases and monitor the recovery process of their clients, providing also therapy, crisis intervention, client advocacy and education.
Drug and alcohol addiction counsellor: Drug and alcohol addiction counsellors provide assistance and counselling to individuals and families dealing with drug and alcohol addictions, monitoring their progress, advocating for them, performing crisis interventions and group therapy. They also assist the persons with the consequences of their addictions which can be unemployment, physical or mental disorders and poverty. Drug and alcohol addiction counsellors may also prepare educational programs for high-risk populations.
Residential home young people care worker: Residential home young people care workers provide assistance and support to young people who face complex emotional needs expressed in challenging behaviours. They support young adults with learning disabilities coping with school, encourage them to household activities and help them to take responsibility.
Family social worker: Family social workers provide emotional and practical help and advice to families that go through difficulties such as addictions, disabilities, sickness, imprisoned parents, marital and financial problems. They provide advice on what is best for the children in relation to their stay with their families or not, depending on the particular situation.
Mental health social worker: Mental health social workers assist and provide counselling to people with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems. They focus on providing personalised support to cases and monitor the recovery process of their clients by providing therapy, crisis intervention, client advocacy and education. Mental health social workers may contribute to mental health services improvement and mental health outcomes for citizens.
Youth programme director: Youth programme directors develop and implement programmes and policies to improve and ensure youths’ well-being. They facilitate communication with and between educational, recreational, counselling or other youth related institutions, organise events for youths and families, and promote social mobility and awareness.
Migrant social worker: Migrant social workers provide advice to migrants in order to guide them through the necessary steps of integration, namely living and working in a foreign country. They explain eligibility criteria, rights, and duties. They help migrants in the development and maintenance of their information as clients for further referral to day care, social services and employment programs. Migrant support workers collaborate with employers and inform them of the available migrant services, advocating for migrant clients.
Youth worker: Youth workers assist and counsel young people helping them to reach their full potential by facilitating their personal, social and educational growth. They are also involved in managing youth and community projects and resources, delivering programmes related with health, relationships, smoking, drugs or violence issues. Youth workers advocate young people’s interests and collaborate with other organizations that support young people.
Sexual violence counsellor: Sexual violence counsellors provide support services, crisis care services and counselling to women and adolescents who have been directly or indirectly exposed to sexual assault and/or rape. They inform victims of the relevant legal procedures and protective services maintaining client confidentiality. They also address problematic sexualized behaviours of children.
Substance misuse worker: Substance misuse workers provide assistance and counselling to people with substance abuse problems. They monitor their progress, advocate for them, and performe crisis interventions and group therapy. They also assist patients dealing with the consequences of tobacco, alcohol or recreational drugs abuse, which can be problematics as unemployment, physical or mental disorders and poverty.
Youth centre manager: Youth centre managers plan and supervise the operations of children and youth homes which provide care and counselling services. They assess the needs for youths in the community, develop and implement pedagogical methods, and develop programs for the improvement of youth care in the centre.
Social pedagogue: Social pedagogues provide care, support, and education to children and young persons with different backgrounds or capabilities. They develop educational processes for young persons to be in charge of their own experiences, using a multi-disciplinary approach set to the learning experience. Social pedagogues contribute to the individuals’ learning, welfare, and societal inclusion, and put an emphasis on building self-reliance.

Optional knowledge

Adolescent psychological development is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Social worker: Social workers are practice-based professionals who promote social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. They interact with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities in order to provide various forms of therapy and counselling, group work, and community work. Social workers guide people to use services to claim benefits, access community resources, find jobs and training, obtain legal advice or deal with other local authority departments.
Family support worker: Family support workers provide emotional and practical help and advice to families that go through difficulties such as addictions, disabilities, sickness, imprisoned parents, marital and financial difficulties. They provide advice on the best solution for the children in relation to their stay with their families or not. They also provide information on the available services based on the family’s specific needs.
Social work assistant: Social work assistants are practice-based professionals who promote social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. They interact with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities in order to assist in providing various forms of therapy and counseling, group work, and community work. Social work assistants assist guiding staff, helping clients to use services to claim benefits, access community resources, find jobs and training, obtain legal advice or deal with other local authority departments. They assist and work together with social workers.
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.
Clinical social worker: Clinical social workers provide therapy, counselling, and intervention services to clients. They treat clients with personal struggles, namely mental illness, addiction, and abuse, advocating for them and helping them gain access to the necessary resources. They also focus on the impact of medical and public health issues within social aspects.
Homelessness worker: Homelessness workers provide on-the-spot assistance, counselling and advice to people who have housing problems or live on the streets. They present them with services available to homeless people starting from hostel vacancies to financial aid services. They may have to cope with persons with mental health problems, addictions or victims of domestic or sexual abuse.
Hospital social worker: Hospital social workers provide counselling to patients and their families helping them to better cope with the illness, the emotions surrounding diagnosis, and with social and financial problems. They work in cooperation with doctors, nurses and other health professionals sensitising them on the emotional aspects of a patient. They act as link between patients and medical staff. Hospital social workers also support the patients and their families with the discharge from the hospital.
Crisis situation social worker: Crisis situation social workers provide emergency support and assistance to persons with physical or mental disorders by addressing their distress, impairment, and instability. They assess the level of risk, mobilise client resources, and stabilise the crisis.
Community care case worker: Community care case workers perform assessment and care management. They organise domiciliary services to support vulnerable adults who are living with physical impairment or convalescing, aiming to improve their lives in the community and enabling them to live safely and independently at their own home.
Social care worker: Social care workers provide support and help people with care services. They help people to live full and valued lives in the community. They assist babies, young children, adolescents, adults and older adults.They attend to the psychological, social, emotional and physical needs of service users. They work in a large variety of settings with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities.
Victim support officer: Victim support officers provide assistance and counselling to people who were victim of or have witnessed crimes such as sexual assault, domestic abuse or anti-social behaviour. They develop solutions according to the different needs and feelings of persons.
Criminal justice social worker: Criminal justice social workers tackle criminal behaviour and reduce risk of reoffending by promoting and establishing programs to prevent crime within communities. They assist in prosecutions and help to investigate criminal cases. They assist prisoners reinsert into the community after release from custody. They also support and supervise the offenders sentenced to community service and provide support to the victims and the people closely affected by the crime.
Marriage counsellor: Marriage counsellors support and guide couples and families that are going through crises such as depression, substance abuse and relationship problems. They help improving their communication by providing group or individual therapy.
Social services manager: Social services managers have the responsibility for strategic and operational leadership and management of staff teams and resources within and or across social services. They are responsible for the implementation of legislation and policies relating to, for example, decisions about vulnerable people. They promote social work and social care values and ethics, equality and diversity, and relevant codes guiding practice. They are responsible for liaising with other professionals in criminal justice, education and health. They can be responsible for contributing to local and national policy development.
Rehabilitation support worker: Rehabilitation support workers provide counselling to individuals dealing with birth defects or with major consequences caused by diseases, accidents, and burnouts. They help them to cope with personal, social and vocational issues. They assess the personal needs of clients, develop rehabilitation plans, get involved in the training, and help people undergoing a rehabilitation plan with job placement.
Community development social worker: Community development social workers support individuals, families, and groups in socially or financially deprived areas. They provide leadership and bring local people together to make changes and tackle social inequality, helping people to develop the skills needed to eventually run their own community groups.

 


 

References

  1. Adolescent psychological development – ESCO

 

Last updated on September 20, 2022