Social services policy officer

Social services policy officers research, analyse and develop social services policies and implement these policies and services to improve circumstances of disadvantaged and vulnerable members of society such as children and elderly people. They work in the administration of social services and stay in contact with organisations and other stakeholders and provide them with regular updates.

The following job titles also refer to social services policy officer:

social policy researcher
social policy advisor
social policy development officer
social policy specialist
social policy analyst
social services policy researcher
policy officer at social services
social policy officer
social services policy advisor
policy officer, social services

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as social services policy officer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Social services policy officer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to social services policy officer.

social service consultant
regional development policy officer
recreation policy officer
social security administrator
labour market policy officer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of social services policy officer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of social services policy officer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of social services policy officer.

Impact of social contexts on health: The social and cultural contexts of individuals` behaviours, and the impact on their health within their social and cultural context.
Government social security programmes: The different areas of social security provided by the government, the different rights which citizens have, which benefits are available, the rules which regulate social security and the different situations in which they apply.

These skills are necessary for the role of social services policy officer.

Apply quality standards in social services: Apply quality stardards in social services while upholding social work values and principles.
Apply problem solving in social service: Systematically apply a step-by-step problem-solving process in providing social services.
Evaluate social work program’s impact: Gather data to allow the assessment of the impact of a program on a community.
Advise on social service process: Advise social service organisations on the development and implementation of plans for the provision of social services, determining the objectives, and managing resources and facilities.
Promote inclusion: Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.
Negotiate with social service stakeholders: Negotiate with government institutions, other social workers, family and caregivers, employers, landlords, or landladies to obtain the most suitable result for your client.
Develop social security programmes: Develop programmes and policies which aim to protect citizens and grant them rights, such as unemployment and family benefits, as well as to prevent their misuse of government-provided aid.
Advise on legislative acts: Advise officials in a legislature on the propositioning of new bills and the consideration of items of legislation.
Manage government policy implementation: Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of social services policy officer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Social work theory: The development and characteristics of social work theories underpinned by social sciences and humanities.
Government policy: The political activities, plans, and intentions of a government for a legislative session for concrete causes.
Project management: Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
Social justice: The development and principles of human rights and social justice and the way they should be applied on a case by case basis.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of social services policy officer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Promote social security programmes: Promote government programmes dealing with the provision of aid to individuals in order to gain support for the development and implementation of social security programmes.
Manage a social work unit: Lead the social workers team and be responsible for the quality and effectiveness of social services provided within a social work unit.
Liaise with local authorities: Maintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.
Maintain relationships with government agencies: Establish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.
Report on social development: Report results and conclusions on society’s social development in an intelligible way, presenting these orally and in written form to a range of audiences from non-experts to experts.
Manage several projects: Oversee and direct the development of several projects running independently. Ensure coherence and leveraging forces among projects in order to secure an overall success and profitability.
Organise social work packages: Create a package of social support services according to the service user’s needs and in line with specified standards, regulations and timescales.
Evaluate staff performance in social work: Evaluate the work of staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are of appropriate quality and that resources are used effectively.
Analyse community needs: Identify and respond to specific social problems in a community, delineating the extent of the problem and outline the level of resources required to address it and identifying the existing community assets and resources that are available to address the problem.

2422 – Policy administration professionals

 

 

---

 

 

References

1. Social services policy officer – ESCO