Placement Providers

Practical Placements may only be undertaken in organisations that are registered as healthcare providers, registered social service providers, or organisations whose activities include the provision of social work. Placement Providers may be public, private or non-profit organisations. 

Types of Placements

In the first semester, students are required to complete a placement focused on direct care services. The aim of this placement is to gain a basic understanding of comprehensive client/patient care and to acquire personal experience in direct service activities.

- practising basic daily living activities,

- assisting with personal hygiene and dressing,

- assisting with handling devices, aids, and laundry,

- helping to maintain cleanliness and personal hygiene,

- supporting independence and self-sufficiency,

- promoting active engagement in daily life,

- facilitating social interaction and meeting psychosocial needs.

Direct care activities may also be supplemented with activation activities classified under Act No. 108/2006 Coll. as "basic non-pedagogical educational  activities":

- developing and reinforcing basic hygiene habits,

- supporting contact with the wider social environment.

- encouraging the development of work habits, manual skills, and work-related activities,

- organising leisure activities aimed at developing personal interests, knowledge and creativity through art, music and physical activities, as well as supporting recreational and cultural activities.

Examples of Suitable Placement Settings:

- Long-Term Care Hospital,

- Long-Term Care Ward,

- Hospice services - direct care placement

- Children's Centre (Infant Care Centre) - direct childcare, possibly supplemented by placement with a social worker,

- Home for Seniors - where the placement focuses on direct bedside care (may be supplemented by activation activities),

- Home for Persons with Physical/Intellectual Disabilities - where the placement focuses on direct care (may be supplemented by activation activities),

- Personal Assistance.

Students who have already completed this type of placement through previous studies or employment may, upon submission of written evidence to the academic staff member responsible for placements (Mgr. Jitka Novotná, novot147@vspj.cz), undertake a different type of practical placement of their own choice instead.

HEALTHCARE FACILITY PLACEMENT

A placement undertaken in the role of a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker within a healthcare facility differs from a direct care placement in that the student performs activities of a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker (no longer a "Social Services Worker"). Students are required to complete this type of placement at least once during their studies.

The placement provider must be registered in the National Register of Healthcare Service Providers and must provide social services, including the employment of a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker.

During this placement, students work under the professional supervision of a qualified Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker.

Examples of Suitable Placement Settings:

- Psychiatric Hospital - placement with a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker,

- Hospital - placement with a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker,

- Long-Term Care Hospital - placement with a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker,

- Hospice - placement with a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker,

- Children's Centre (Infant Care Centre) - placement with a Clinical Social Worker or Social Worker.

ELECTIVE PLACEMENT

Students may choose the focus of their remaining three placements according to their own interests and professional goals. The purpose of these placements is to gain social work experience with people experiencing health-related or social disadvantage (social work clients), become familiar with their needs in real-life situations, gain experience using various social work methods and tools leading to the fulfilment of their needs or to the solution of their situation, and develop an understanding of how different organisations operate. Students are encouraged to gain experience in different settings and with diverse target groups.

The selected placement provider must be properly registered (holds a valid company identification number and is listed in the Register of Social Service Providers, National Register of Healthcare Providers, Register of Schools and Educational Institutions, or another relevant register) and have a publicly stated mission focused on disadvantaged people.

Students generally work under the professional supervision of a Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker, or another appropriately qualified professional.

Examples of Suitable Placement Settings:

- Day Care and Week-Stay Care Centres,

- Residential Social Care Institutions,

- Probation and Mediation Service,

- Social Activation Services for Families and Children,

- Citizens' Counselling Facility,

- Children's Diagnostic Institute,

- Educational Care Centre,

- Minority Support Centre,

- Children's Home,

- Children's Home with School,

- Organisations providing services to persons with specific needs,

- City, municipality with extended competence - social department or department of social affairs and healthcare: social benefits administration, social-legal protection of children, foster care services, youth probation and supervision services, etc.,

- Labour Office,

- District Social Security Administration offices,

- Special and Practical Schools,

- Non-profit organisations.

Students may repeat a placement within the same facility/organisation only if they undertake a different type of placement (demonstrably different activity) or if they are preparing a bachelor's thesis directly related to that facility or target group.

It is recommended that Placement V be linked to the topic of the student's bachelor's thesis, particularly its practical - research part.