Concept of Individual Social Work with Orphans

CHAPTER 1

THEORETICAL BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL WORK IN SUPPORTING ORPHANS

1.1. Concept of research tools

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1.1.1. Concept of children

In Vietnam before 2016, children were defined as Vietnamese citizens under 16 years old. In 2016, the National Assembly passed the Law on Children, which used the definition of "Children are people under 16 years old" (Article 1 of the Law on Children 2016). The definition of children in the Law on Children 2016 removed the limitation of Vietnamese citizens, which also means recognizing that all people under 16 years old without Vietnamese nationality living in Vietnam are considered children and apply the same policies as Vietnamese children.

From the above legal aspects and the context of Vietnam, within the scope of this topic, the thesis applies the concept of children according to the Law on Children 2016: "Children are people under 16 years old" [26].

1.1.2. Concept of orphans

According to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, TEMC, homeless, abandoned children are classified into a group because of the characteristics of this group of children who do not have parents or for some reason are not allowed to live with their parents: “Children temporarily or completely deprived of a family environment or who for reasons affecting the interests of an individual are not entitled to continue living in a family environment shall be entitled to receive special assistance and protection from the State”.

The 2016 amended Law on Children stipulates that TEMC are understood to be children in the following circumstances: Orphaned of both parents or abandoned, lost of source of support.

raised and no longer have blood relatives (grandparents; legal adoptive parents; brothers or sisters) to rely on.

Orphaned of one parent but the remaining parent (mother or father) is missing according to the provisions of the Civil Code or is not capable or capable of raising the child (such as being severely disabled, serving a prison sentence in a re-education camp), has no source of support and has no relatives to rely on.

According to the Law on Adoption issued in 2010: "Orphans are children whose biological parents are both dead or one of them is dead and the other cannot be identified" [26].

1.1.3. Concept of individual social work

Author Le Chi An (2006): “Social work is a method of helping people solve difficult problems. It is specific, scientific and artistic. It helps individuals with their own problems as well as external and environmental problems. It is a method of helping through relationships to exploit personal resources and other resources to solve problems. Listening, observing, talking, visiting and evaluating are the main tools of social work. Thanks to the dynamism in social work, individuals change their attitudes, thoughts and behaviors” [1].

Social work involves the use of social work knowledge, values ​​and skills in face-to-face relationships to help resolve or reduce difficulties arising from imbalances between people and their environments. Social work is the assistance work carried out with people who are experiencing specific practical problems, environmental deprivations and pressures, and difficulties in interacting with others and with themselves. (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, 2017) [26].

In short, CTXHCN is a method of social work through a process of scientific and professional assistance, aiming to support individuals to enhance their capacity.

solve their own problems. In this process, social workers need to know how to apply the knowledge of social work, psychology, sociology and other related social sciences, at the same time use skills, comply with professional ethics, stand side by side with clients, support them to solve their own problems and be able to overcome other problems that may occur in the future (University of Labor - Social Affairs) [13].

1.1.4. Concept of individual social work with orphans

From the concepts of children, TEMC, and CTXHCN, we can propose the concept of a research tool for CTXHCN with TEMC as follows:

Social work for TEMC is a method of social work through a process of scientific and professional assistance, aiming to intervene and support TEMC. This is a process involving children and their caregivers and guardians in identifying problems, planning to solve problems and supporting children in implementing plans to achieve desired goals. In this process, social workers are responsible for finding, connecting and coordinating support services, helping children develop internal resources (material and non-material resources) and can connect with external resources (community, socio-political organizations, unions providing support services for TEMC, policies and regimes to support TEMC) to best meet the material and spiritual needs of children as well as the needs of caregivers to have the best conditions to care for and raise children.

1.2. Individual social work activities in supporting orphans

There are many activities in the CTXHCN with TEMC such as: TVTL activities, referral connection activities, policy advocacy activities, crisis intervention activities, case management activities, education support activities, vocational training and job placement support activities, life skills provision activities, community integration support activities. However, this topic will only focus on 2 activities: Psychological consultation and case management.

1.2.1. Psychological consultation

Counseling is a psychological support process in which the counselor uses knowledge, professional skills and professional attitudes to establish a positive interactive relationship with the client to help them perceive their circumstances and problems, change their emotions, thoughts and behavior to find solutions to their problems.

Individual counseling is a process of active interaction between a counselor and an individual with a problem that cannot be resolved by themselves, to help them change their feelings, behaviors, thoughts and find solutions to existing problems.

Consulting for TEMC is the process of NTV interacting with TEMC. During this process, NTV uses professional skills, knowledge and ethics to arouse and assist TEMC to solve the problems that children are facing by knowing how to promote strengths, overcome weaknesses, take advantage of internal and external opportunities, adjust emotions, attitudes, behaviors, and actions in the face of challenges for themselves appropriately.

The purpose of counseling in social work for TEMC is to help children stabilize mentally, reduce negative emotions in difficult circumstances; increase self-confidence and increase awareness of themselves and their resources; increase children's ability to cope and solve problems; help children have thoughts, psychology, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors that are consistent with social standards and ethical values ​​appropriate to their living environment.

The significance of counseling in social work for TEMC is to help children solve problems promptly and appropriately and prevent negative behaviors from erupting in crisis situations; to relax children's emotions; to help children identify their own problems, improve negative thoughts; to help awaken potential, inner strength, and increase confidence in solving problems.

and deal with problems in children's lives; help children identify priority problems that need to be solved; help children plan for behavior change.

The importance of consultation for TEMC: Children in general and children in puberty in particular often have many changes in psychology, physiology and social relationships. These changes make it difficult for children to control themselves and adapt to society. Therefore, TVTL for children is an activity in which counselors can provide necessary information and experience, helping children think more rationally in reality. At the same time, TVTL for children is also one of the activities that help children have a better understanding of their rights, helping them protect themselves from possible threats or risks.

The consultation process in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for TEMC includes 6 stages:

Phase 1: Establishing Relationships and Building Trust

The goal of creating relationships and building trust is for the caregiver to build relationships, trust, and sharing with children; helping children to actively and proactively share their problems and participate in activities to solve those problems effectively.

The first meeting is very important because it is the time when both the caregiver and the child have their first impressions of each other. From there, the child may be willing to cooperate but may also be wary and wary of the caregiver. Therefore, at this stage, the caregiver needs to do the following:

- Introduce yourself and explain your assistance;

- Create a comfortable, safe atmosphere, helping TC feel accepted and talk about their difficulties;

- Talk about the principles in consultation. Including the principle of confidentiality and exceptions to confidentiality; the principle of respecting TC and TC's decisions need to be informed to TC;

- Children realize that they are capable of helping themselves, feel respected in their choices, and show equality with them;

- Do not judge, comment on or condemn children's morality. Respect children's values ​​and viewpoints with the values ​​of the NTV.

- Consult different sources of information to clarify the child's problem. The counselor needs to be mentally prepared and have the child's consent.

- Use easy-to-understand language, not academic or vulgar. Your tone of voice should show empathy, sympathy, understanding and concern for the client's feelings.

Phase 2: Gather information and define the problem

The purpose of this step is to learn and collect as much information as possible about the customer and the problem they are facing. In particular, it is to learn about the customer's main concerns and main problems, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses that will affect the customer's ability to solve the problem.

To achieve this goal, the NTV needs to, through meetings with the client, understand the client's specific circumstances: physical, psychological, needs, emotions, family, education, living conditions, and social environment. Exploiting the client's thoughts and feelings helps identify problems, understand the client's expectations; help the client understand himself, understand the real problems he is facing, and clearly identify the priority problems that need to be solved.

The needs and desires of the client are the guiding factors for the intervention of the NTV. One of the principles in the intervention is to start from the client. Therefore, this information is very important in supporting the client to choose the solution that is suitable for his/her situation.

Phase 3: Select solutions and develop plans

During this stage, NTV gives TC the right to choose a solution that suits their wishes and circumstances, and the right to self-determination.

TC's direction. TC will be responsible for pursuing its own implementation solution, avoiding dependence or blaming the staff if the solution is not successful.

The main TC is a child, so when facing his own difficult problems, TC is very confused. Therefore, the NTV needs to help TC come up with and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. The NTV does not choose a solution for TC. However, in cases where TC's choice is likely to hurt others or TC himself, TC's right to self-determination will not be exercised.

Counselors need to use many skills in counseling to further strengthen the trust relationship between clients and counsellors. In particular, counsellors need to pay attention to effectively combining basic skills such as listening skills, communication skills, empathy skills, coping skills to help clients carry out their plans, and skills to make challenging requests to delve deeper into clients' psychological world.

NTV supports TC in coming up with a direction that is appropriate to the TC's needs, desires, and circumstances. Then NTV agrees with TC on a roadmap of activities to be carried out. In addition, NTV also helps TC find resources to support TC in implementing its solutions.

Phase 4: Implement solutions and plans

Based on the goals and action plans agreed upon in the previous phase. This is the phase where TC must take specific actions to change the current situation by implementing the set plan with the support of NTV.

The NTV does not do it for the TC, but only checks the progress of the TC's task implementation to avoid dependence on the child. To support the TC in the specific activities of each assistance goal, the NTV needs to use professional skills to promote the process. During the implementation of the plan, sometimes

When the consultant and the client review the proposed goals and solutions to ensure they are appropriate to the client's capabilities and the conditions that allow for success, the consultant acts as a catalyst and helps the client solve the problem. The client is the one who implements the plan.

The caregiver should regularly encourage the child to perform each specific activity of each goal in the agreed plan through the use of coping skills and challenges to help the child start easily. If necessary, the caregiver can use modeling skills to help the child practice new behaviors.

The process of implementing the task is extremely difficult because it forces TC to change his/her attitude and behavior. To help TC change his/her feelings, thoughts, and behavior in stressful situations when TC has not met the new requirements, NTV can use jokes and humor to encourage TC without putting pressure on TC to change.

Phase 5: Evaluation, end of consultation

There are many reasons to end a consultation, the main ones being: the client's problem has been resolved; the client is able to handle future problems; the consultation has not produced results and needs to be transferred to another consultant.

At the end of the consultation, the consultant needs to regularly evaluate the results of each activity and each stage or evaluate when the consultation process ends. To evaluate, the consultant needs to pay attention to:

+ The progress that TC has made to strengthen and enhance TC's trust. NTV needs to tell TC that TC is supported and helped when needed.

+ Discuss with TC to let TC know what TC has achieved; what TC has learned; what resources support TC to achieve that; what tasks TC has not completed and why.