E-consultancy promotes diversified expertise in social
work
 E-consultancy in social work supports
professionals and provides up-to-date information about work
challenges and client cases. Responses to questions sent by
social work professionals are published weekly on the
Sosiaaliportti website. The questions are looked at from
different viewpoints and responded to by a multi-professional
expert group. A recent STAKES report presents experiences
gained from e-consultancy service.
E-consultancy benefits not only professionals but also
indirectly social work clients. Clients are treated more fairly
when workers are supported by the wide diversity of expertise
represented by the consultant group.
Although e-consultancy is targeted especially at social workers
in small municipalities, who need to face the challenges of their
work alone, questions have been received from work communities of
all sizes when professionals have encountered difficult situations
in their work and wanted outside advice. Above all, professionals
turn to the service when they need support and confirmation of
their own views in specific client cases. Further, information and
advice is sought with regard to more general work practices,
especially when such practices vary locally, such as disability
services.
E-consultancy services have been developed in the field of
social work since the early 2000s. In addition to Sosiaaliportti,
consultancy for professionals is offered by the Association of
Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, the A-Clinic Foundation,
the Finnish Save the Children organisation and the Centre of
Excellence on Social Welfare of Northern Finland.
The report describes various models of e-consultancy and
discusses the future prospects of consultancy services.
Source: Hanna Heikkonen, Tero Meltti, Soila
Mäkitalo (eds.).
Verkkokonsultointi sosiaalialalla. Malleja ja kokemuksia
sähköisistä konsultointipalveluista. ('Electronic consultancy
in social work - Models and experiences of electronic consultancy
services'). STAKES, Report 8/2008. 98 pages, price €19. Helsinki
2008. The report has been published online and can also be ordered
from the STAKES online bookshop.
Additional information: Hanna Heikkonen, Senior
Planning Officer, STAKES, tel. +358 9 3967 2179, e-mail:
firstname.lastname@stakes.fi, sosiaaliportti.fi/konsultointi |