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Country
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Latvia
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The overall management and organising of the education of social workers in the country is the responsibility of
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Ministry of Education, private education institutions
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Financing of the education of social workers
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The financing by state funding is moderate and by local municipalities is low. Financing by students themselves is important. Local municipality funds only several workshops for their social workers to increase competencies. Government as a priority funds science related (exact) subjects.
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The rights to acquire education of social workers in the country
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No restrictions
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The organisation of the further education of social workers in the country is the responsibility of
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Local governments, organisations that employ social workers.
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Financing of further education of social workers
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The financing by state funding is lacking, financing by local governments is important. Financing by students themselves is at a moderate level. Organisations that employ social workers also participate in the financing.
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Amount of students of social worker education in the country
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The number of holders of the master degree in social work and of second level higher education professionals is not sufficient. The number of these types of professionals is sufficient.
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Overall management and implementation of European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIPAHA) in the country is the responsibility of
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Ministry of Welfare and local municipalities
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The main resources of financing of European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing
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N/A.
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The required background of the social workers in the country
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No restrictions, the persons with only elementary or secondary education are accepted as carers.
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The requirements to the professions of social worker concerning the level of ICT skills
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No requirements
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The standards of the profession of social worker (social carer) in the country
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There is a classification of professions – it regulates what kind of education is needed for each profession, including social workers and carers.
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System of carers activities in the country
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There are two main parties in social home care – 1) social 2) and care services. Social services assess potential home care recipients, identifying necessary tasks related to home and personal care. These tasks are collected on task package and are sent to care services. Role of care service is to organize home care according to task package assessed by socials. Traditionally home care is organized according to regional distribution. Each regional home care service has facilitator, who organizes carers for their regional branches.
The course of the system is the following:
Assessment (socials) à Planning, managing carers (care services) à Reports (care services)
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Individual rights to carer’s VET in the country
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The carers have rights to improve their educational level by their own expenses. Traditionally, care services organize local trainings (with certification) for their workers. But there are no mandatory requirements.
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Legal framework of carer education in the country
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Profession standard à social carer professionà education programmes (1, 2 level VET, bachelor, master degree programmes).
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Opportunities for carer’s VET in the country
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First and second level vocational education programmes.
Reference - http://www.niid.lv/niid_search?qy=apr%C5%A Bp%C4%93t%C4%81js&page=2
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Certification system of carers in the country
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First and second level vocational education qualifications for carers.
Reference
http://www.niid.lv/niid_search?qy=apr%C5%A Bp%C4%93t%C4%81js&page=2
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System of validation of prior experience in the country
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According to CV, job interview, informal information exchange among home care service providers. There is no special system.
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Evaluation of the situation in the labour market of carers in the country
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Mainly, the labour market of carers is in Riga. Carer salary depends on hourly rate and worked hours. A hourly rates among different home care services are similar. Carers often work on that regional home care service, where they live. After crisis Latvia home care services has a lack of carers, because of low final salary.
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Evaluation of the participation of the country in the European collaboration in the field of care on the old age people
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Latvia country collaboration with Europe in the field of care can be assessed as weak. The field of care has less positive changes in last years. Situation directly depends of Latvia financial budget that has decreased in crisis.
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General description of the professional status of the carers in the country
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Carer is a profession in social sector whose mission is to provide care services for elderly. Carers are employees with no professional education (in practice), and they have contracted with care service providers. Care services providers usually are contracted with local municipalities.
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Description of the place of work of the carers in the country
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Carers are organized by facilitators working in organizations. In Latvia, especially in Riga, there are many care service organizations.
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Requirements to the personality of the candidates for carer (moral stability, physical condition, addiction to nicotine, etc.)
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Informal requirements are very important for selection of workers as well as for planning purposes. Moral stability, patience are necessary for doing everyday tasks (pamper replacement, washing, cleaning). Carer shouldn’t offend care recipients even in case of disputes. Carer should be understandable and with no addictions to alcohol, nicotine e.t.c.
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Requirements to an immigrant as a candidate for carers job
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Yes, it is important for planning purposes. In Latvia Russian care receivers are serviced by Russian carers. It is an important factor to organize harmonious relationships between care workers and receivers.
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Work regulations of carers in the country
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· Working hours: not limited, depending of work schedule.
· Rest period and rest breaks: no special (depending of work schedule) vocation in accordance of legislation.
· Night working: possible, but not practiced with care workers, in practice only care givers.
· Holidays: in accordance with legislation.
· Sick leave, maternity leave: in accordance with legislation.
· Unemployment benefits: in accordance with legislation.
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Main principles of payment system of carers
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Carers’ salary depends of hourly rate and worked hours. Hourly rate depends of difficulty level (1-4). Difficulty level is assessed by social workers identifying necessary tasks.
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Other benefits of carers additional to the salary (telephone, covered transportation expenses, any discounts, etc.)
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Depend on care service organization. Most common benefits are tickets for public transport, telephones, sometimes fuel for transportation. Also discounts to organization services.
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The motivation for job of carer
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There are no researches about motivation, but from experience they can be following – inability to find a job elsewhere, wish for additional income, starting a career in social sector (students), responsibility to relatives, neighbours and friends.
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Average duration of work in the position of a carer?
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2 years.
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