Social service work (5 ECTS)

Learning outcomes

The students are familiar with the most important Finnish legislation guiding social services and the hierarchy of norms in social welfare. They are familiar with the overall social security system. The students recognize the client's resources and can draw up a client plan together with the client. The students are familiar with different models of service guidance. They can apply the regulations and key guidelines governing the work of Bachelors of Social Services.

Content

Social Welfare Act, Act on the Status and Rights of Social Welfare Clients, Act on Disability Services and Assistance. The service system in the work of a Bachelor of Social Services. The hierarchy of standards: constitution, general laws, special laws, decrees, instructions. A service user’s legal protections, reminders, complaints, and appeals. A service user’s responsibility, resources and network mapping. Assessment of service needs and models of service coordination. Persons in need of special support. Case planning. Documentation with the service user and processing documents.

Teaching methods

Contact lectures, reading materials, simulation workshops and role plays of cases in groups, final individual exam

Location and time

CHANGES ARE POSSIBLE
19.08.2025 13.00 - 15.00 MPA6019 (Finnish support)
20.08.2025 12.30 - 15.45 MPA6018 (Orientation and Social welfare, the service system and other forms of social security in the work of the Bachelor of Social Services,.COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE)
03.09.2025 12.30 - 14.00 MPA2019 Finnish support
08.09.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPA2019 (Key general legislation of social welfare, models of service coordination)
09.09.2025 09.00 - 11.30 Independent group work
09.09.2025 12.30 - 14.00 MPA6010 Finnish support
15.09.2025 09.00 - 11.45 Independent group work
16.09.2025 12.45 - 14.15 MPA2019 (Assessment of service needs. Client plan. Documentation of the client work.)
18.09.2025 12.45 - 16.00 Independent work (Read materials on Client's legal protection, reminder, complaint and appeal)
19.09.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPA3007 (Disabled people, legislation and services)
19.09.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPA2019 (Working on group cases)
24.09.2025 09.05 - 11.45 MPA2008 Simulation and what do we learn from the cases
25.09.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPA3007 Simulation and what do we learn from the cases
26.09.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPA2019 Finnish support
29.09.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPB6023 (Individual Exam)
30.09.2025 10.30 - 11.45 MPA2019 Finnish support
22.10.2025 14.30 - 16.00 MPA2019 Finnish support

Learning materials and recommended literature

Social Welfare Act
Act on the Status and Rights of Social Welfare Clients
Act on Disability Services and Assistance.
The service system in the work of a Bachelor of Social Services.
The hierarchy of standards: constitution, general laws, special laws, decrees, instructions.
A service user’s legal protections, reminders, complaints, and appeals.
A service user’s responsibility, resources and network mapping.
Assessment of service needs and models of service coordination.
Persons in need of special support.
Case planning.
Documentation with the service user and processing documents.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

The exam will be on 29.09.2025 from 09.00 - 11.45.
Re-exam dates will be announced later.

Further information for students

- If the student has prior learning concerning the course an eRPL application must be done before enrolling to the course to the responsible teacher. If you have any further questions concerning eRPL please contact the AHOT responsible teacher for the course.
- If the student has a special support arrangements decision which affects the course, the student needs to contact the teacher in charge right after the enrollment period.
- At the beginning of the course, the teacher will explain the policies for AI use. Use of AI in assignments where it is specifically prohibited constitutes academic misconduct. Similarly, insufficient referencing of AI use is also considered misconduct. Metropolia's AI guidelines can be found on the Student Desktop
- The course includes Sosiaalialan suomi (Finnish for Social Services) meetings, which Finnish language learners attend as part of this course. The schedule for Finnish language meetings for Social Services will be announced in August. The meetings will start in August and end in December. They will be held regularly throughout the first and second periods.

Assessment methods and criteria

Grading on 0 to 5 scale.
- Participation in simulations, role plays is a mandatory part of the course.
- Group assignments (Learning circle reflections, Social security of your client group poster)
- Client plan of 2-3 pages (Individual assignment)
- Final Exam (60% of the course grading)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Framework of evaluation is as an attachment in the Curriculum's description.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Framework of evaluation is as an attachment in the Curriculum's description.