Tiltai

The article aims to justify the relevance of communication competence in the process of professional development. There is taken into consideration the connection of concept “social” with trends and priorities of economy and policy, changes in social work practice, emphasizing the communication as possibility and source for professional action and experiential learning. On the basis of theoretical and empirical results of analysis there is discussed the helping process for the risk family and the possibility to develop the communication competence in the process of individual intervention or group intervention. At the first part of article the learning paradigm and social empowerment methodological guidelines, which emphasize the position of active and responsible character and the meaning of collaboration, which determine the success of professional activity. There is discussed the context of the social work, which impact interpersonal communication obstacles and arising problems, the necessity to develop communicative competence is emphasized. Analyzing theoretical assumptions for learning in practice construction with aim to develop empowering relationship with family, there is discussed experiential learning process, definition of its structure, reciprocal communication, construction of practice content, the creation of new knowledge. The results of qualitative research revealed the problems of communication between social worker and family as a client. Social worker with sufficient practical activity experience usually remains in the primary phase of help process – contact establishment. In one case family proactiveness is expected but it remains “invisible”. The research revealed the individual process of experiential process the necessity of practitioner-expert or supervisor coaching in the experiential learning process by self-assessing and combining practical knowledge which were gained by acting in practice placement, theoretical knowledge and created professional knowledge. Such coaching enables to systematize elements recurring in situations, develop their professionalism of social worker with the help of reflection.