Between differences and common features: the work of social workers in Italy

This article analyses the work position of Social Workers in Italy according to a national research carried out in 2008 which considers 1000 people registered at OAS (Ordine Assistenti Sociali). The first theme dealt with concerns the spheres of professional engagement and the most relevant types of users whom these workers encounter depending on territorial context and work seniority. The other two themes concern the working conditions, analysed according to activities actually carried out, and the interests that social workers show in these activities. On the whole, we found a national situation characterized on one hand by a wide plurality of working areas corresponding to the increasing plurality of types of users, on the other hand by elements of substantial homogeneity, concerning both the types of intervention actually carried out, and, above all, concerning the subjective importance they gave to them. In particular the respondents gave high priority to the nature and quality of the relationship with the users of social services