Profession family planning counsellor

Family planning counsellors provide support and counselling to adults and adolescents on issues such as reproduction, contraceptive methods, pregnancy or termination of pregnancy, in compliance with the legislation and practices. They also provide information about maintaining optimum health practices, sexual disease prevention and treatment recommendation referrals, working in collaboration with the professional doctors.

Personality Type

• Social / Artistic
• Social / Investigative
• Social / Enterprising

Knowledge

• Social sciences

  The development and characteristics of sociological, anthropological, psychological, political, and social policy theories.

• Psychological theories

  The historical development of counselling and psychological theories, as well as the perspectives, applications, and interviewing and counselling strategies.

• Reproductive health

  The reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life under safe and legal conditions, childbearing, modern contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and female genital mutilation.

• Sex education

  Provide information and advice related to human sexual reproduction, emotional relations between sexual partners, birth control and human sexuality in general.

• Behavioural therapy

  The characteristics and foundations of behavioural therapy, which focuses on changing patients` unwanted or negative behaviour. It involves studying the present behaviour and the means by which this can be un-learned.

• Cognitive behavioural therapy

  The solution-focused approach to treating mental disorders oriented towards solving problems by teaching new information-processing skills and coping mechanisms.

• Reflexion

  The way to listen to individuals, to summarise the major points and clarify what they are feeling in order to help them reflect on their behaviour.

• Social justice

  The development and principles of human rights and social justice and the way they should be applied on a case by case basis.

• Client-centred counselling

  Practice that encourages clients to concentrate on how they feel at the present moment during the counseling session in order to search for the most appropriate solutions.

• Human psychological development

  The human psychological development across the lifespan, theories of personality development, cultural and environmental influences, human behavior, including developmental crises, disability, exceptional behavior, and addictive behavior.

• Legal requirements in the social sector

  The prescribed legislative and regulatory requirements in the social sector.

• Psychology

  The human behaviour and performance with individual differences in ability, personality, interests, learning, and motivation.

• Supervision of persons

  The act of directing one individual or a group of individuals in a certain activity.

• Counselling methods

  Counselling techniques used in different settings and with various groups and individuals, especially concerning methods of supervision and mediation in the counselling process.

Skills

• Report on social development

  Report results and conclusions on society's social development in an intelligible way, presenting these orally and in written form to a range of audiences from non-experts to experts.

• Encourage counselled clients to examine themselves

  Support and encourage the clients to analyse and be aware of some aspects in their life that may have been distressing or impossible to tackle so far.

• Manage stress in organisation

  Cope with sources of stress and cross-pressure in one's own professional life, such as occupational, managerial, institutional and personal stress, and help others do the same so as to promote the well-being of your colleagues and avoid burn-out.

• Promote inclusion

  Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.

• Respond to individuals' extreme emotions

  React and help appropriately in case of extreme emotional reactions of individuals in a crisis situation, extreme distress or who are traumatised.

• Communicate with social service users

  Use verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication. Pay attention to the specific social service users' needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, age, developmental stage, and culture.

• Handle conflicts

  Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.

• Provide social counselling

  Assist and guide social service users to resolve personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties.

• Manage social crisis

  Identify, respond and motivate individuals in social crisis situations, in a timely manner, making use of all resources.

• Maintain the trust of service users

  Establish and maintain the trust and confidence of the client, communicating in an appropriate, open, accurate and straightforward way and being honest and reliable.

• Perform therapy sessions

  Work in sessions with individuals or groups to deliver therapy in a controlled environment.

• Communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields

  Communicate professionally and cooperate with members of the other professions in the health and social services sector.

• Help clients make decisions during counselling sessions

  Encourage clients to make their own decisions related to their problems or inner conflicts by reducing confusion and allowing clients to reach their own conclusions, with no bias whatsoever.

• Relate empathetically

  Recognise, understand and share emotions and insights experienced by another.

• Promote social change

  Promote changes in relationships between individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities by taking into consideration and coping with unpredictable changes, at the micro, macro and mezzo level.

• Follow health and safety precautions in social care practices

  Ensure hygienic work practice, respecting the safety of the environment at day care, residential care settings and care at home.

• Provide termination of pregnancy counselling

  Provide information and counselling services to young women facing the decision of undertaking abortion, discussing about the causes and consequences and helping them make an informed decision.

• Advise on family planning

  Provide advice on the use of birth control and methods of contraception available, on sexual education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted diseases, pre-conception counselling and fertility management.

• Deliver social services in diverse cultural communities

  Deliver services which are mindful of different cultural and language traditions, showing respect and validation for communities and being consistent with policies regarding human rights and equality and diversity.

• Organise relapse prevention

  Help the patient or client identify and anticipate high risk situations or external and internal triggers. Support them in developing better coping strategies and back-up plans in case of future difficulties.

• Apply quality standards in social services

  Apply quality stardards in social services while upholding social work values and principles.

• Demonstrate leadership in social service cases

  Take the lead in the practical handling of social work cases and activities.

• Cooperate at inter-professional level

  Cooperate with people in other sectors in relation to social service work.

• Advise on pregnancy

  Counsel patients on normal changes occurring in pregnancy, providing advice on nutrition, drug effects and other lifestyle changes.

• Assess social service users' situation

  Assess the social situation of service users situation balancing curiosity and respect in the dialogue, considering their families, organisations and communities and the associated risks and identifying the needs and resources, in order to meet physical, emotional and social needs.

• Have emotional intelligence

  Recognize ones own and other people`s emotions, distinguish correctly between them and observing how they can influence one`s environment and social interaction and what can be done about it.

• Undertake continuous professional development in social work

  Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) to continuously update and develop knowledge, skills and competences within one`s scope of practice in social work.

• Address gender-related issues in family planning counselling

  Inform the client on gender-related topics related to family planning by encouraging them to decide on their own sexual and reproductive health choices or to bring partners into family planning counselling.

• Promote human rights

  Promote and respect human rights and diversity in light of the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of autonomous individuals, taking into account their opinions, beliefs and values, and the international and national codes of ethics, as well as the ethical implications of healthcare provision, ensuring their right to privacy and honouring for the confidentiality of healthcare information.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Build helping relationship with social service users

  Develop a collaborative helping relationship, addressing any ruptures or strains in the relationship, fostering bonding and gaining service users` trust and cooperation through empathic listening, caring, warmth and authenticity.

• Accept own accountability

  Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

• Apply socially just working principles

  Work in accordance with management and organisational principles and values focusing on human rights and social justice.

• Maintain a non-emotional involvement

  Keep a broader perspective and stay non-attached to the emotions and feelings expressed by the client during counselling sessions.

• Maintain records of work with service users

  Maintain accurate, concise, up-to-date and timely records of the work with service users while complying with legislation and policies related to privacy and security.

• Refer social service users

  Make referrals to other professionals and other organisations, based on the social service users' requirements and needs.

• Provide education on family life

  Provide culturally sensitive health education and services, focusing on women, family and community and promoting healthy family life, and pregnancy planning.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB