Sociotherapy, profession and professional code

• definition of Sociotherapie
• general methods of approach of Sociotherapy
• theoretical lines of approach in Sociotherapy
• arrangement of sociotherapeutic interventions
• task areas
• the sociotherapeutic quality of treatment
• professional code for sociotherapists
• literature and organizations

The sociotherapeutic quality of treatment

When the reader, after reading the previous section, asks himself to what extent his work is carried out on a sociotherapeutic basis in the institution, the following questions can be answered. When, while answering the questions, 'a great deal' can continually be filled in and, on top of this, it can be described how this is given form, then we can speak of high sociotherapeutic quality. When, on the other hand, the answer to be filled in is repeatedly 'little' or even 'none', then we will speak of a low to very low sociotherapeutic quality.

• To what degree does the daily environment stimulate the client to actively participate?
   
• To what degree are the clients given the opportunity to adjust their behavior repertoire and/or increase it?
   
• To what degree can the clients themselves, with the support of the staff, give form to the daily life?
   
• To what degree are clients encouraged to carry out tasks with other clients, to communicate, to interact and to negotiate?
   
• To what degree can the sociotherapists themselves learn from interaction with each other, the clients and other disciplines?
   
• To what degree can all the interactions between staff and clients in the institution be discussed by the staff as well as by the client group?
   
• To what degree is the mutual influence and dependency made explicit in manners, rules and therapies?
   
• To what degree can we speak of equality between clients and staff?
   
• To what degree can we speak of an open exchange of information concerning immaterial and material aspects of the community?
   
• To what degree are the community and the workers in contact with the rest of the institution and society?

Answering the questions and the recognition of the main problems serve to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions and the possibilities of the clients. Such 'research' means that the sociotherapist is consciously engaged in his work and consequently in the strengthening of his professional identity. Naturally, it is the sociotherapist himself who is responsible for this. The sociotherapist can only make this responsibility concrete when the institution has achieved a culture that is directed toward development (education permanente), equality and mutual learning.

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