2012/5, стр. 417 - 431

SOCIAL WORK IN KAZAKHSTAN: GENESIS, MODERN REALIAS AND PROSPECTS

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Introduction

The Republic of Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, constitutional and social state, which policy is aimed at creating the conditions that provide a worthy life and free development of the person. Formation of legal fundamentals and mechanisms of realizing the social state is brought about through improvement of the social legislation, realization of social functions of the state, ensuring of each person’s right to a worthy life.

Forming the national model of the system of social protection of population is directly connected with the process of forming a new, adequate, transformed to the socioeconomic relations, social policy.

In the report on social protection of population, prepared by independent national experts by request of the Program of United Nations development in Kazakhstan (2007), the main periods of forming this social institute are revealed.

The fi rst period (1991-1995) was characterized by the main factors of developing the system of social protection of population: rupture of economic relations, a drop in production volume, mass liberation of workers, hyperinfl ation, tough monetary and credit policy, growth of compelled stops in production. It caused a need in applying transitional forms of social protection of population, as well as in creating new structures, such as employment services and the State fund of employment assistance to population, adoption of laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On population employment”, “On minimum wage and the state social guarantees in the fi eld of compensation” and others.

The second period (1996-1999) is featured by payment crisis of enterprises, a drop in receipts to the country budget as a result of decline in production and bankruptcy of enterprises. At the beginning of 1997 the size of pension debt was 24 billion tenges (three-month volume of payments), and debts of allowance payment to families with children were about 4 billion tenges (sixmonth volume of payments). The altered budgetary conditions led to a drop in volumes of financing services of public consummation such as education and medical care. By the end of this stage a gradual economic revival can be seen in the following:

– bringing about a pension reform;

– replacement of social benefi ts by monetary compensation;

– unemployment benefi ts.

In the economic system of Kazakhstan the third period (2000-2005) was characterized by the manifestation of steady positive tendencies, which allowed to develop and adopt a number of legislative, normative and program documents. Due to the documents stated above, the state authorities’ work concerning improvement of the system of social protection of population has become systematic and purposeful (Social protection of the population in the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2007).

The research topicality of the issue related to the genesis and conditions of social work in Kazakhstan is stipulated by modern socially-oriented policy of the state which major direction is to increase the level of social security of citizens, as well as the system of social protection of population.

The aim of this article is to consider peculiarities, conditions and factors of formation and development of social work in Kazakhstan.

The methodology of the research consists of historical and cultural, system, societal, activity approaches to problem studying.

Historical and cultural approach (K.B. Zharikbayev, S.K. Kaliyev, A.N. Agafonov, M.V. Firsov, E. Holostova, etc.) allows to reveal the genesis of social work in Kazakhstan, to study the history of its formation, functioning; moreover, basing on theoretical sources it allows to show the evolution of social assistance’ forms at defi nite stages of social development in Kazakhstan. This approach helps us to trace the main tendencies referred to the formation of social protection institute and social work as well.

System approach is the general theory of systems (L. Bertalanfi, I. Miller, V. N. Sadovsky, A.I. Uyemov, U.P. Eshbi, etc.) allows to determine a group of essential features, basing on them it is possible to defi ne the grounds of system approach to social work.

Social work has the following features of systems: a set of interconnected and interdependent parts; part (subsystem) of objective reality, reality, one of its objects; being a system it does not exist itself, it always functions and develops in a certain environment; integrity; components of social work have a variety; it contains the mechanism of its self-preservation, self-movement and self-development; it is internally organized; according to a level of development it is subdivided into highly complex, developed, average developed and underdeveloped elementary systems (formation stages) (Theory of social work, 1998).

Societal approach (I. Zimnyaya, E. Holostova, I. Zaynyshev) considers the whole array of social relations. Social work is an interdisciplinary science, and its object is “the person’s interaction with himself/herself, other people, society” (I. Zimnyaya, 1992: 54-67).

Activity approach in social work (S. Grigoryev, L. Guslyakova, N. Stoiko, T. Demidova, M. Firsov) determines a variety of social activity as system of social protection, as activity of public services, organizations and individuals in giving assistance, as activities related to restoration, preservation of social relations between the individual and society.

Main body

Historical information

Sources of social work are connected with the key concepts “help”, “mercy”, “charity”. The history of human civilization testifies that these concepts have ancient roots in national culture of any people. As historical monuments of the 6th – the 8th centuries – Orchono-Yenisei writings, “The book of my grandfather Korkyt”, “Kutadgu bilik” (Godsent knowledge) written by Usuf Balasaguni, “Divani lugat at-turk” (The dictionary of Turkic dialects), their manifestations were an attribute of high morality of Turkic people – ancestors of Kazakh people (The anthology of pedagogical thought of Kazakhstan, 1995).

The heritage of Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ahmet Yesevi and other thinkers of the East contains the aphorisms emphasizing the importance of such ethical qualities such as mutual aid, love towards people, attention to people around, compassion and mercy. For example, in the treatise “The book about wisdom” (the XII century) Ahmet Yesevi wrote: “ If you are clever, attract hearts of the lonely … Make the lonely, the poor, orphans happy” (The anthology of pedagogical thought of Kazakhstan, 1995).

Excursus to the historical past of Kazakh people allows to present mercy, charity, help as cultural values of Kazakh traditional culture. Kazakh people’ s nomadic way of life in severe conditions of a huge steppe promoted development of such national and psychological features of the people as mercy, mutual aid, mutual support, compassion in grief and aspiration to help each other. Helping a neighbor as an integral attribute of national traditions and customs of Kazakh people can be traced in concrete forms of labor actions or in material support. For example, Kazakhs had customs – “Asar”, “Ume” – a labor help when inhabitants of an aul, having gathered, did work together that required great efforts (construction of a house, a yard, hay mowing, sheep shearing, etc.). The custom “Asar” is an attribute of Kazakh people’s unity, care about a neighbor, and it did not lose its topicality presently.

In the Kazakh steppes manifestation of charity was a commonplace thing, a part of way of life that the nomadic people had. Traditions of Kazakh people’s mercy and charity found their expression in the customs of “Zhylu” - rendering disinterested aid to fellow tribespeople, victims of jute (mass loss of cattle caused by icing of pastures); “Keusen” - after harvesting grain-growers shared abundance of products with relatives, friends, inhabitants of aul; “Shulen taratu” - rich strands of the population (bais, biis) distributed cattle, money, property, food among distant and close people of the same land, i.e. they tried to help poor relatives taking care of them. Besides a great number of customs Kazakh people have customs of mercy and charity - not to forget families of the deceased, to take a constant care of them. For example, the custom “Oli sybaga” - charity of fishermen (towards lonely, widows who lost their breadwinners, fi shermen present a catch share). Nobody has the rights to take offense or oppose to such care. Everyone took a feasible duty to show similar actions of humanity, high civicism.

With Moslem spreading in steppes of Kazakhstan charity began to have a religious coloring. Customs of material donation called “Aittyk” - small gifts, souvenirs, money distributed among people asking during the religious holiday called ait; “Pitir” - a monetary donation of Muslims in a mosque during the fast (oraza) in memory of deceased relatives; “Sadaka” - monetary or other material donations to orphans, widows and other people in need.

Traditions of bringing up in a large Kazakh family in the spirit of respect for seniors – aksakals, their honoring, knowledge of their family tree (shezhire), led to the fact that sons took care of elderly people till the end of life. The lonely found a shelter at native tribespeople. Up to the beginning of the 20th century institutions for elderly people didn’t exist in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhs paid a special attention to disadvantaged children – orphans. The nomadic people have a proverb “The house with children is a market, the house without children is a mazar” (tomb) that says about a relationship towards children and cult of children. The continuation of a family line was considered to be a sacred duty of a man and a woman. The child who lost his or her parent, as a rule, is adopted by the relatives of the father or mother. This custom is called “Asyrap alu” – adoption. Also childless spouses could adopt a child at his real parents’ consent. Adoption procedure was the following: a future mother welcomed her kid, named her kid putting in his or her right hand a sheep tibial big bone (asyk zhilik). Doing it she could claim that this child belongs to her.

The second half of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th centuries is marked in the history of Kazakh society by Kazakhstan’s accession to Russia, development of industry, business, trade, the beginning of shift stage from a traditional patriarchal way to an industrial one. Thus, by the end of the 19th century charity was gradually gaining features of sponsorship and was held through the activity of private donors and class charitable societies. A rapid spreading of charitable activity began.

On the territory of Kazakhstan the society of the Red Cross had played a huge role in charity. According to K. Nakipov on the threshold of the 19th - the 20th centuries in Kazakhstan, Turgaysky local administration was functioning, as well as Omsk trustee committee, Akmolinsk and Petropavlovsk trusteeship of the Red Cross. All of them were engaged in assistance to starving inhabitants.

These organizations adjusted the targeted support of the sick and people suffering from hunger, material and food deliveries. Canteens, dosshouses, hospitals opened. In Petropavlovsk, Kokchetav and Akmolinsk local trustee committees of the Red Cross were established for the additional help to the starving.

At the end of the 19th century the societies whose main task was to give assistance to their members appeared in Kazakhstan. For example, in April, 1898 there was a society of salesmen of the city called Verniy (they were the most low-paid employees). According to the author of the article “Charity history in Kazakhstan” (K. Nakipova, 2003), at the beginning of the 20th century a special magazine was in-demand that was devoted to the issues of charity “Messenger of charity”.

During the Soviet period measures for support of elderly, disabled citizens, for protection of children, motherhood were taken in Kazakhstan. Thus, during 1920 -1930 the system of establishments for neglected children started to be formed in the conditions of combating homelessness. Children’s homeless placement centres, children’s homes, orphanages, labor colonies were created. However, such social support had its disadvantages. Material forms of help were generally used. Social support had no addressing towards the concrete personality. The sphere of the public social aid was insignificant, as it was considered that the state can embrace all people who are in need for social help. The state budget was the only source of financing. There was no private charity. The social help was built on the concept of benefits and privileges (T. Shelyag, 1992).

The issues of rendering social help during the Great Patriotic War (1940s) in Kazakhstan are connected with care of orphan children, support of military personnel and their families. The important direction of social support was social rehabilitation of disabled people and their return to labor activity, construction of nursing homes, labor homes, expansion of a network of orphanages for children who have lost their parents.

1950s-1980s of the 20th century in Kazakhstan were characterized by functioning of paternalistic social support system which provided many categories of citizens with social welfare and payments.

From the mid 1960s low-income families had an opportunity to receive free drugs for children who were under one year old. Since the beginning of 1970s there had been a single allowance for the birth of a child. Taking orphanages, nursing homes under patronage was widespread during this period.

Forming the model of social protection of population in the conditions of independent Kazakhstan

In the early nineties of the 20th century, when Kazakhstan became independent, one can observe changes of the public relations, entry into the market, radical changes in the system of social protection of population.

Kazakhstan’s scientists define the main stages of forming the system of social protection of population.

The solidary system of social protection (with a high extent of participation of the state) continued to operate at the first stage (1991-1993). It gradually came into conflict with realias of the transition period. A growing decline in production, deterioration of situation in the social sphere, reduction of financial opportunities of the state dictated to take not a system, but “selective” social and protective measures: the legislative acts are adopted that aim at solving social issues of the day (The law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Social Protection of Citizens Injured by Nuclear Tests at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site”, the Decree of the President “On Measures for Social Support of Large Families”, etc.). At the second stage (1993-1995) in the conditions of proceeding decline in production, reduction of grants to the social sphere, population stratification according to the income, social policy is aimed at protecting, first of all, low-income persons. A gradual transition to the address social help begins. At the third stage (1995-1997) the types and size of social help are legislatively set for the most vulnerable strands of the population (pensioners, the disabled, large families, other categories of citizens). The normative documents, regulating the order of granting certain social benefits to certain categories of the population, are worked out. The part of the social payments carried out from the republican budget is transferred under the control in the local governing bodies (A.N. Agafonov, K.N. Menlibayev, K.M. Tuganbekova, G.G. Chernaya, 2005).

The following stage (1997-2000) of the development of the social protection system is characterized by the shift to a sustainable economic development of the country, creation of the normative and legal ground regulating the main directions of social and protective activity of the state and non-governmental structures taking into account market conditions. A number of laws comes into force: Law “On Social Allowance for Disability, Loss of Breadwinner and Old Age in the Republic of Kazakhstan” (1998), “On Special State Allowance in the Republic of Kazakhstan” (1999), “On Social Partnership” (2000). The legislation stimulates active search of work by able-bodied citizens in the sphere of population employment. In the sphere of pension security the former pension system is reformed built on a solidary principle. A new pension system is created basing on a savings principle. The reform of workers’ compensation in the budgetary sphere is brought about, and replacement of benefits in kind with payment of allowances is carried out. Since January 1, 1999 the persons who had had the right to receive social pension for the loss of a breadwinner, old age (not having a necessary experience), disability, were transferred to the system of state allowances, i.e. they began to receive not pensions, but allowances (A.N. Agafonov, 2008).

Further development of the system of social protection of population in the republic is connected with the development and realization of “The concept of social protection of the population in the Republic of Kazakhstan” (2001), which content is directed at forming the model of social protection of the population that is adequate to the new social and economic structure of Kazakhstan society. Basic provisions of the Concept are defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Strategy of Kazakhstan development till 2030.

Since 2005-2006 all citizens of the Republic irrespective of length of service, salary size have had the right to be paid basic social payments when the corresponding social risks are arising.

The modern system of social protection of the population in the Republic is focused on promoting formation of incentives to stable paid labor activity with higher level of the population coverage at the minimum costs of administration. Proceeding from it, the main directions of social protection are defined:

– social security of motherhood and childhood;

– solution of disability problems. Implementation of the state support of production for needs of the disabled, introduction of the state standards providing disabled people’s access to fundamental rights and services. Strengthening of a role of the public associations protecting the rights of the disabled in the formation of positive public opinion towards the disabled;

– providing the address social help to the most unprotected segments of the population on the basis of real criteria of needs. Social protection is provided concerning families with low per capita incomes who cannot provide socially necessary living wage. As a result it is lack of means of subsistence or funds to pay vitally necessary goods and services;

– working out of the special programs aimed at providing certain group of persons – the elderly, the disabled, low-income citizens with additional protection;

– increasing the role of social standards, stage-by-stage increase and minimum wage approximation to the level of living wage; ratio optimization between the size of salary and level of social benefi ts;

– increase of participation level in the system of social protection of public organizations.

About realization of social services in the Republic of Kazakhstan at the present stage

In 2008 the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the Convention of the United Nations on the rights of the disabled. If earlier the state faced the task of social protection of the disabled only, now it is expanded taking into account the need for creation of equal opportunities to participate in public life.

The rights of socially vulnerable categories of the population in the Republic of Kazakhstan are provided with such acts as the Code “On Citizens’ Health Protection”, the Code about work, Laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Population Employment in the Republic of Kazakhstan”, “On Prevention of Domestic Violence”, “On Special Social Services in the Republic of Kazakhstan”, “On Social Protection of the Disabled”, “On Pension Provision”, “On the Rights of Children in the Republic of Kazakhstan”, “On Compulsory Social Insurance”, “Strategy of Gender Equality”, etc.

To a certain extent In Kazakhstan there was a system of social and medicalpedagogical-correctional support of handicapped children. Functioning of this system implies the solution of tasks including creation of single state system of identification and accounting of handicapped children; development of a network of the organizations that render special educational and social services; social adaptation of handicapped children, social support of the families having handicapped children.

Institutions for elderly people involve a territorial center for day stay of the aged and the disabled. They function for the purpose of receiving medical and social and rehabilitation services, as well as having a leisure and rest. Their setting will help to overcome loneliness. Offices of social home help which are engaged in rendering social home help. The main task is to create favorable conditions of stay in the habitual environment, to render special social services according to the state standards of social service, to take rehabilitation actions. For the purpose of creating effective system of help to handicapped children, since 2003 offices of social home help to handicapped children have begun functioning.

The activity aim of offices of social home help is to render services to the disabled, handicapped children, the lonely, the aged and incapable citizens needing outside care and help.

The most important form of social protection of population is social security which is the state system of material security and social service of elderly and incapable citizens, and also families with children. The right to the state providing is guaranteed to each citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Article 28 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan contains guarantees towards citizens for the minimum size of pension, social age security, in case of illness, disability, loss of a breadwinner.

Main types of social security involve allowance related to disability, loss of breadwinner, temporary disability, and social service of the aged, incapable citizens, handicapped children.

Provision of pensions is one of the most important social guarantees of stable development of society since it directly concerns interests of incapable citizens of any country, and it indirectly covers the whole able-bodied population.

Since 1998 in Kazakhstan the savings pension system has been introduced. Unlike former, “solidary” system, it excludes the state monopoly for provision of pensions, gives the person the right to solve a problem on his/ her own as for the size of future pension.

Social service involves activities of social services concerning social security, rendering of social and everyday, social and medical, psychological and pedagogical, social and legal services and financial support, carrying out of social adaptation and rehabilitation of the citizens being in a difficult life situation (E. Holostova, 2001).

Various types of social protection institutions render social services to population: centers of social service, center of rendering social help to a family and children, social refuges; houses of night stay; gerontological centers etc.

The most important form of social protection of population is social insurance. Types of compulsory social insurance include a disability case, loss of breadwinner, loss of work. The state guarantees the right to social payments when social risks related to the types of compulsory insurance are appearing.

The elements of social protection of the population in Kazakhstan imply social help and social programs. Social help as an element of social protection is carried out in the republic by various payments to the persons who are in a diffi cult situation (the state help, housing allowance, etc.).

In Kazakhstan there are various state social programs aimed at decreasing unemployment, improving quality of life, health protection.

The public and charity organizations take an active part in the solution of social problems, fi rst of all, connected with socially vulnerable categories of citizens. In Kazakhstan the system of charity organizations, funds, associations are actively functioning.

One of the well-known charity organizations in the republic is the children’s fund “Bobek” headed by the first lady of Kazakhstan, S.A. Nazarbayeva. This year the fund has celebrated its 20-year anniversary. The Bobek fund acts as the initiator of solving many problems of orphan children, disabled children. With the fund’s active participation, in Kazakhstan laws on protection of the rights of orphan children have been adopted – “On family children’s villages and youth houses” (2000), “On social and medical-pedagogical correctional support of handicapped children” (2002). On the initiative of the fund Bobek, in the republic family villages of new type for orphan children have appeared, as well as youth houses for schoolleavers of orphanages.

An active part in the social field is taken by such non-public organizations as NPO “Center of social services” (Karaganda), OLE “Union of the crisis centers”, NPO “Association of social workers, the disabled and volunteers” (Almaty), NPO “Childhood without borders”, NPO of repatriates “Asar”, NPO “Care”, NPO “Ardager”, NPO “Center Umit”, NPO “Credo” (Karaganda), etc.

Social workers training in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Reforming the system of social protection assumes existence of the human resources, who are ready to solve multi-aspect problems concerning social support, protection of various categories of the population. Over recent years higher education institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan have trained quite a large number of specialists in the field of social work who are successfully holding professional activity in the public and non-public structures of the system of social protection.

The first higher education institutions that began social workers training include Buketov Karaganda State University, East Kazakhstan State University. Then the training was carried out by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Gumilyev Euroasian National University and other higher education institutions of the republic. Today social workers training is being carried out by 20 higher education institutions of the republic, that are both public and non-public.

Specialists training in social work required creation of textbooks, teaching aids which reflect ethnocultural features of Kazakh and other peoples occupying the republic, historical roots and traditions of merciful, charitable actions of Kazakhs, and also social problems that are typical for modern, actively modernizing Kazakhstan society.

The teachers of Buketov Karaganda State University are doing an active work in this direction. This work has resulted in the following books: “Socialwork” (K.N. Menlibayev, K.M. Tuganbekova, G.G. Chernaya, S. T. Kargin, 2002); “Fundamentals of social work theory” (N.N. Agafonov, V.V. Egorov, K.N. Menlibayev, S.B. Nurmagambetov, 2002); “Technologies of social work” (G.G. Chernaya, 2003); “Social work with a family” (M.T. Baimukanova, 2003); “Social work: theory and technology” (A.N. Agafonov, K.N. Menlibayev, K.M. Tuganbekova, G.G. Chernaya, 2005); “Practice in the system of training of social workers and social teachers” (G.G. Chernaya, K.M. Tuganbekova, 2005); “Social work: introduction to specialty” (A.N. Agafonov, 2008), “Population employment” (A.N. Agafonov, K.N. Menlibayev, G.G. Chernaya, 2008).

Besides, there are works prepared by the teachers of other higher education institutions of the republic. The works involve separate directions of social work: “Society and a teenager: sociological aspect of deviant behavior” (Sh.E. Dzhamanbalayeva, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 2002), “Social work of the city: principles and directions” (L.G. Kozhamkulova, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 2002); “Social work with youth” (G. Abdirayymova , AlFarabi Kazakh National University, 2003), etc.

Complience of the technology of training at the higher school with the Bologna Process has become a guideline of competitive specialists training at the present stage. In this regard competent approach is the basis of Kazakhstan strategy of higher education modernization in the conditions of credit technology of education.

In 2011 a group of authors of Buketov Karaganda State University and AlFarabi Kazakh National University has worked out the new State Standard of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan in “Social work” (bachelor degree) according to the Dublin descriptors which are based on five main results of education: knowledge and understanding, use of knowledge in practice and abilities of understanding, ability to make judgments, to assess ideas and to make conclusions, abilities in the field of communication, abilities in the fi eld of education.

The program of social workers training involves studying a cycle of the basic and main subjects of an obligatory component: theory of social work; methods and technologies of social work; organization, management and administration in social work; economic basics of social work; medical and social basics of social protection of population; legal support of social work; general and social psychology; social services in the social fi eld.

Social work is a multifield activity, in this regard specialists training in this area is based on a set of subjects, has an interdisciplinary character providing comprehensive and profound link with other humanitarian disciplines, fi rst of all, with philosophy, sociology, psychology, pedagogics, science of law, economics theory. In the Republic of Kazakhstan a cycle of general educational disciplines includes also history of Kazakhstan, Kazakh (Russian), foreign languages, computer science, ecology, philosophy.

The educational program of a bachelor degree “Social work” is focused, first of all, on interests of employers. Graduating students of higher education institutions in “Social work” work in the field of various social services, education and health care institutions, population social protection authorities, departments of employment and social programs of a city and district, branches of the State Pension Payment Center, non-governmental organizations, etc.

International cooperation on improvement of social workers training in Kazakhstan

With integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan into the world community, the problem of social workers training, studying of foreign countries’ experience are becoming issues of the day. For example, in the framework of the international cooperation the staff of Social Work and Social Pedagogics chair (Buketov Karaganda State University) cooperates with Euroschool (Germany), Sofia university (Bulgaria). In 2008 the chair took part in “International pilot project on systematic introduction of modern system of care work with the lonely aged and disabled” (Germany - Kazakhstan) (Pilotprojekt zur systematischen Einfiihrung eines modernen Pflegesystems in dcr Provinz Karaganda, Kasachstan).

In 2008-2011 teachers and employers (Regional Management of Employment and Social Programs Coordination, public institutions such as Departments of Employment and Social Programs in a number of cities and regions of the area) worked on the problem of improvement of social workers training in Kazakhstan in the framework of the International educational program in the direction of “Social work” and implementation of the joint European project TEMPUS ETF-JP-00471-2008 “Education professionalizing in the social field” (LMTS) headed by the Academy of Grenoble (France).

Since 2012 the work on the international program has proceeded in the framework of the new project TEMPUS (LMTS) (LMPSM N 516721TEMPUS-1-2011-1-RO-TEMPUS-JPCR) on social and psychological work on the theme: “Licensee Training on Social Psychology”. Partners of Buketov Karaganda State University are higher education institutions of Romania, France, Russia, Ukraine.

Prospects of social work development in the Republic of Kazakhstan

The twentieth anniversary of independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan is marked by a new strategic course in social policy of the state. In annual Messages of the President N.A.Nazarbayev pays a great attention to the issues of social modernization as one of the main development vectors of Kazakhstan.

Improvement of quality and standard of living of all Kazakhstan citizens, population employment are priorities in the state’s social policy. In the republic the program of education modernization, health care, spheres of social services are operating. The system of institutions engaged in social protection of population is expanding. It is crucial to note the expansion of social services, social instituions taking care of the persons who are in a diffi cult life situation. The number of nonpublic organizations is rising, their activity is aimed at rendering special social services.

Prospects of social work development in the Republic of Kazakhstan are connected with formation of optimum model of social protection of population. In this respect studying models of social work in different countries represents great opportunities for further improvement of the system of social help and support of socially vulnerable categories of population, development of social work institute in Kazakhstan.

Сonclusion

The appeal to genesis and modern conditions of social work functioning in Kazakhstan is stipulated by a great attention to the issues of social protection of population and the practice of social work organization in modern conditions.

Attention increase to the person, his or her rights, social problems, development of social services aimed at giving assistance to various categories of the population have promoted formation of social work institute in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The main content of social work involves giving assistance to individuals and groups for understanding by them and elimination of personal and social problems putting obstacles for their development and active participation in society’s life; protecting and supporting the persons who are under diffi cult circumstances, rendering social services, realizing address, social support and protection of separate groups of the population (children, large families, the elderly, the disabled, the homeless, etc.).

Formation of social work institute is directly connected with the system of social protection of population which development is an important direction of social policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Qualification of human resources in the field of social work increases effi ciency of measures for social protection. In this respect the idea about competitive specialists training, who are mobile, initiative, able to react adequately to different situations in the changing environment has become a conceptual paradigm of forming and developing the system of human resources training for social work in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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Авторите представят социалната политика в Република Казахстан и проблемите в обучението на социалните работници. Статията разглежда и перспективите в развитието на социалните дейности в Република Казахстан, като взима предвид интегрирането в световната общност.