16 juli 2025

Framework for Digital Competences of Social Professionals now available in English

Digitalisation creates both challenges and opportunities for social work. How can social work professionals strengthen their digital competences, while ensuring inclusion, blended support and ethical practice?

To address this, Onlinehulp Vlaanderen, SAM - Steunpunt Mens en Samenleving, Artevelde University of Applied Sciences, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Howest and UCLL developed the “Framework for Digital Competences of Social Work professionals”.

Good news: this framework is now available in English.

👉 Download the English version here

Why this framework?

Social work professionals often feel the pressure to “go digital”, but lack clarity about what is expected of them. This framework provides guidance, with nine competence clusters covering topics such as:

  • promoting digital inclusion,

  • providing blended care and support,

  • handling digital client data safely,

  • critically contributing to the organisation’s digital future.

Who is it for?

The framework is relevant for:

  • social work professionals in welfare, care and mental health,

  • organisations aiming to implement blended care or blended support,

  • social work education programmes,

  • policymakers and civil society organisations thinking about digital social work.

Find out more:
👉 Download the full framework (EN) 

👉 Download het competentiekader (NL)