Social media

How Soite Uses Social Media in Child Protection: Some Good and Bad Points

When looking at Soite and their communication, it is easy to see that social media is important part of their work. Soite uses Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for sharing information, telling about services and finding new workers. These channels help families and young people see what is happening in the organization in a fast and easy way.

In child protection, Soite uses social media quite carefully. They share only general information, like what kind of help exists or how to contact services. Individual client cases are never talked about, because of privacy rules and confidentiality. This makes the communication sometimes a bit limited, but it is important for safety.

Advantages of Social Media

There are many good sides in using social media:

• It gives more visibility and makes child protection work feel more open.

• Information can be shared very fast, for example changes in services.

• It reaches young people and families where they already are.

• It can make asking for help feel a bit easier.

Disadvantages and Problems

But social media also has some problems. The biggest issues are data protection and the risk of misunderstanding the posts. There can also be negative comments, which can affect the image of the service. Staff needs clear rules so they know what they can post and how to answer people.

How Soite Could Improve Their Social Media

Even if Soite already uses social media in a good way, there are things that could be improved:

• More content for young people, like short videos or simple info posts.

• More interaction, for example small polls or Q&A posts (without personal cases).

• Staff could get better guidelines and training so they feel more confident online.

• Making posts more accessible, with subtitles and easy language.

• Checking social media results more often to see what kind of content works best.

Conclusion

Social media is helpful tool for Soite, and it supports open communication and trust. With some small improvements—especially more youth-friendly content—social media could become even stronger part of their child protection work

Ethics

 

Ethical Principles in Social Care

Social care professionals help and support vulnerable people. Their work is guided by ethical principles that ensure respect, fairness, and trust.

Human Dignity and Rights

Professionals must respect the dignity and rights of every person. They help clients access services and defend them against discrimination.

Self-Determination and Participation

Clients have the right to make their own choices. Social care workers support and guide them, encouraging active participation in decisions that affect their lives.

Social Justice

Social care professionals promote equality and challenge unfair treatment. They advocate for fair access to resources and support people facing discrimination or inequality.

Confidentiality and Integrity

Protecting clients’ privacy is essential. Social care workers must act honestly, maintain their skills, and be accountable to clients, colleagues, and society.

Holistic View

Professionals consider the whole context of a person’s life — including social, emotional, and environmental factors — to provide better support. They also take care of their own well-being to work effectively.

Conclusion

Ethical principles guide social care workers to act fairly, responsibly, and respectfully. By following these principles, they create safe and supportive environments where people can thrive.

 

Professional Growth

 After graduating as a social services professional, I plan to work in child protection. In addition, I want to continue my studies and complete the 60 ECTS credits in early childhood education. My goal is to gain the qualification to work as a social services professional in early childhood education as well. This way, I can combine my skills and knowledge to better support children and families in different environments.

I am not ready to stop learning after my studies. Professional growth is a continuous process, and I want to keep improving in my work. According to Patricia Banner’s theory about professional growth from novice to expert, becoming an expert requires practice, reflection, and gaining experience over time. It also requires openness to learning, receiving feedback, and applying knowledge in real-life situations. For me, this means that even after graduation, I need to actively develop my skills, seek new challenges, and reflect on my experiences to become an expert in my field.

Making a mind map could help me visualize the steps from my current stage as a student to becoming an experienced professional. It would include areas like further education, practical work experience, mentoring, and ongoing learning. By following this path, I hope to grow into a competent and confident expert in social services, especially in child protection and early childhood education.

Criteria of Service

 Good quality social and health care means that clients get the help they need at the right time and in the right place. Care should be safe, fair, effective and focused on what the client really needs. It also means respecting the client’s dignity, beliefs and privacy. These ideas are not random, they are based on Finnish laws, such as the Health Care Act, Social Welfare Act, Patient Rights Act and different national quality guidelines. These laws say how clients must be treated and what rights they have in services.

Clients also have the right to get clear information about their health, different treatment choices and the possible effects of these treatments. They have the right to ask questions, get explanations and make decisions about their own care. This also includes the right to refuse treatment, even if professionals recommend it.

If good care does not happen in practice  for example the client feels ignored, unsafe, or not respected  something should be done. First, the client can talk with the worker or the supervisor. Many problems can be fixed through open discussion, because sometimes the issue is a misunderstanding. If the problem continues, the client can write a complaint to the health care unit, or fill an official objection.

The Social and Patient Ombudsman in Finland helps clients understand these rights. The ombudsman is a neutral person who supports clients if they have problems with care or if they feel they were treated unfairly. People can contact the ombudsman when they need advice, when they want to make a complaint, or when they feel their rights were not respected. The ombudsman does not punish anyone, but they help solve problems and improve the quality of care. Their work is based on the Patient Rights Act and the Social Welfare Client Act, which require that every client is treated with fairness, safety and respect.

Cultural communication

People show happiness and emotions differently across cultures. Being quiet or reserved does not mean someone is unhappy. Language and social norms can make integration challenging, especially for newcomers who need to learn local ways of speaking and interacting. Environmental factors, like weather and social systems, also affect how people communicate. Understanding these differences helps avoid misunderstandings and supports better interaction.

When interacting with a customer from a different culture, you need to be understanding and patient. The customer must be respected and understood regardless of their culture. It is important to recognize that the customer may find it difficult to understand our culture. Ask about their habits, values, and cultural background to better understand their perspective.

If you do not understand the customer’s cultural point of view, for example regarding a certain illness or problem, ask them to explain more. You can also explain how Finland approaches the matter and provide justification for procedures. Inform the customer about possible consequences if they refuse treatment, and always respect their decisions.

If your customer is 50 years old and comes from a culture that considers this age “old,” and they do not want to work anymore, you should support them by explaining Finnish work culture and options. Discuss together how to improve their well-being and explore possibilities for meaningful activities or retirement planning. The goal is to respect their wishes while helping them make informed choices for their life and health

Professional encounter

The customer has a lot to say, and he can't wait to let the employee finish. It's good that the customer talks about his issues openly, but if the employee doesn't get to speak, important things may not go through. This requires the employee to be assertive in directing the conversation in the direction they want and to finish what has been said.

The customer may be tense and therefore unable to listen to the employee.

It is challenging if the customer does not speak at all. The employee knows and sees that something is going on, but the customer doesn't say anything. The employee must try to get some information with several different questions, but it is not helpful.

The customer may have come against his will and therefore does not want to say anything. The situation can be very distressing for the customer, which further increases the inability to speak. It may also be that there is no trust between the customer and the employee.

The customer may be at reception with a negative attitude. The customer may belittle his affairs or even behave arrogantly. The customer can belittle the employee's words.

If the customer does not recognize the problem himself, it is difficult for the employee to help the customer.

The customer has come to the reception as sent by a friend. The client may not recognize the challenges in his life himself, but friends have noticed that the client is not feeling well. The employee does not get any information from the customer about how he is actually doing. It can be frustrating for the customer to be at the reception, and it can be difficult for the employee to help the customer.

 

What influences the creation of a trust relationship?

A relationship of trust is created in continuous interaction where both parties feel valued, heard and accepted.

What is the relationship between power and trust?

Power does not mean trust. The user of power must earn trust and be worthy of trust.

Trust between people is power and trustworthy has more power. The user of power can also abuse trust and that can lead to the loss of power.

Can you show your emotions while being professional?

The professional is allowed to show his feelings, but they must not burden the client. A professional may, for example, be sad for a client, but a professional cannot start crying uncontrollably in front of the client. A controlled display of emotions can support the client's trust and security.