A Practical Study On Improvement Of Seafarers' Occupational Security Through Social Work Services

China is moving from a large seafarer-supply country to a strong seafarer supply country.Guarantee of seafarers' occupational welfare is a vital link of this movement.Along with the deepening of reform of the economic system in China,especially the reform of corporate ownership,Chinese shipping companies begin to manage their employees in a system that separate seafarers and ships,which results in a change of seafarers' identity from "a man of a company" to "a man of the society".At present,Chinese seafarer population has entered into a stage where "a man of the society" is the main form of existence;as a result,significant changes have taken place in the connotation and the denotation of occupational security for seafarers.Against this situation,it is essential to support seafarers in maintaining to close family relations,good interpersonal relations and promising career prospects in order to retain seafarers in the profession.By means of social research methods including literature review and questionnaire survey and case work of social work research methods,the author studied the problems that exist in occupational security for seafarers in China in respect of maintaining family relations and building interpersonal relations as well as promoting career development.The following social problems have been identified:estrangement from family members,lack of close interpersonal relations,decreasing attractiveness of the profession,frequent occurrence of mental problems,and defective redress systems.With adoption of strengths perspective and empowerment theory,and proof of three cases with intervention of social work concerning family relations,interpersonal relations and career development,the author verifies the positive effects of social work on advancing seafarers' occupational guarantee.Based on analysis of the cases,the author puts forward some suggestions for improving occupational security for seafarers from the three aspects discussed above as well as from the aspect of establishment of maritime social work agencies.It is aimed at offering some ideas for governments to develop relevant policies and for shipping companies to set up posts for maritime social work in their own companies or for companies to cooperate with professional institutions providing social work service.