Abstract

This study examines the digital competence of social workers employed at social service facilities in Hanoi, providing an empirical basis for strengthening their digital capabilities. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed, with purposive and snowball sampling used to recruit 101 social workers. Digital competence was assessed using the 12-item Digital Competence Scale (DCS), covering six domains. Across all six domains, participants’ self-reported mean scores fell within the “agree” range on a five-point Likert scale. Information and data literacy and communication and collaboration received the highest mean scores, whereas digital safety received the lowest. The findings highlight the need to strengthen social workers’ competence across all six domains, particularly in evaluating information reliability, protecting data, and using technology safely.

Keywords: DCS, digital competence, DigComp, social workers.