RT Book, Section T1 Social Work Professional Organizations in Italy and Spain: characteristics, roles, opportunities, and challenges within the professional order and college systems A1 Francesconi, Martina A1 Guidi, Riccardo A1 De la Fuente Roldán, Iria Noa A2 Guidi, Riccardo AB This chapter analyses the challenges and opportunities faced By Professional Social Work Organizations in Italy and Spain in order to assess their impact on social work and social policy in both countries.Using a mixed-methods perspective, it examines how the main professional social work organizations use public communication to influence national policies. The analysis includes both qualitative and quantitative studies, providing a comprehensive overview of the communication strategies employed. It also presents the results of two simultaneous surveys conducted in the regional headquarters of the main professional associations in Tuscany and Madrid. These surveys seek to understand key aspects of social workers’ participation, such as their level of involvement, the barriers they face and the professional development opportunities they perceive.The chapter identifies both the achievements and limitations of professional social work organizations in Italy and Spain, providing a critical and constructive overview to inform future research and improvements in professional and organizational activity. PB Policy Press YR 2025 FD 2025 LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/126127 UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/126127 LA eng NO Francesconi, M, Guiddi, R y De la Fuente-Roldán, I. N. (2025). Social Work Professional Organizations in Italy and Spain: characteristics, roles, opportunities, and challenges within the professional order and college systems. En R. Guidi, (Ed.), Social Work Professional Organizations. A Comparative International Perspective (pp. 41-60). Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447373698.ch003 DS Docta Complutense RD 27 mar 2026