Social work is activity with empirical nature, which still seeks for its identity, and is affected by changes in economical, political and social environment. This is new and unpredictable profession in Lithuania. The purpose of social work is to solve social problems which arise due to interaction between the individual, community and society and social worker in order to optimize the situation in the life of the client and his or her environment which always is complex, seeks for possible solutions and applies accumulated knowledge of various sciences.

Training of professionals plays strategic role in their early stage of such developing professions. It is important to accumulate practical knowledge during the studying process; they should be reflected, conceptualized and modified in case of unexpected situation of the client. Thus practice field is essential unit in the social work studies in university. The purpose of practice field during the third-fourth years of main studies are to educate active, seeking, reflecting and qualified professional. However there is always a dilemma: theoretical knowledge about social work and the knowledge acquired during practice field process often appear distant, strange and unrecognizable.

The activity of the social worker is expressed by intervention to the interaction of individual and environment. This interaction is always individual and complex, and intervention of social worker is specific. Such professional action requires integration of theoretical and practical knowledge and application by reflecting. Therefore in the process of social work education there are important conscious learning experiences, based on analysis, reflection and conceptualization of the interaction between theoretical "know how" and specific experience of "know that".

The aim of this presentation of the research is to discuss how social workers and social work students are creating practical knowledge applying European theoretical approaches in Lithuania. The objectives of the present presentation are: a) to discuss contextual demands for the social work profession required practical knowledge for multidimensional solutions of individual case; b) to analyze implementation of European theoretical approaches for explanation of Lithuanian reality c) to compare social workers’ and social work students ability to use the supportive collaboration for reflecting practical experience, creating practical knowledge; d) to underline the tendencies and prospects of the application of supervision as a method, that stimulates reflection and provides a possibility to reconsider and identify complexity of professional situations as well as personal experience

The paper is based on the theories and research reports of Bourdje (1990), Coleman (2005), Dominelli (2004), Gendron, (2004); Harkness (2002), Hawkins, Shohet (2006). Jarvis (2002), Kolb (1984), Večkienė, Dirgelienė (2010), Večkienė, Eidukevičiūtė (2009), Žorga (2002).

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