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Key Facts: Esame di Stato Assistente Sociale Exam

D.P.R. 328/2001

Regulation setting the Section A and Section B exam tests

D.P.R. 328/2001, Arts. 22-23

Section A & B

D.P.R. 328/2001, Art. 20

Section B: 2 written + practical + oral

Official Section B structure; Section A has 2 written tests and an oral

D.P.R. 328/2001, Arts. 22-23

30/50 per test

Minimum mark required in each test

University of Florence 2026 candidate notice

July & November 2026

Two exam sessions set by the 2026 MUR ordinance

Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026

€49.58 + university fee

State admission tax plus host university contribution

Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026, Art. 3

English MCQ adaptation

Independent study format, not the official Italian or German sitting

OpenExamPrep

The Esame di Stato per Assistente Sociale is Italy's professional qualification exam under D.P.R. 328/2001 for registration with the Order of Social Workers. Section B has two written tests, a practical test, and an oral; Section A has two written tests and an oral, each marked out of 50 with a pass mark of 30. This independent bank offers 100 English-language MCQs on social work theory, welfare legislation, the CNOAS Code of Deontology, child and family protection, and service networks; it does not simulate the official tests.

Sample Esame di Stato Assistente Sociale Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Esame di Stato Assistente Sociale exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In social work methodology, what is the primary objective of the initial intake phase (fase dell'accoglienza e dell'analisi della domanda)?

A.To check eligibility documents and decide on economic benefits before exploring the person's situation

B.To draw up the full intervention plan during the first meeting so that services can start immediately

C.To listen actively, analyze both the explicit request and the underlying needs, and begin a collaborative professional relationship

D.To refer the person straight to the specialist service that seems most relevant, without exploring the request further

Explanation: Intake is where the social worker welcomes the person, listens actively, and separates the explicit request from the needs that may lie behind it. It lays the foundation of trust for the later assessment and planning phases. Eligibility checks, planning, and referrals may follow, but they depend on first understanding the request.

2Under the CNOAS Code of Deontology, what does the principle of self-determination (autodeterminazione) require of the social worker?

A.Recognizing the person as capable of making their own choices, and where that capacity is reduced, promoting the best degree of self-determination possible

B.Accepting every request the person makes, because the social worker may never question the person's choices

C.Deciding on the person's behalf whenever the professional considers the person's choice unwise

D.Obtaining the person's signature on the intervention plan, which satisfies the principle for the rest of the intervention

Explanation: Article 26 of the CNOAS Code recognizes the person as able to self-determine and requires the social worker to support their right to make their own choices, respecting the rights of others. Article 27 adds that when capacity is reduced, the professional promotes the best degree of self-determination possible and, if that is not achievable, reports the situation to the Judicial Authority so that protective measures can be activated.

3Which graphic assessment tool represents a family across at least three generations to show biological and legal ties, relationships, and recurring patterns?

A.Ecomap (ecomappa)

B.Sociogram (sociogramma)

C.Life timeline (linea della vita)

D.Genogram (genogramma)

Explanation: The genogram is a standardized family diagram covering three or more generations. It records births, marriages, separations, deaths, and the quality of relationships, which helps the social worker spot intergenerational patterns such as repeated conflicts, losses, or caregiving roles.

4In the systemic-relational model (modello sistemico-relazionale), how is an individual's problem or symptom primarily understood?

A.As the linear effect of a single past cause that must be identified and removed

B.As an expression of communication patterns and the relational balance within the system the person belongs to

C.As an intrapsychic conflict inside the individual, to be addressed separately from family relationships

D.As a skills deficit in the individual that is corrected mainly through training and reinforcement

Explanation: Systemic thinking reads the symptom as a signal of how the whole relational system functions, with attention to circular causality, feedback, and homeostasis. The intervention therefore targets interaction patterns among members rather than one person in isolation.

5What is the function of the helping agreement (contratto di aiuto) between social worker and user?

A.It is an administrative act in which the service unilaterally sets the conditions the user must accept to receive benefits

B.It is the written consent that authorizes the service to process the user's personal data

C.It is a shared agreement that defines goals, mutual commitments, resources, timescales, and how progress will be reviewed

D.It is the internal record of assessment findings that the social worker keeps in the case file

Explanation: The helping agreement makes the intervention transparent and participatory: professional and user agree on objectives, who does what, which resources are used, and when results will be checked. This matches the Code's requirement (Art. 29) to inform the person about mutual commitments, programs, and foreseeable consequences.

6What distinguishes circular questioning (domande circolari) in a systemic family interview?

A.Asking each family member the same factual question in turn so that answers can be checked for consistency

B.Returning repeatedly to the presenting problem until the family agrees on its cause

C.Asking open questions that let one person tell their story without interruption

D.Inviting one family member to describe how others relate to each other and how they see differences and behaviors

Explanation: Circular questions ask a person to comment on relationships between other members, for example what the mother does when the father and son argue. They bring out differences, alliances, and feedback loops, giving the family new information about itself.

7In the task-centred model (modello centrato sul compito) developed by Reid and Epstein, how are intervention goals structured?

A.Around specific problems the client acknowledges, addressed through agreed tasks within a short, time-limited series of sessions

B.Around long-term exploration of past experiences to build insight before any change is attempted

C.Around goals set by the worker from the agency's mandate, whether or not the client recognizes the problem

D.Around restoring emotional equilibrium in the first hours after an acute traumatic event

Explanation: The task-centred model is brief and structured. The client and worker select a small number of target problems the client recognizes, break them into concrete tasks, and review progress within a limited number of sessions. Its strength is accountability and measurable progress.

8What is the professional purpose of a home visit (visita domiciliare) in social work?

A.To check whether the household's lifestyle matches the income declared in benefit applications

B.To observe the person in their own living environment in a planned way, understanding daily conditions, relationships, and resources

C.To meet the user informally outside the office, without the need for planning or recording

D.To carry out a check that is allowed only when the Juvenile Court has expressly ordered it

Explanation: A home visit is a planned professional tool: it gives direct knowledge of the person's living conditions, relationships, and practical resources that an office interview cannot show. It needs clear objectives, respect for the person's space, and proper documentation.

9In the helping relationship, what is the key difference between empathy (empatia) and sympathy (simpatia)?

A.Empathy means taking on the user's feelings as one's own, while sympathy means understanding them from a professional distance

B.Empathy is needed only in the first interview, while sympathy must be maintained throughout the intervention

C.Empathy means understanding the user's experience 'as if' from the inside while staying emotionally distinct; sympathy means sharing or identifying with the feelings

D.Empathy requires agreeing with the user's view of the problem, while sympathy lets the social worker disagree

Explanation: Empathy is the ability to grasp another person's frame of reference accurately while keeping one's own emotional boundaries. Sympathy involves feeling with or like the other person, which can lead to over-identification and loss of professional judgment.

10In Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which description corresponds to the mesosystem (mesosistema)?

A.The immediate settings where the person has face-to-face interactions, such as the family

B.Settings in which the person does not take part directly but which affect them, such as a parent's workplace

C.The broad cultural values, laws, and ideologies of the society

D.The interrelations between two or more settings in which the person actively takes part, such as family and school

Explanation: The mesosystem is the set of links between the person's microsystems, for example how parents and teachers communicate about a child. Weak or conflicting links between settings can be as significant for assessment as problems within any single setting.

About the Esame di Stato Assistente Sociale Exam

The Esame di Stato per Assistente Sociale is the Italian professional qualification examination required for registration in the Albo degli Assistenti Sociali, either in Section B (Assistente Sociale) or Section A (Assistente Sociale Specialista). It is governed by Legge 84/1993 and D.P.R. 328/2001 and called each year by a MUR ordinance, with sessions held at designated universities. Section B includes two written tests, a practical case test, and an oral examination; Section A includes two written tests and an oral examination. The official exam is in Italian, with a German-language option at the University of Trento. This bank provides independent English-language MCQ practice for knowledge review, ethical analysis, and case decisions; it is neither an official translation nor a substitute for preparing the written, practical, or oral tests.

Exam sponsor: Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MUR), with examinations at universities designated in the annual ordinance. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

The State Examination is governed by D.P.R. 328/2001 and called each year by a MUR ordinance; for 2026, Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694 set two sessions starting on 27 July and 16 November for Section A and on 31 July and 20 November for Section B, at designated universities. Section B (Assistente Sociale) has a first written test on the theory, principles, methods, and techniques of social work; a second written test on social policy and the organization of social services; an oral examination on legislation and professional deontology, discussion of the written test, and critical review of the professional internship; and a practical test analyzing and proposing solutions to a case. Section A (Assistente Sociale Specialista) has a first written test on planning, organization, and management of social services, research methods, evaluation, and supervision; a second, applied written test on evaluating a service planning case and drafting plans; and an oral examination. Each test is marked out of 50 with a pass mark of 30. The exam is in Italian; the ordinance also lets eligible EU candidates resident in Italy sit it in German at the University of Trento. OpenExamPrep provides an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation for knowledge review and case judgment, not an official translation or a simulation of the written, practical, or oral tests.

Time Limit

Set by each university examining commission; for example, 2026 notices included 2-hour written tests (Section A, University of Florence) and 3-hour written tests (Section B, Suor Orsola Benincasa)

Passing Score

At least 30/50 in each test; each test must be passed to be admitted to the next

Exam / Certification Fees

€49.58 state admission tax plus a contribution set by each host university

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

First written test subject area (both sections)

Social Work Theory & Methodology

Theoretical and applied foundations of social work, the helping process (intake, assessment, planning, evaluation, closure), theoretical models (systemic-relational, cognitive-behavioral, crisis intervention, task-centred), core principles such as autodeterminazione, and professional tools (colloquio, visita domiciliare, cartella sociale, genogramma, ecomappa).

Second written test subject area (Section B: social policy and service organization)

Social Legislation & Welfare Organization

Italian welfare framework under Legge 328/2000, Title V and subsidiarity, the Third Sector Code (D.Lgs. 117/2017), territorial planning (Piano di Zona), essential levels of social benefits (LEPS), anti-poverty measures (Assegno di Inclusione), and socio-health integration (PUA, UVM).

Oral examination subject area (legislation and professional deontology)

Professional Deontology, Ethics & Legal Responsibilities

CNOAS Code of Deontology (approved 2020, updated 2023), professional secrecy (Legge 119/2001, Art. 622 c.p., Art. 200 c.p.p.), legal status of public-sector social workers (Arts. 357-358 c.p.), duty to report crimes, disciplinary system, and fair compensation (Legge 49/2023).

Practical test and oral examination area

Child & Family Protection & Judicial Social Work

Civil protection of minors (Arts. 330, 333 c.c.; Art. 403 c.c. as reformed by Legge 206/2021), hearing of the child and the special curator after the Cartabia reform, foster care and adoption (Legge 184/1983), support administration (Legge 6/2004), and juvenile criminal justice (D.P.R. 448/1988, USSM).

Practical test and oral examination area

Vulnerable Populations & Community Service Networks

Disability (Legge 104/1992, D.Lgs. 62/2024 progetto di vita), non-self-sufficient older people (home care, RSA), addiction services (SerD), mental health (DSM, TSO), adult community sentences (UEPE), unaccompanied foreign minors (Legge 47/2017), social emergency services, and active labor measures (Supporto per la Formazione e il Lavoro).

Preparing for the Esame di Stato Assistente Sociale Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: At least 30/50 in each test; each test must be passed to be admitted to the next
Assessment: The State Examination is governed by D.P.R. 328/2001 and called each year by a MUR ordinance; for 2026, Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694 set two sessions starting on 27 July and 16 November for Section A and on 31 July and 20 November for Section B, at designated universities. Section B (Assistente Sociale) has a first written test on the theory, principles, methods, and techniques of social work; a second written test on social policy and the organization of social services; an oral examination on legislation and professional deontology, discussion of the written test, and critical review of the professional internship; and a practical test analyzing and proposing solutions to a case. Section A (Assistente Sociale Specialista) has a first written test on planning, organization, and management of social services, research methods, evaluation, and supervision; a second, applied written test on evaluating a service planning case and drafting plans; and an oral examination. Each test is marked out of 50 with a pass mark of 30. The exam is in Italian; the ordinance also lets eligible EU candidates resident in Italy sit it in German at the University of Trento. OpenExamPrep provides an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation for knowledge review and case judgment, not an official translation or a simulation of the written, practical, or oral tests.
Time limit: Set by each university examining commission; for example, 2026 notices included 2-hour written tests (Section A, University of Florence) and 3-hour written tests (Section B, Suor Orsola Benincasa)
Exam / certification fees: €49.58 state admission tax plus a contribution set by each host university Official sources

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Esame di Stato Assistente Sociale: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practice explaining each phase of the helping process (intake, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, closure) and the tools used at each stage.

2Study Legge 328/2000 together with Title V of the Constitution, the Third Sector Code, and current LEPS so you can explain who plans, funds, and delivers services.

3Read the CNOAS Code of Deontology (2020, updated 2023) article by article, especially confidentiality and its exceptions (Arts. 32-38), duties toward colleagues, and discipline.

4Review child protection rules (Arts. 330, 333, and 403 c.c.; Legge 184/1983) and the procedural changes of the Cartabia reform, including the hearing of the child and the special curator.

5Keep up to date on benefit rules that change often, such as the Assegno di Inclusione and the Supporto per la Formazione e il Lavoro, using INPS and Ministry of Labour pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Esame di Stato per Assistente Sociale and why is it required?

It is the Italian professional qualification examination for social workers, governed by Legge 84/1993 and D.P.R. 328/2001 and called each year by a MUR ordinance. Passing it is required to register in the Albo degli Assistenti Sociali and to practice the profession.

What is the difference between Section A and Section B?

Section B leads to the title Assistente Sociale and requires a first-cycle degree in social work (class L-39 or equivalent). Section A leads to the title Assistente Sociale Specialista and requires a second-cycle degree (class LM-87 or equivalent); it covers planning, management, evaluation, supervision, and research in social services.

What is the official structure of the examination?

Under D.P.R. 328/2001, Section B has two written tests, an oral examination on legislation, deontology, the written test, and the internship, and a practical case test. Section A has a written test on planning and management, an applied written test on a service planning case, and an oral examination. Each test is marked out of 50, with a pass mark of 30.

What are the fees and in which language is the exam held?

Candidates pay the €49.58 state admission tax and a contribution set by the host university. The exam is held in Italian; the 2026 MUR ordinance also allows eligible EU candidates resident in Italy to sit it in German at the University of Trento.

Does this OpenExamPrep question bank replace official exam preparation?

No. The official exam uses written essays, a practical case analysis in Section B, and an oral examination in Italian (or German at Trento). This bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation for reviewing concepts, ethics, and case decisions; it is not an official translation or a simulation of the tests.

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