The process of formation of professional competencies of social workers in Ukraine is an important aspect of their education in higher education institutions of Ukraine. The analyzed domestic scientific works allow us to conclude that the professional competencies of social workers are a complex structure and consist in addition to mastering practical and theoretical methods of social work of the following competencies: socio-emotional, socio-legal, psychological and life. Another important factor for the formation of professional competencies of modern social workers in Ukraine is the implementation of successful cases in various spheres of social life as an element of successful adaptation and self-realization to the conditions of direct activity in practical social work and increase the authority of social workers among clients of domestic social services and institutions. etc. The purpose of the article is to study the features of the phenomenon of formation of professional competence of social workers. General scientific and special research methods beame the theoretical and methodological basis for studying the peculiarities of the formation of professional competence of a social worker in domestic scientific works. In the course of the research the methods of historical, systemic and structural-functional analysis were used − for the theoretical analysis of the formation of professional competence; methods of analysis and synthesis − to clarify the genesis of the concept of «professional competence», its application in theoretical science and social practice; comparative analysis and methods of document analysis; method of classification and typology − to determine the types of competencies in domestic scientific works; comparative analysis of documents - to study the practices of using the concept of «professional competence of a social worker», etc. We have established that today in the process of organizing education in higher education it is important to change the priorities in the formation of professional competencies of social workers through the introduction of competency-based training of future social workers. It has been determined that the competencies of a social worker change over time. It is substantiated that the most important professional competencies of social workers are communicative, social and legal competencies, as well as methodological competencies in the field of social work with different groups of clients and psychological readiness to carry out direct professional activity.