Socialno delo on-line archive

Socialno delo, Volume 54 (2015), Issue 5

ARTICLES

Petra Videmšek, Vesna Leskošek
Deinstitualisation: reachable goal or unreal vision - 259, (Abstract) (Full text)

Milko Poštrak
Concepts with social work with young people - 269, (Abstract) (Full text)

Sandra Bregar
Global perspective of assisted reproductive technology and psychosocial experiences of infertility - 281, (Abstract) (Full text)

Bojana Mesec, Bernard Stritih
Understanding team work in social security - 295, (Abstract) (Full text)

REPORTS

Jana Mali
The Fifth Congress of Social Work - 307, (Abstract)

Črtomir Bitenc
The distribution of financial benefits for the disabled in Slovenia: state of the art analysis - 311, (Abstract) (Full text)

 
Petra Videmšek, Vesna Leskošek
Deinstitualisation: reachable goal or unreal vision

(Full text)

The article is based on authors’ latest research “Evaluation of the institutional care system and the opportunities of NGOs to provide community-based services in order to achieve the process of deinstitutionalization” (2015) that was done for YHD (an NGO helping people with disabilities) and was financed by the Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia. The starting point of the survey was to find out the possibilities for implementation of deinstitutionalization. Primarily we wanted to find out the number of persons with different kinds of disabilities aged from 18 to 65 who live in institutional care, and then explore the extent of deinstitutionalization. Further on we explored the possibilities of NGOs for implementation of the process of deinstitutionalization. We wanted to explore the users’ (we consider them as experts by experience) views on living in an institution. We researched how people with personal experience of living in an institution estimate their living, which are their needs and vision for living outside the institution. The article is based on the users’ point of view, on services people with disabilities receive in institutions, and on possibilities for their independent living, and what they need to achieve that goal.

 
Milko Poštrak
Concepts with social work with young people

(Full text)

In the article the professional approach of social work with young people is put in the context of doctrinal principles of modern social work. A theoretical framework based on the so called systemic ecological and social constructivist models of social work is presented. The concept of life-world of youngsters and adolescence is explained and linked to factors such as gender, family, school, peers and values. The author mentions social vulnerability of young people and summarises existing paradigmatic approaches in working with young people. They have several names. We call them commanding approach, all permissive approach, and contractual arrangements approach. Key elements of any approach are: a type of communication, role definition, a form of authority, the resulting set of responsibilities, and understanding of measures. The deficiencies and consequences of inappropriate commanding and permissive approaches are listed, and contractual arrangements approach is presented. The contractual arrangements approach results from theoretical, doctrinal principles drawn mainly from system theory and phenomenology. Youths should be seen in the context of their life-world, while experts should be understood as their respectful and responsible allies.

 
Sandra Bregar
Global perspective of assisted reproductive technology and psychosocial experiences of infertility

(Full text)

With global declining in fertility rates and millions of people suffering from infertility, assisted reproductive technology provides an important solution. Factors that contribute to high rates of infertility are in developed countries different than in developing countries. Developed countries are postponing childbearing and therefore facing high rates of primary infertility. Even though there is little voluntary effort to postpone childbearing in developing countries, there are high rates of secondary infertility. This is a result of sexually transmitted infections, unsafe abortion and poor maternity care (leading to infections). Cultural background has a significant impact on the extensive and long-lasting psychological and social consequences of infertility. Despite the fact that assisted reproductive technology procedures provide an important solution for the hardships of infertility, they remain too expensive or otherwise inaccessible for the majority of the world's population. Regulation, legalization and criteria of eligibility for the funding and reimbursement of reproductive technologies vary significantly across different countries. Consequently many are forced to use cross border reproductive care, which is not without danger. Global ensuring of safe, affordable and reliable assisted reproductive technology services in the 21st century is far from being realised.

 
Bojana Mesec, Bernard Stritih
Understanding team work in social security

(Full text)

In their operations, social welfare organizations depend on teamwork. The article tries to explain concepts that can be met in teamwork or may affect the quality of services provided by organizations in the social care. Here social workers can be key factors and it is important for them to carry out their work professionally. The approach to teamwork, developed by social work, is based on balanced participation of all members, on developing a team, on flexible division of labour and on primacy of tasks over roles. In this process, social workers often act as translators between the context of professional treatment and everyday context of the user. For social work profession, teamwork is a useful tool in areas where social workers are faced with decision-making, management and planning. The article attempts to clarify the issue of cooperation of various disciplines for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem. Here social work it is not independent of other subsystems such as justice, education, health, police, etc. However, none of these subsystems can interfere with development of professional identity of social work. It is therefore necessary that all disciplines contribute to a common dialogue, which must meet professional and scientific criteria for each of the disciplines, but must be theoretically and practically relevant for the achievement of specific objectives of social security.

 
Jana Mali
The Fifth Congress of Social Work

The main points of the Fifth Congress of Social Work that was organised in Ljubljana in September 2013 under the name »Social work and the importance of citizenship for welfare state« are presented. The conclusions of the congress can be summarised in three points: the need for interdisciplinary work, the need for introduction of concrete changes in practice, and the need for »humanisation« of social policy.

 
Črtomir Bitenc
The distribution of financial benefits for the disabled in Slovenia: state of the art analysis

(Full text)

The number of people with disabilities or people who have to deal with this or that handicap worldwide has been gradually increasing. However, the data show that people with disabilities have on average a much lower socio-economic status than others as a result of a more challenging entry into the labour market and thus more frequent unemployment. The report shows the extent to which providers of various services in Slovenia via various financial benefits relieve financial hardship of people with disabilities. Data collection took place during 2014 and mainly by help of municipalities and certain other institutions and organizations. Fields of benefits are divided into four categories: transport, culture, tourism, and sports & leisure.