Ревија за социјална политика/Journal of Social Policy

The Re-Awakening Role of Social Workers in Policy-making following a Global Pandemic: Lessons for Education and Practice

Panagiotis Pentaris — 2024-07-07

Social workers have largely contributed to policy analysis and planning since the rise of the discipline’s professional identity. It is through lobbying, policy advocacy and macro-practice that responses about human rights and social justice are crafted and integrated in international and transnational social work practice. Yet, these roles have for a while been suppressed in an attempt to standardise and confine the profession in the limits of a given nation’s legal and social status. Public crises like the recent novel virus SARS-CoV-2, come to force us to rethink what has been the role of social workers before such crises. Are we well prepared to take on these roles again, when for a long while education and practice has shied away from them, leaving contemporary practitioners in a predicament situation? This paper will explore both challenges and opportunities in social policy, arising from COVID-19, and will argue the need for re-emphasising on the social workers’ role in social policy, with the intention to make recommendations for education and practice.

Adolescents' Lived Experiences of COVID-19

Kirstyn Layton — 2024-07-16

Adolescents experienced COVID-19 and the implementation of lockdown measures in various ways. The developmental phase of middle adolescence is a pivotal period characterised by various cognitive and social processes that contribute significantly to the creation of adolescents' identity. During this period, adolescents encounter significant events, both in terms of their personal growth and their lived experiences. These events may include transitioning to high school, obtaining their learner's licences, and other milestones. The implementation of lockdown measures and stay-at-home orders resulted in adolescents being restricted to their residential settings with their family members. Understanding adolescents’ lived experiences of COVID-19 was described through a qualitative phenomenological descriptive research design. The data collection consisted of individual semi-structured interviews with 16 participants in Johannesburg (Gauteng), using an interview schedule. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis and three themes emerged: (1) Participants’ experience of how COVID-19 Influenced their relationships, (2) Participants’ experience of how COVID-19 impacted their mental health, and (3) Protective factors and risk factors that impacted their experience of COVID-19 positively or negatively. From this, conclusions have been drawn, as well as recommendations for future research and practice. Initiatives that can potentially be used to support adolescents during a crisis period, such as a pandemic, include interventions related to mental health, academic performance, and physical well-being.

Family and Marital Counselling In Centres For Social Work in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Challenges and Policy Implications

Anida Dudić-Sijamija — 2024-07-07

Working with families is one of the most important tasks for the social work profession. In primary prevention, the most crucial task is to develop humane relationships among marital partners. Additionally, an essential segment of preventive social work involves educating and preparing youth for marriage and family and educating them about responsible parenthood. In secondary prevention, an important task of social workers is to help overcome marital conflicts. This highlights that family and marital counseling is one of the key tasks of social workers.

Using QCA, the capacities of five centers for social work in Bosnia and Herzegovina in conducting marital and family counseling were analyzed. The experiences of counseling experts (N=10) were compared through semi-structured interviews. Various challenges and problems were identified that prevent centers for social work from being leaders in counseling. Family and marital counseling represents a complex and responsible task that requires expertise and competencies. The lack of systemic solutions, inconsistent norms and standards, and limited capacities of centers for social work slow down the development of quality counseling in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The data indicates that serious progress is needed in organizing the service, multi-sectoral cooperation, and institutional promotion for family and marital counseling to gain the place it deserves in social work

Methods of Social Work with Older People at Different Providers of Services for Older People in Croatia

Suzana Tomašević — 2024-12-07

The demographic data from the last census (2021) in the Republic of Croatia show that the proportion of older people in the total population will increase, as already predicted. With a larger number of older people, the likelihood of needing help with activities of daily living in later stages of life increases, especially among the population of 80 years and older, which leads to an increase in the number of services for the older people. With the development of social services for older people, different methods and approaches are being developed to meet the needs of older people in the community in which they live. The aim of this paper is to examine whether there are methods for working with older people that are used by different service providers for older people in Croatia. The article presents the methods of social work used by various service providers for older people and how they are based on concepts of social work with older people. The study used a qualitative approach with the interview method and the data was processed using the qualitative analysis method. The study involved 12 people who work in institutions and associations that provide services for older people. The results show that different methods of social work are present in the practise of working with older people and that the concepts of social work with older people are represented by service providers in which older people actively participate in the design of activities and services.

The Hardships and Difficulties of Informal Carers Supporting People with Dementia

Anže Štrancar — 2024-12-07

As the population ages, informal care is gaining increasing attention from both researchers and policymakers. The term informal carers refers to family members, friends, or neighbours of people with dementia who provide unpaid assistance and support. This article is based on research data collected as part of a larger research project conducted in Slovenia between 2020 and 2024. The aim of this article is to explore the challenges faced by informal carers supporting people with dementia in Slovenia and to identify the main characteristics of informal care in this context, in comparison to findings from studies in other countries. The data source for this study consists of five interviews with people with dementia and five interviews with informal carers, conducted in various regions of Slovenia over the project's duration. The findings of the study are consistent with those of research from other countries. For instance, in Slovenia informal caregiving for people with dementia is predominantly carried out by wives and daughters, highlighting a significant gender dimension to informal care. The interviewees reported experiencing similar challenges to those faced by caregivers in other countries. In particular, managing the demanding coordination of informal care with jobs and other responsibilities, such as household chores and family care, was highlighted. They also reported psychological strains associated with this role, noting that its time-consuming nature deprives them of opportunities to care for themselves.

Populism and Social Policy in Transitional Societies: Strategies and Impact on Marginalized Groups in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America

Draško Gajić — 2024-12-07

Countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America that have undergone significant political and economic changes face new challenges in shaping social policy. Populist leaders in these regions often use social policy as a tool for gaining political support, targeting marginalized groups as part of their strategies. This paper analyzes various approaches of populist regimes in transitional societies and their impact on social policy, particularly toward marginalized groups. Through case studies from Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, Venezuela, and Brazil, the paper offers a comparative overview of populist strategies. The analysis includes a systematic literature review and a comparative analysis of empirical examples of social policy under populist regimes, incorporating a theoretical framework based on the concept of “welfare nationalism” and specific case studies. Findings reveal that populist leaders use social policy to strengthen political control and support, with varying approaches to marginalized groups depending on regional and cultural contexts. Transitional societies represent fertile ground for populist strategies that use social policy as a tool for political mobilization. This research highlights the need for more inclusive social policies to mitigate the adverse effects of populism.