scholarly journals Analysing Social Needs of the Ukrainian Ex-Combatants: Looking on The Lived Experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 3001-3011
Author(s):  
Tetyana Semigina ◽  
◽  
Anna Kachmaryk ◽  
Olena Karagodina ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
The State ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
The Social ◽  
Material Benefits

Since 2014, Ukraine experiences armed conflict on the territory of its eastern part. The Ukrainian government had announced the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) to combat the separatists. This paper reports on research exploring the social needs of ex-combatants in Ukraine and pathways for social reintegration available to them. The research data reached theoretical saturation by interviewing ten ex-combatants and 11 representatives of different services (social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, priests etc.). Additionally, field notes and grey literature were also considered for the analysis. To triangle, the data received from an interview the analysis of national legal acts on social protection of ex-combatants were analysed. The following emerging themes came from the study: 1) expectations vs ambivalent attitudes and needs; 2) needs in social workers vs lack of social services. First, the study demonstrates that the primary need of the ATO (OOS) participant after returning home is social and psychological support. ATO participants say they have high expectations for the family and society, not from the state. However, some of the ex-combatants face ambivalent and hostile attitudes. Conducted interviews reveal that social support to ATO veterans is reduced mainly to material benefits: privileges, subsidies, cash payments, etc. There is still no single model of social support for ATO participants that is legally defined. In addition, there is no prescribed standardised mechanism for providing social services to combatants. The Ukrainian legislation includes several acts related to providing various benefits and guarantees of social protection for veterans. However, the ex-combatants stated that they filled unprotected. Opportunities for employment, education and good quality of life overall without the support promised by the legislation was rather tricky. Data suggest that transition to civilian life for ex-combatants is undermined by inadequate procedures, lack of support, and complicated administrative demands. Based on the study findings, the recommendations to amend the state program of physical, medical, psychological rehabilitation and re-adaptation of ATO participants were proposed. The changes to the program might include the introduction of social and psychological support to be provided by all centres and services for ATO veterans. Furthermore, social participation and inclusion of ex-combatants concerning the DDR (Disarmament –Demobilisation and Reintegration) concept and resilience-based approach should be a core idea of social work approach instead of paternalistic social welfare approaches inherited by Ukraine from the Soviet model of social assistance. The findings indicate pitfalls in the protective framework of war veterans. Currently, the available social support comes down to material benefits: benefits, subsidies, cash payments and more. Respondents point out the need to develop comprehensive social work interventions for combatants. This paper concludes that more needs to be done to enhance the social services for the new group of social work clients, including services that could enable ex-combatants to develop the skills they need to reintegrate within their community.

scholarly journals INTEGRATED SOCIAL SERVICES BASED ON PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE STATE AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

2019 ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Liliia Klos ◽  
Nataliia Nazar
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Aggregate Index

Introduction: At the final stage of administrative-territorial reform in Ukraine, it is important to realistically assess the social needs and social problems that exist in newly created territorial communities. Territorial communities should be based on healthy families and healthy individuals, whose initiative will help ensure the continued social development of the community. In its turn, the community should be built on the principles of friendly to its own citizens, meeting their needs, first of all, the needs of the least protected categories - children, people with disabilities and chronic diseases, elderly people. Therefore, integrated social services based on the principles of preserving and promoting health are a tool for solving social problems in the community (Klos, Khudoba, Shkoliar, 2019, p. 26). Purpose. The purpose of the study is to show the importance of using integrated social services in the community based on the principles of preservation and promotion of health as an important means of promoting territorial community development and social development of the country.Methods. The study used theoretical methods of research, in particular, the search and collection of statistical information on the formation, normalization and approval of the composition of territorial communities; collection and analysis of sources on the problem of social services and social protection of the population of territorial communities; systematization of sources and their analysis by blocks of tasks; analysis, comparison, synthesis and implementation of the results of the study of social services based on the principles of promoting and preserving community health.Results. Within the framework of the U-LEAD Program with Europe and the ICO Partnership Every Child, the project “Community for Human: Enhancing Communities' Competence for the Development of Social Services” and understanding the peculiarities of organizing social support for vulnerable segments of the UTC population through the implementation of the social services model. Among the objectives of the project were, inter alia, to study the status of providing local communities with social workers, the range of social services provided in the community, taking into account the real needs of the population in social assistance (ICO Partnership for Every Child, 2019, p. 5-6).The study covered 245 projected territorial communities in Ukraine. Because most communities did not have the information to make appropriate decisions about the services they needed, a special methodology was used to assess the needs of the population in social services. An appropriate tool for monitoring the needs of the population in social services was developed and tested at the Oxford Policy Management Consortium with the participation of the Every Child Partnership, in collaboration with UNICEF, and with financial support from the European Union. The aggregate index of providing the population with social services of the population of the UTC is determined by the set of indicators: the index of provision of social services for children and families with children; index of provision of social care services for orphans and children deprived of family care; the index of provision of social services for the elderly; index of provision of social services for persons with disabilities; index of provision of social services to persons in need of adaptation and integration (reintegration); index of provision of social services to persons in need of emergency or crisis intervention (ICO Partnership for Every Child, 2019, p. 28).Mostly communities use the resource of available social services already at their disposal, their range is limited and needs improvement and review, taking into account real social problems and needs of consumers. An important tool for addressing the issues that are relevant to UTC members is those based on the principles of preserving and promoting health. In particular, social prevention, community representation services, crisis and emergency intervention, social support / patronage, asylum, home care, day care, supported living.Conclusion: The study of the results of the mentioned project and the current state of providing territorial communities with social services lead to the conclusion that there is a high level of community needs for social work professionals who are able and able to provide integrated social services in the community on the grounds of preservation and promotion of health. To do this, professional training of skilled social workers for the provision of integrated social services in the community should be stepped up

scholarly journals SOCIAL VULNERABILITY OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS AS THE BASIS OF SOCIAL WORK WITH THEM

2021 ◽  
pp. 120-123
Author(s):  
Vira Nikitina
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Internally Displaced Persons ◽  
Displaced Persons ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
The Social

The article deals with basing of the necessity of social work with internally displaced persons (IDPs) in modern Ukraine, as not all of the problems of these people that have arisen as a result of forced resettlement have been resolved. The problem is in difference of the life trajectories of IDPs: some of migrants are in higher levels of income in the social hierarchy than residents of host communities, while others still live in collective housing in need of humanitarian assistance. Social differentiation within IDPs raises debates about the need to maintain common approaches to their social protection and social work with them. The purpose of this article is to prove the presence of signs of vulnerability in internally displaced persons, which necessitates the provision of social support by specialists working in the field of social work. To achieve this goal, the method of theoretical generalization and the method of deduction were used. The results of the study are the identification of such features of the social position of IDPs in Ukraine and features of their socio-psychological state, which evidence the presence of indicators of vulnerability, and therefore are the reason of social work with them in different areas. The presence of dual vulnerabilities in IDPs (the status of an orphan or a child deprived of parental care, a child or a person with a disability, a member of a family with many children, etc.) increases the need for social support from social services professionals.

scholarly journals The features of social work of charitable funds with eldery

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Scientific Analysis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Charitable Foundations

The article is devoted to the problem of social work with the elderly, which requires the study and determination of the features of such work for various modern social services. The relevance of the topic of the article is due to the growing number of clients of social services among the elderly. Previous studies of the social needs of this category of the population predict worsening a number of problems due to the shortcomings of state social security. The solution to the problem, according to the authors of the article, is related to the activities of non-governmental organizations that can provide social services to the elderly. In particular, the article describes the experience of a charitable foundation that operates according to an atypical scheme of aid organization. Not through the provision of funds, but primarily through the implementation of their own projects with the support of other social services of various forms. The article discusses how the needs and characteristics of the elderly can be taken into account in practical social work with clients. The authors rely on the materials of their own research, which was conducted by case study from April to October 2019 on the experience of the Kharkiv Charitable Foundation «Social service of assistance». The article states that the main directions of social protection of the elderly in modern conditions should be not only to improve their difficult financial situation, provide a sufficient level of medical care but also to improve the psychological and emotional state of people. The results obtained by researchers can contribute to the dissemination of successful experience of social work with the elderly; scientific analysis of problematic issues and obstacles in the activities of the charity fund with the elderly; optimization of further work of funds and other social services in this direction. In addition, according to the authors, the hypothesis of indifferent attitude of society to the problems of the elderly needs to be studied scientifically, because this factor significantly hinders the implementation of social assistance to this group of clients by various social services, including charitable foundations.

Social Work and Public Social Services Practice: A Status Report

1996 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Gibelman ◽  
Philip H. Schervish
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Labor Force ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Status Report ◽  
The Public ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
The Social

The authors review the current status of the social work labor force within the public sector by means of an analysis of the National Association of Social Workers member data base for 1988 and 1991, with additional data drawn from a 1993 member survey. Changes in the proportion and composition of the public social services labor force are documented, including education, experience, gender, and ethnicity. The decreasing professional social work labor force within public social services is discussed within the context of the realities of public social services practice and social work's historic place within this sector. The authors encourage debate about the implications of these trends, focusing on whether social work should influence labor-force trends or be influenced by them.

scholarly journals METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK MANAGEMENT IN THE ACTIVITIES OF A SOCIAL WORKER

2021 ◽  
pp. 51-61
Author(s):  
Maryna Lekholetova
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Professional Competence ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Work Management

The article presents an analysis of different approaches of domestic scientists to the interpretation of the concept of «social work management». The author surveys the features of management as an object of governance in the activities of a social worker. Features include the social nature of management information; the need for motivation methods that effectively influences and motivates professionals to better results in social work; availability of social workers' professional competence; the presence of problems with forecasting the results of management in the social sphere; the importance of current and final management results. The author proves the necessity of social workers' self-management skills (time management, motivation, stress resistance and recuperation, development of emotional intelligence) for the effective performance of management tasks in professional activities.  The article highlights the principles that should be followed in solving organizational and managerial tasks in social work management (purposefulness, ability of realization, adaptability, efficiency). The researcher presents the structure of social work management methods in the study (economic, administrative, social counselling, psychological and pedagogical influence, social influence). Research characterizes the methods of social work management while working with recipients of social services (methods of individual social work, methods of group social work, methods of community work, methods of social service design).

scholarly journals ASSESSMENT OF THE FINANCIAL PROVISION OF SOCIAL PROTECTION ОF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN UKRAINE

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergiy Kandiba ◽  
Natalia Safonik
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Insurance Fund ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The Social

The article analyses the main sources of financial provision for the social protection of persons with disabilities in Ukraine, including their own resources, budget resources at all levels and resources of enterprises of all forms of ownership; social trust funds, funds of charitable and social organizations and other sources. It is justified that socially oriented objects of expenditure are growing and account for a significant share in the structure of expenditure of the state budget. An analysis of the expenditure of local budgets on the social protection of persons with disabilities showed that expenditure in this area has been increasing since 2015, owing to the reform of decentralization. An evaluation of the activities of civil society organizations of persons with disabilities showed a decrease in the number of persons with disabilities who are employed and in the proportion of expenditures allocated to the social needs of persons with disabilities. Measures to improve the social protection and welfare of persons with disabilities in Ukraine are also financed from social welfare funds. Analysis of the provision of medical and social services by the Social Insurance Fund of Ukraine shows an increase in the number of persons with disabilities as a result of an industrial accident and an increase in the cost of medical and social services. It has been established that financial provision for the social protection of persons with disabilities from charitable organizations is provided in most cases in the form of targeted charitable assistance. The structure of the recipients of charitable assistance by category showed that the proportion of people with special needs among the recipients of charitable assistance was about 10 per cent. On the basis of the study, a number of problems affecting the well-being of persons with disabilities have been identified. Priorities have been set for the development of financial provision for the social protection of persons with disabilities. These include improving the targeting of social assistance, development of locally funded social protection programs, enhancing the social and labour integration of persons with disabilities, gender mainstreaming in the financial provision of social protection for persons with disabilities.

scholarly journals INFORMATIZATION OF SOCIAL PROVIDING AS A MAIN ELEMENT IN THE FORMATION OF DIGITAL ECONOMY

2020 ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Halyna KULYNA ◽  
Nataliya NALUKOVA
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Security ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
The State ◽  
Information Space ◽  
Digital Society ◽  
Social Sphere ◽  
The Social

Introduction. In the conditions of digital society formation, the informatization of the social security sphere is a necessary component and guarantee of successful implementation of social policy aimed at quality and timely satisfaction of citizens' needs. Therefore, a prerequisite for the effective functioning of social protection and public service authorities is the development and technical innovation of social services and channels for their implementation through automated information systems, should be consistent with the innovation strategy of development of the social sphere as a composite digital economy of the state. Purpose is to substantiate the expediency of application of the newest digital technologies in the sphere of social security and novelization of social services on this basis, as well as to reveal features and advantages of social protection of the population through automated information systems and channels of their implementation. Results. The necessity and role of informatization in the modern digital society and the main challenges that lead to its implementation in the field of social security have been substantiated. The key automated information systems, which contribute to the construction of a common information space of the social sphere and allow to increase social protection of the population in domestic conditions, as well as the emergence of a new service-oriented social service with a wide range of information and communication services, have been analyzed. The necessity of training and retraining of highly qualified creative specialists of new specialties was noted and generalized principles of systems of skills development in the conditions of informatization, which are important in the selection of social workers, were defined. Conclusions. Social protection and social welfare institutions, when formulating their own strategies, should consider the information and communications technology vector of development as an essential means of improving their functioning, since this will determine the effectiveness of social policy implementation in the State and the level of satisfaction of citizens with social services. The results of informatization of social processes are manifested in the implementation of automated information systems and the construction of a single unified information space of social security, the development of new service products, electronic filing of documentation and simplification of procedures for obtaining social security, transparency of social security and, as a result, successful social policy.

Social Work in Funeral Homes, a Unique Chinese Practice?

2018 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 488-499
Author(s):  
Yunxian Huang ◽  
Weijia Tan ◽  
A. Ka Tat Tsang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Funeral Home ◽  
The Social ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Funeral Homes ◽  
Death Care ◽  
Further Development

Social workers were introduced to funeral homes in China amid the transition and expansion of both the funeral home industry and the social work profession and are proving to play a valuable, though under-researched role in serving not just clients but also communities and funeral home staff. Funeral home social work fills gaps in after-death care and mental health and is distinct from palliative, hospice, end-of-life, and bereavement social work. Based on the experiences of funeral homes that employ social workers, this article argues that this innovation may bring new ideas to bridge some of the service gaps in after-death care in China and globally. This article outlines the support that will be needed from funeral homes, social work service agencies, and educational and research institutes to facilitate further development of funeral home mental health and social services and to promote the professionalization of funeral home social workers in China.

scholarly journals STATE POLICY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AS A SOCIAL SAFETY FACTOR: HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FROM THE 17th to 21th CENTURIES.

2021 ◽  
pp. 752-770
Author(s):  
Svitlana Surgova ◽  
Olena Faichuk
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
State Policy ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
The State ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Historical Aspect ◽  
At Risk Children ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk

The historical aspect of the development of state social policy of social protection of children in Europe from the 17th to 21th centuries is considered in the article. The purpose of the article is to highlight the peculiarities of the historical development of the state policy of social protection of children in European countries of the 17th to 21th centuries and learning from the experience of social protection of children in the context of Ukraine's European integration. The regulatory framework of the system of social protection of children in Ukraine has been studied. The statistic on different categories of children in need of social protection by the state is analyzed. The structure of the system of social protection of children in Ukraine is considered. The research methodology is based on the principle of priority of universal human values. As part of the tools of the proposed work the theoretical one is the analysis and generalization of scientific sources, educational and methodological publications on the theme and synthesis, as well as comparison and generalization of data. Based on the analysis of materials on the peculiarities of social protection in the UK, Germany, France, Sweden and Norway, it was determined that the social protection of children in Europe is characterized by assistance to them in providing conditions for the realization of their rights and freedoms. Equally important is the setting up of various charitable institutions, schools, penal colonies that help children change, as well as the emergence of social services that protect the rights and interests of children. The authors suggest that in the course of the studying the history of the issue of state policy of children’s social protection, there is an opportunity for analogies, the implementation of already proven steps on the path of democratization of national social protection policy. The researchers see the prospects for further research in the study of global innovative forms of social protection and support for at-risk children.

scholarly journals Improvement of the system of social work through activation ombudsman

2021 ◽  
pp. 52-58
Author(s):  
Iryna Surovtseva
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The State ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
The Right

The article is devoted to the partnership of social workers and ombudsmen as an influential tool for the citizens' rights protection. The common aspects of professional activity of social workers and ombudsmen in the citizens' rights protection of Ukraine and European countries are analyzed. Analyzed the annual reports of the National Ombudsman, clarified the dynamics of the receipt of citizens' reports about violations of their rights. There is a growing number of human rights violations in the field of social protection. The ombudsman has the right to make recommendations to the central executive bodies, which are ripe after the monitoring visits. Through the activities of social workers and the ombudsman, the state assumes the main functions of ensuring human rights in the social sphere. Foreign experience on the significant role of «natural allies» (social workers and ombudsmen) in drafting a formal protocol of strategic and tactical cooperation to optimize the residents' interests based on a friendly advisory approach have been highlighted. Most often, social workers and ombudsmen are forced to act as intermediaries between people and the state or other bodies to uphold justice and provide protection in cases where measures taken by the state in the interests of society as a whole threaten the rights and freedoms of individuals or groups. There is a need to intensify cooperation between the ombudsman's offices, social protection departments and social service providers (for example, through the joint Commissions on the quality of social services establishment, joint investigations into unsatisfactory social or medical care complaints). It seems relevant to expand the positions of specialized ombudsmen (for social protection (security), military ombudsman) as independent officials in communities (municipalities) for Ukraine.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document