Tamara Pikl

Poverty means violation of human rights. In the case of children, it is an even deeper problem as it affects their future, having long-term consequences not only for individuals but also for the society in general. The analysis of internationally comparable indicators of social exclusion (Laekens indicators) shows that the level of poverty risk is highest in single parent families, in families with both unemployed parents, and in families where both parents have a lower education level. The social exclusion of children is reflected as material deprivation (holidays, owning a computer, food, living conditions, etc.) and as poorer education of children, because children whose parents are poor often have worse learning results and consequently reach a lower level of education. In Slovenia, there is relatively low children’s poverty risk level but nonetheless numerous improvements in some areas are necessary as children’s rights are far from being fully implemented.

Tamara Rape Žiberna

Some of the basic concepts relating to job satisfaction are discussed, such as planning work, motivational theories, burnout, personnel management, human resources management and social work in working environment. A case study of a public institution in Slovenia was carried out in 2006. The institution is one of 62 similar institutions in which mostly social workers are employed. Social workers in this institution are least satisfied with their salary, volume of their work, working conditions and reputation of their work. On the other hand, they are very satisfied with the relations among co-workers and with freedom at work. Job satisfaction in the analyzed institution was (compared with similar institutions) relatively low. Special aspects of dissatisfaction are discussed and some suggestions are proposed.

Jana Mali, Lidija Ovčar

As the rate of older population in developed countries is increasing, more attention is paid to phenomena of old age and ageing. However, not enough attention is paid to older rural population although it is particularly vulnerable, pensions being low and social care services in rural areas underdeveloped. In interviews, individuals from older rural population openly admit that they feel poor and that they have to be very careful with their money. Those living in homes for older people cannot afford to pay care in their institution, therefore relatives or municipality need to help them. Relatives provide important social support, not only for those still living in domestic environment, but also for those living in an institution. All respondents think neighbourhood relations are crucial. They are familiar with nursing care in community, with homes for older people and with home help care, but they feel they are too expensive.

Gabi Čačinovič Vogrinčič

The central question of the article is: why are the development and use of social work language as a language of science and profession of social work important. In social work, a new, autonomous language is emerging, a language that translates well all the steps taken in the processes of help, envisaged as a co-creation based on ethics of participation and strenght perspective. Peter Lüssi’s systematic theory of social work is presented as the first important theory of doing and is related to contemporary, postmodern concepts of social work in a work relationship, bringing together appreciative and responsible allies (social workers) and experts on experience. The main thesis of the article can be summed up as: in science and profession of social work we need respectful steps and a disciplined use of social work language in theory and practice, at all times, without exceptions. The arguments in favour of the thesis are: social work language verbally expresses the way we do things; it brings forth changes; it is an appreciative language of co-creators in the process of help, taking into consideration strenght perspective; and it plays an important role in co-creation of joint projects with other professions.

Simona Gerenčer Pegan

Metka Knez

Beata Akerman

Brigita Kuder

Špela Urh

Špela Urh

Antiracist social work theory and practice in Slovenia are still at a relatively early stage of their development. The lack of an explicit public discourse about exclusion has constructed and maintained racist practice in the field of social work. The effects are still evident in today's practice. The reason is to be found in the reluctance of ethnicity issues in the field of education for social work, especially in the “old” study programme (from 1955 to 1992). The article is a part of a doctoral dissertation and explicitly discusses a sensitive topic in social work i.e. the contribution of social work practice to social exclusion of members of ethnic minorities in Slovenia. The main thesis is that social work education in Slovenia has neglected ethnic sensitive discourses. This is shown from three main methodological perspectives: analysis of diploma works of social work students until September 2008, analysis of study literature from 1955 until September 2008, and analysis of a questionnaire with lecturers and assistants from the Faculty of Social Work in Ljubljana.

Darja Zaviršek

Theoretical concepts within antiracist social work are dealt with: ethnisation and pathologisation of ethnic minorities, the construction of »otherness«, the »difference« and the processes of “social distance”. Ethnisation is a process where the characteristics and specificities, including the needs of an ethnic group are seen exclusively as ethnic markers and ethnicity itself as the marker of otherness. Pathologisation is a process where the specific characteristics of individuals and groups are seen as natural, inborn, and different medical and psychological categories are used in order to define these “inborn” specificities. The minorities are seen as being prone to illnesses, pathological violence, and lesser intelligence. These socially constructed individualised and collectivised specificities are used also for explaining social vulnerability such as poverty, exclusion and marginalisation.

Alenka Janko Spreizer

A transfer of knowledge concerning aspects of ethnic or racial domination against Roma people is described. The author’s participation in demonstrations and her efforts to transfer the informed knowledge about Roma people in public in Slovenia, are analyzed. Many scientists of culture and society of Roma people were more or less involved in contesting, and engaged in discussions on the stereotipization of Roma people. Different definitions of public activities are given, which are known in anthropology as public anthropology. They deal with transfer of anthropological knowledge to the general public. Critical studies of Roma people are then briefly presented. The author’s own anthropological engagement in the case of the Strojan family is analysed. The central thesis of this article is that efforts to transfer the informed knowledge of studies examining various aspects of Roma life, is essential, being the only way to prevent the operation of mechanisms of racial domination.

Julija Sardelić

Theoretical questions about the characteristics of society in the late modernity, as they were perceived by prominent sociologists like Anthony Giddens, Ulirch Beck and Zygmunt Bauman, are dealt with. While Giddens and Beck would agree that individual's liberation from the structures of the traditional order (from the solid identity categories such as gender, class and ethnicity) is important for the post modern society, Bauman insists, that the characteristic of this society is, on the one hand, individualisation, on the other hand however, a re-birth of communalistic ideologies is emerging. Two of these ideologies are nationalism and fascism. When we become aware that the human societies are not ethnically homogeneous, we are starting debate on multiculturalism, which is also a subject of this article. In fact, the critique of liberalism given by Charles Taylor and his early communitarian multiculturalism is expressed. Liberal multiculturalism, a paradigm brought by Will Kymlicka, is analysed. The author then applies all the theoretical presumptions on the analysis of the position of Roma community in Slovenia. Their position shows many flaws of theories dealing with late modernity. The fact is that Slovenia is less successful in implementing political guidelines of liberal multiculturalism, which would offer adequate protection of the deprivileged minority groups.

Majda Hrženjak

The research study of Roma immigrants from former Yugoslavia to Ljubljana (it represents the first study of immigrant, so called non-autochthonous Roma people in urban area in Slovenia), points to their uncertain legal statuses as not enough salient issue in comparison with the issues of education, housing, cultural identity, and employment for instance. It identifies several reasons why legal statuses are problematic for Roma people in Ljubljana: immigration, system of marriages, illiteracy and erasure of approx. 22.000 citizens originating from former Yugoslavia in 1991, after secession of Slovenia. It points to the difficulties with which Roma population in Ljubljana is faced when pursuing employment, due to their uncertain legal statuses. In concluding part, several examples of activist projects are presented as examples of good practices which can assist Roma population in acquiring legal statuses. Political solution is recommended as well – the radical legalization of resident and working permits for Roma population. This would diminish social exclusion experienced by Roma people in Ljubljana, as well as by Roma people in EU countries.

Jelka Zorn, Ana Marija Sobočan

The right to live in an urban area, with accessible public infrastructure, is discussed; in this case of Roma people in Ljubljana. The settlement at Koželjeva street is examined, which carries a stigma due to its Roma inhabitants, deficient infrastructure and the characteristics of a slum. It is discussed how the space and its meanings influence the self-image of inhabitants of the settlement and their inclusion in the broader society, as well as the research process. The findings are derived from a field-research, theories on social capital, “social-mix” or multi-culturality and the right to inclusion and a place to live.

Mojca Hribar, Danijela Gutić

Anja Pirec, Tilen Recko, Jana Bedrač, Ana Schmidt

Špela Urh

Jasmina Zaman

Marina Novak Rabzelj

Alenka Košak

Špela Urh

Špela Urh

Nina Mešl

The use of theoretical knowledge in social work that can mean a support for action in complex practical situations is not consistent enough. The premise that competent practitioners usually know more than they can tell, can also be transferred to social work; yet in social work one further step needs to be taken. We need knowledge, words to name our work; this is the only way in which co-participation in work process can be provided which leads to good outcomes. Different directions should be researched in order for us to be able to move closer to the explicitness of our actions. The presented research on the use of theoretical knowledge in practice of social work with family means a contribution to this aim. The results show the gap between theories of actions that social workers defined as the espoused theories and their theories-in-use. Possible step to more explicit use of theoretical concepts, to more competent action in practice, is the use of presented model of social work with family. The model is opened, offering social workers a choice of different theoretical concepts which they would reflexively use in concrete practical cases – in a way that would for families, their members and the social worker mean a co-creation of good results in a unique working project of help, and at the same time contributing to the development of a useful theory for the practice of social work with family.

Federico Farini

The paper is based on data collected during spring 2006, through qualitative group interviews addressed to 48 immigrant adolescents attending technical and business oriented high schools in Modena, Italy, previously involved in the European project COMICS (Children Of Migrants Inclusion Creative Systems). The paper highlights that participation in relevant social processes of the host society doesn't require neither non-critical engagement in its cultural forms nor fully sharing of the meanings of cultural symbols. Social participation is connected to non-stop processes of negotiation and mixing of symbols' meanings and cultural forms, through intercultural communication. As categories like “integration” and “adaptation” seem to oversimplify the shades of social participation, the paper aims to report the variety in meanings, expectations and problems of the integration paths followed by young immigrants, accordingly to their autonomous self-expression.

Borut Grabrijan

The re-establishment of maternity homes in Slovenia began after 1990. After more than 17 years of maternity homes’ activities and women’s shelters programmes, after the completion of the first National Social Protection Strategy Programme, and on the basis of the "Resolution on National Social Assistance Programme and Social Services 2006–2010", the network, in this domain, is practically developed on the entire Slovenian territory. With the adopted Resolution, the maternity homes and women’s shelters became – after the verification of the programme – public social-protection programmes. In 2009, these programmes included 373 beds in total, while the plan of the Resolution states altogether 350 beds in the network of maternity homes and women’s shelters. The quantity indicators of these programmes are the number of beds and implementation of the stated programmes in regions. Because of a number of cases of violence against women and of domestic violence, one may hear that the stated number of beds may be insufficient. However, the 2007 data, collected by people who implement the programmes of women’s shelters and maternity homes, show different structural changes. In 2007, women’s shelters were in average only 90% occupied and the number for maternity homes is even lower, about 80%. In contrast, certain features (age, single status, number of children) of the users show important changes in comparison with the users from the time these programmes started.

Srečo Dragoš

Goran Lukić

Jana Mali

Melita Leva

Romana Zidar

Jana Mali, Živa Gabaj, Polona Germ, Marija Klaric, Maja Štiglic, Silvia Rukmini Tavčar

Ana Marija Sobočan

Barbara Kresal