|
|
The Position of Social Workers to the Closure of the Infant Homes and Children's Homes
FEDROVÁ, Ilona
At present media often deal with the topic of children growing up in institutions. The society's effort is that children grow up in functional families. Also, based on the UNICEF?s criticism a reform has been created. The Czech Republic has been making an effort for a long time already to decrease the number of children not growing up in natural family environment. A few measures had been proposed and some of them implemented but they have been ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes. The transformation of the alternative upbringing system should be made on a complex basis. However, concerns and disagreements arise over the proposed solution. Advantages and disadvantages are published in various coverages, discussions, as well as in professional literature. The thesis title: The attitude of social and welfare workers towards closing baby and children's homes. The thesis is divided into two parts. The theoretical part deals with the topics of today's family, institutional upbringing, alternative family-based care, and particular steps in the effort to reduce the number of children growing up in institutions. The practical part aims at mapping the attitudes of social workers at baby and children's homes concerning the closing these institutions. A partial objective was to investigate whether the age and practical experience influence the attitudes of social workers of baby and children's homes. Another partial objective was to compare attitudes of social workers of baby and children's homes among different regions of the Czech Republic. I set out two hypotheses. Hypothesis 1: "Social workers have negative attitudes towards closing baby and children's homes." Hypothesis 2: "Social workers' opinions of closing baby and children?s homes do not show any differences among regions of the Czech Republic." Empiric data were collected using a quantitative research, interviewing, and questionnaire technique. The research sample was composed of social workers of selected childcare institutions. The number of questionnaires sent to healthcare institutions (baby homes, baby homes at children's homes, children's homes for 1 - 3 aged and child centres) was 34. Other respondents from children's homes were addressed; in total 148 in the Czech Republic. Thus the research sample was composed of 182 respondents. Every institution was contacted twice as to increase the returnability. The population was represented by the same size as the selected sample, that means it is an exhaustive subpopulation. In total 80 questionnaires returned, i.e. the selected sample returnability (filled questionnaires) reached 44%. Obtained results were statistically processed using scaled classification of data in contexts with obtained nominal, ordinal, and cardinal variables. To analyse categorical data, the chi-square test of independence was used. The hypothesis 1 was statistically confirmed. The hypothesis 2 was not possible to adequately evaluate statistically due to the high number of categories (CR regions) into which the data were divided. Results were placed into nominal statistic tables. The descriptive statistics show that the negative attitudes of social workers prevail. Results of the thesis can be used to analyse opinions of social workers concerning the transformation of the system of care of at risk children. There are many studies relating to the underway transformation of the system of care for at risk children that should be elaborated before the reform is launched. In working out the thesis, I identified many topics that might originate writing further theses. They are e.g. opinions of social workers from the competent authority for social and legal protection of children, attitudes of children in institutional care, creation of an optimal model for at risk children, etc.
|
guest ::
