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Social work has a leading role in the community in terms of determining change to occur and thus, on one hand it creates the premises for solving the social problems and, the premises for development, on the other hand. In the current context, we are faced with an avalanche of socioeconomic changes responsible for the emergence of certain situations involving the professional social intervention. Social work services and the related human resource must be able to provide intervention for those people who become vulnerable or who are facing risks and whose biopsychosocial welfare has a fragile character. Also, new challenges create, in parallel, the need to develop the ability to identify from a social perspective, resources and opportunities that can be used in the context of intervention. This latter aspect implies, however, an approach in which the intervention aims at corroborating the identification of the needs and problems with that of identifying the means for reaching the objectives in the short-term and especially in both the medium and long term. We can say that this intervention method has a profoundly humanistic character, as the appreciative paradigm (problems can be solved entirely in the context of correct identification of appropriate means) replaces the deficiency paradigm (the problem once installed and becoming chronical generates a laborious intervention process which, in most cases, is destined to failure).
Given the complexity of current problems generated by the global crisis we are experiencing, social work practitioners need to develop skills based on the multiplicity principles, dialogue, consensus and anticipation. Thus, the multiplicity principle, besides the importance of the multidisciplinary team, aims at implementing intervention strategies after previously having diagnosed and analyzed the social problems across different perceptions. From this point of view, it is vital to request the opinion of the practitioners or, as they are called, the ones in the front line, who are directly facing the effects generated by the beneficiaries’ problems. Then, should be requested the opinions belonging to the researchers, policy makers, because we must admit that different perception impacts the intervention methods and it inherently affects the distribution and allocation of resources. Social reality and its related problems are always governed by multiple dynamics and the solution to not be overwhelmed by these changes is to identify mechanisms that can support adaptation according to the social construction of reality.
Here is why the principle of dialogue and consensus becomes the reference axis according to which change entails adaptation. It can be divided into focused intervention, mainly aimed at repair and healing and social development. Changing an undesirable situation in a desirable one, automatically implies changing perceptions and discourse analysis of the factors involved in both the decision-making process and that of the intervention itself. The fundamental objective which aims both at solving and development cannot be achieved without reaching consensus. In its absence, the dissemination of responsibility is the main cause of assignment and maintenance errors of several behavioral patterns and stereotypes fueling resistance to change.
Multiplicity, dialogue, and reaching consensus will not generate change in the field of social work services if the indicators responsible for creating anticipation premises are not taken into consideration. In order for this approach to be implemented, is required a detailed knowledge of the social reality, represented both by viable points, and especially by analyzing neuralgic issues. The approach of the anticipatory perspective aims, on the one hand, at a priori identification of possible negative factors that can disrupt the intervention, the pecuniary limits, the lack of infrastructure and the necessary human resources to address social affairs. On the other hand, anticipation involves social vision, the investment in continuous training of human resources in order to achieve high standards of professional competence, rapid response to the needs and to eliminate all factors responsible for them to become chronical and their transformation into problems or even social phenomena.
Although social work is an extremely important component in ensuring social welfare next to education, health and social protection, at EU level we still encounter countries which are facing major changes regarding the organization of the social work services. Romania is among the countries facing a dichotomous situation that characterizes the components responsible for ensuring subsidiarity and social welfare. If only analyze from the perspective of the social services component, we will find that the majority of highly qualified social workers (university and master’s degree graduates) are not assimilated by the public system. This is powered by a direct and indirect factor. The direct factor is represented by the two laws governing the operation of social work services (Law 292/2011) and the social work profession (Law 466/2004). The paradox consists in that fact that both laws stipulate that the activities rendered outside the scope of these services may either be conducted by qualified personnel (social workers) or by persons entrusted with responsibilities in social work. This statement is responsible for creating an unflattering professional situation. In other words, even if there is no proof of relevant background in the field, any employee of a public service, if invested with responsibilities in the area of social work services can take over duties rightfully incumbent to the social worker specialist. In this way one can argue that, currently, in Romania, the social work profession is supported and funded in accordance with the social importance, and the level of the wages, of the working conditions, discourages the qualified human resource (graduates of social work faculties) to access open jobs for competition (which are limited and often blocked by people appointed by the municipalities, the reason being attributed to the limited resources – hence the indirect factor).
Unfortunately, amid the global crisis and in the context of chronic underfunding of the pillars that are responsible for maintaining the balance of social welfare (education, health and social protection), in Romania we are witnessing an increase in the number and groups of people who become vulnerable and are the targets of marginalization and even exclusion. All changes that were embraced and achieved by our country amid EU integration cannot be sustained and may not be sustainable without creating social work services that meet current and future issues that our country will face in the nearby future (e.g. the aging population and increasing life expectancy requires the creation of services for the elderly; this segment is underrepresented where the public is concerned and does not cover the demand). In the absence of qualified human resources in providing formal support, we will face huge social imbalance caused by impaired social functioning. Social work services cannot be reduced only to the component of financial and material aid. These, however, are not sufficient to support the vulnerable person to overcome the crisis or the risk. Social support services and benefits must be accompanied by properly funded services and must accommodate the social complexity that they are addressing. Finally, is required the investment in training specialists to develop skills appropriate to this field and to solving problems that require intervention.
This issue of SWR includes research studies that provide relevant information and focused on the field of social work, through which are raised both the issues related to the actual organization of the system in relation to the questions raised and the challenges faced by specialists. In this context, we bring to your attention topics such as the feminization of the profession and how male social workers are being perceived; intergenerational solidarity in co-residential living arrangements; organizational support in personal social services in Lithuania; recent evolutions in social work in the context of development paradigms; the attitude of social workers in Romania in relation to minors coming from families that are experiencing domestic violence; the resilience of foster children; youth transition from care to independent adulthood; preventing child abandonment through residency in the maternal centre; the social problem of child abandonment in Romania: the social workers’ perception; Israel's nursing students' stress sources and coping strategies; cancer patients: are they an exclusively medical case; human eggs, embryos and surrogate mothers trafficking in Romania; teenage dating violence: etiology and the role of prevention; female sex workers: a vulnerable social group.
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