Російсько-українська війна як каталізатор змін у соціальній роботі з ветеранами

The article presents the results of a comparative study, which aim is to analyze the organizational aspects of social work with youth in the UK (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and Ukraine, based on the following parameters: definition of youth; youth policy and legislation; social work; youth and representation; youth work as a profession. The defined parameters are based on analytical materials from the Youth Policy Labs (Berlin, Germany).The main research methods were identified as: comparative analysis of foreign and Ukrainian sources on social work; materials from official portals of international social work organizations (International Federation of Social Workers); regulatory documents on social work; generalization and systematization of data.The research is based on youth social work strategies in the UK (Positive for Youth: A New Approach to Cross-Government Policy for Young People aged 13 to 19; Youth Policies in the UK (England) – 2019; Our Ambitions for Improving the Life Chances of Young People in Scotland: National Youth Work Strategy 2014-2019; Youth Work Strategy for Wales; Children and Young People’s Strategy 2020-2030; Children’s Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland)) and Ukrainian strategies and laws (Laws of Ukraine: “On the Basic Principles of Youth Policy”, “On Social Work with Families, Children and Youth”; “On Social Services”, National Youth Strategy until 2030).It is summarized that social work with youth is an essential field in both countries, regulated by international and national normative documents that define the principles of social work, rights, and obligations of social workers. In social work with youth in Ukraine and the UK, youth organizations implementing youth policy play a significant role. At the same time, there are significant differences in social work between the two countries. Ukraine’s broader definition of youth (up to 35 years) represents a distinctive feature of social work in Ukraine. At the same time, the main difference is that social work in Ukraine adapts and responds to significant challenges caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Background The challenges of providing care for the elderly are often underestimated by the general public. Informal caregivers for the elderly frequently require support, and this issue is the subject of much attention in developed countries worldwide. However, it remains a blind spot in post-Soviet countries, particularly Central Asia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of informal care for the elderly by healthcare and social care workers in Kazakhstan. Methods Ten key stakeholders were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. The sample included three managers, two general practitioners, one district nurse, two social workers, and two psychologists. The thematic qualitative study was conducted between October and November 2021. The data analysis was conducted using MAXQDA 2022 software. Results Most of the interviewed workers believe that caring for elderly parents is the duty and responsibility of their children, which is in line with the norms of law and the culture of society. While there is a general understanding that caring for the elderly presents challenges for informal caregivers, there is no consensus among workers on the necessary support to provide them. It is important to note that informal caregivers for the elderly are not identified or registered, and medical services are only provided in response to complaints, without regard for their specific needs. There is also no assessment of the caregiver's burden or quality of life. Additionally, necessary psychological assistance and counseling are not provided. Conclusions To address these issues, it is necessary not only to change the legislative framework, but also to improve communication between services, as well as to conduct ongoing informational work with healthcare and social care workers about the needs and requirements of those who provide care for the elderly. Key messages • Legislation is needed in Kazakhstan to support informal caregivers for the elderly, including their identification and registration, and their inclusion in medical and social assistance programs. • Need train healthcare and social care workers to be attentive to the needs of both the elderly and their caregivers, including assessing their mental health and preventing psychological breakdowns.

Background . The war waged by Russia against Ukraine makes extremely difficult demands on the personality of a military personnel. In stressful conditions, his psyche may experience a psycho-traumatic effect. These risks encourage the search for optimal approaches to providing psychological care without waiting for the end of hostilities. In global practice, there are a large number of effective tools for improving the psychophysiological state of military personnel after exposure to excessive stress. A comparison of foreign and domestic approaches to the problem of overcoming the psychotraumatic consequences of war will make it possible to single out the main tasks of providing psychological assistance in today's extremely difficult conditions. The purpose of the article is theoretical substantiation and definition of the main areas of providing psychological assistance to military personnel in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Methods . The theoretical methods of analysis, synthesis and generalization of scientific sources were used to establish the theoretical basis of the research. Empirical research methods were used to determine the specifics of providing psychological assistance to military personnel (observation, experiment, questionnaire and testing). Results . The peculiarities of psychological trauma of military personnel, participants of the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as modern evidence-based methods of providing psychological assistance to military personnel are analyzed. The expediency of providing comprehensive psychological assistance to military personnel with signs of psychological trauma using evidence-based psychotherapy methods was considered. Conclusions . In today's conditions of full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are exposed to various types of psychological trauma during their continuous participation in hostilities. The main psychotraumatic factors include a constant threat to life and health, captivity and violence, loss, mutilation, neglect by the enemy of the provisions of International Humanitarian Law, etc. These factors lead to an increase in the number of cases of complex post-traumatic stress disorder and increase the need for psychological help, which is confirmed by the results of a psychological study. The analysis of foreign experience shows the success of the early intervention protocols of psychological assistance in the world's leading armies. The use of evidence-based methods of psychological assistance gives a positive result, so this direction of research is promising.

• Summary: This article uses the concept of citizenship to explore the recent mental health statutes within England and Wales and within Scotland. It argues that differences in the content, and practice context, herald a parting of the ways in mental health social work in the United Kingdom. • Findings: The author focuses on three key differences: the reciprocity principle, the grounds for compulsory treatment and the place of social work within compulsory intervention to demonstrate how the statutes have led to more limited legal, procedural and social rights in England and Wales than in Scotland. The result for social work is that the practice context created in England and Wales may become more risk averse and that social work services may have a more residual role within statutory mental health work. The differences described in this article may also reflect increasing post-devolution divergence in the provision of social work services across the four countries that make up the United Kingdom. • Applications: Further research is needed to explore if these divergences, within mental health law and policy, are in practice supporting or limiting citizenship.

Although social work around the world is understood to be a ‘person‐in‐environment’ activity, policy in UK places more emphasis on individual characteristics than on environmental influences on development and behaviour. This results in social work practice which rightly places a strong emphasis on children's attachments to their parents and other significant people, but which largely fails to recognize their attachments to important places in their lives. Evidence from a range of disciplines is used to demonstrate the fundamental links that exist between place, identity and well‐being. The implications of this evidence for social work with children and families are explored, using practice examples to highlight some of the consequences of a lack of ‘place awareness’, as well as ways in which greater place awareness can be used to promote the well‐being of children and families.

Background. The article addresses one of the most urgent and critical aspects of social work – the psychological support of children of participants in the Special Military Operation (SMO) who died in service, as well as their families. The effectiveness and resilience of this support system directly affect the success of social adaptation and psychological recovery for those who have suffered the loss of loved ones and faced tragedy. The authors have developed technologies for psychological support for families of SMO participants and veterans. Psychological support is a comprehensive process focused on the emotional recovery and adaptation of a family to new life circumstances following a loss. The primary goals of support include reducing anxiety, overcoming post-traumatic stress, and creating conditions for the psychological and social well-being of the family. The purpose of this article is to develop and systematize methods and approaches for psychological support for families of participants in the Special Military Operation (SMO), based on an analysis of international and domestic experience, to enhance the effectiveness of social and psychological support in conditions of loss and post-traumatic stress. Research materials. Scientific articles and studies dedicated to psychological support for children and families of military personnel who have experienced loss, with an emphasis on traumatic stress, grief, and recovery; guidelines and practices concerning cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other psychotherapeutic approaches applied to children and adolescents in stressful situations; regulatory documents and legislative acts governing support for veterans and their families, including international experience in working with families of deceased military personnel; psychological tools and support algorithms developed in international and domestic practice for working with families who have lost relatives in military service. Research methods. Literature analysis – study and systematization of scientific works and publications on the topic of psychological support for military families, as well as adaptation of foreign experience to Russian practice. Comparative analysis — comparison of various approaches and algorithms for psychological assistance to children and families of deceased combatants to identify the most effective practices. Modeling — development of psychological support technologies based on the collected data, taking into account the specifics of working with children and families of military personnel. Analysis of regulatory documents – study of legal acts concerning social and psychological support for the families of deceased military personnel. To achieve the objectives, a literature analysis was conducted on the topic of psychological support for military families, including foreign studies, as well as a comparative analysis of various support approaches and algorithms. An overview of regulatory documents governing issues of social and psychological support for families of deceased military personnel in Russia and abroad was also carried out. Results. An analysis of effective methods of psychological assistance was conducted. The study identified the most effective methods of psychological support for children and their families in conditions of loss. Approaches aimed at addressing post-traumatic stress and grief were found to be particularly effective. In particular, methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), emotional support techniques, and programs focused on reducing anxiety proved especially effective in restoring the psycho-emotional state of children and aiding their adaptation. The study also examined existing approaches to psychological assistance for military families, which were adapted to the specific needs of families of deceased SMO participants. The most effective forms of support were identified, including both individual and group methods that provide comprehensive emotional support to children and their families. The study confirmed the need for an integrated approach involving specialists from various fields: psychologists, social workers, educators, and medical professionals. This ensures more complete and effective support for children and their families, improves coordination between services, and thus enhances the quality of psychological assistance. An important result of the work was the identification of the need for an individualized approach to psychological assistance. Recommendations were developed for individualized support planning, taking into account the child’s age, specific experience of loss, and social environment. Based on the results of the study, practical recommendations were developed for the implementation of state programs for psychological and social support for the families of SMO participants, veterans, and deceased military personnel. EDN: UQGLYI

COVID-19 is not only a health-related issue but it has come along with a couple of problems to everyone may it be children, youth, adults (women, men), or elderly but only youth and students of social work in particular are considered in the present study. The researcher has taken into consideration the students of social work as students are viewed as the future of any nation and when the students are from the field of social work, they are expected to work for the betterment of society, hence their perception and their viewpoints both are important. Many researches have been made to acknowledge the situation of youth, their coping strategies, and suggested interventions during this pandemic, while majority of researches focus on mental health and fewer studies shows the overall challenges on youth and on social work students in particular nor about the contribution of social workers towards society betterment. The present study is designed keeping in view the above-mentioned gaps and thus framed the objectives based on these gaps pertaining to the purpose of the study. Objectives: The present study aimed to focus on the following domains of the pandemic situation: 1. To explore the lived experiences of social work students during lockdown. 2. To determine the various challenges faced by the social work students during COVID-19 Pandemic. 3. To ascertain any contribution(s) made by the social work students towards society during COVID-19 Pandemic. 4. To know about any change into the lives of social work students in post-lockdown period. 5. To collect a viewpoint of social work students about their perception of public reaction during and after lockdown. Methodology: The present study was conducted with the students of social work and was purely quantitative in nature. The questionnaire pertaining to the independent and dependent variables and related to the objectives of the study was prepared via google forms and the link was then sent to 120 social work students from different universities of north India through email out of 87 were received back with fully informed consent. The spread sheet of the data collected was then extracted from google forms which was then edited, classified and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and tabulated for univariate and multivariate data analysis. Results: Results shows that the students of social work have experienced various challenges during the lockdown period. These challenges were categorized as physical, psychological, financial and the studies related issues. Major problems experienced by the social work students were physical inactivity (60.9%) and due to that they are gaining weight leading to obesity (42.5%). To cope up with these problems, majority of the students opted for yoga, and exercise (43.68%). Talking about psychological problems, the students developed stress (56.32%) and anxiety (40.23%). Attending online classes is an added challenge for students as it is a new concept and out of the routine activity and thus, they face difficulty in concentration (63.22%) as there are several distractions present at home (44.83%). Majority of the students complained that their studies got affected in online classes as there was signal problem (66.67%). Sitting at one place for the whole day leads to back pain and increased screen time for the attending online leads to impact the eyesight of the students (32.18%). Besides, the student social workers reported that they have developed a distance from their social relations (37.93%) and they are experiencing social isolation (20.69%). Financial depreciation was most common among general public and so on students as they reported that they were not getting pocket money due to financial crisis in their families. Besides all these problems the student social worker have done their duty and majority have contributed to the society in one or the other way. When lockdown got over, majority (74.71%) of the student got relaxed and felt that their life will get resumed now while 25.29% were still anxious. Majority (80.46%) have started their concurrent fieldwork with all the precautionary measures. The students’ perception regarding public behavior was also assessed and they perceived that 59.77% public was relaxed to hear that the lockdown is over and feel that COVID-19 is over while the rest 40.23% were showing the same behaviour as earlier; aggressive, irritable and anxious about the disease.

The article analyzes the specifics of the issues of military social work during the war in Ukraine. Military social work in Slovakia is an important aspect of the support system for people affected by military conflicts in Ukraine. This area of ​​social work is actively developing, since Slovakia is a neighbor of Ukraine, which is experiencing a complex military conflict. The main tasks of military social work are to provide psychological, social and material assistance to military personnel, refugees, internally displaced persons and their families. One of the key aspects of this work is the integration of victims into society after returning from the front or fleeing from the war. Social workers in Slovakia work at the level of national and international programs aimed at providing assistance and support to people who have become victims of war. This includes counseling, therapy, integration into the labor market, legal assistance and temporary housing. The escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine has significantly increased the number of refugees and displaced persons, which affects the activities of military social work in Slovakia. Increased attention to ensuring the safety and well-being of these persons requires coordination between government, non-governmental organizations and international institutions. Military social work becomes necessary to assist war victims, taking into account the psychosocial needs and difficult conditions in which they find themselves. Thus, military social work in Slovakia is an important component of supporting the civilian population and military personnel facing the consequences of war. The escalation of the conflict in Ukraine poses new challenges for social work, where it is necessary to take into account global and local factors, in particular humanitarian, economic and political aspects.

This conference paper presents Learning Development as transcending remedial and deficit notions of academic support. A Learning Developer based at London Metropolitan University, presents a case study that illustrates the values and impact of Learning Development and Praxis.
 This research project piloted a Problem Based Learning (PBL) methodology in the curriculum area of Social Work. The project worked in collaboration with social work students, lecturers and university partners between 2019 to 2021. This session may be of particular interest to those working with students in the social professions and work based learning courses.
 Key challenges and implications for practice:
 
 Subject specialists seeing the Learning Developer role as one of ‘fixing students’.
 Potential of Problem Based Learning as part of accredited Social Work courses.
 Integrating Learning Development; embedded vs bolt on quick fixes.
 Learning Development as scaffolding reflective writing practice.
 
 The project overcame these issues with a reach that rippled across six north east London Local Authorities as part of a Teaching Partnership. It has also been included as a topical issue for reflection, titled: ‘Promoting Positive Father Involvement’ as part of modules in practice learning. Both students and staff engaged in a workshop programme that scaffolded a dialogue between them, addressing issues of father engagement as part of practice.
 Students were able to synthesise themes of theory, policy, legislation and its application to practice. As a result, some students developed substantial case studies at both level 5 and 6, and these even informed their later dissertations and research projects. This demonstrates the social value and wider impact that Learning Development has had on improving outcomes for not only students, but fathers, children and their families.

On first centenary of professional social work education in United States, there are several ways of celebrating social work's contribution to society. We can remember profession's pioneers and praise advances made in theory and research. Alternatively, we can examine everyday practice and what clients say they value about our efforts. This latter approach reveals importance of indirect social work's unsung hero (Grinnell, 1973). Historically, indirect work has referred to clinical social worker's intervention in clients' environments and collaboration with others in bureaucracies or clients' social networks in an attempt to alleviate clients' difficulties. Grinnell and Kyte (1975) succinctly defined two components of indirect work. The first is concrete assistance, that is, provision of practical or tangible help whereby social worker uses resources or opportunities that exist or are potentially available for benefit of (p. 314). The second is sociopsychological intervention, that is, the modification of attitude or behavior of significant others within client's social . . . environment (p. 314). Direct work, in contrast, has referred to what is achieved mind upon mind, to use Mary Richmond's phrase, through relationship between client and social worker. Indirect and direct work frequently appear in tandem. For example, social worker may collaborate with other professionals in client's presence (Weissman, Epstein, & Savage, 1983). Why Examine Indirect Work? A historical analysis of indirect work traces thinking of many social work theoreticians and therefore enriches our understanding of profession. In addition, an examination of indirect work has conceptual, ethical, and practical relevance. I will argue that indirect work helps define conceptually social work's professional jurisdiction - that is, an area in which social workers exhibit both competence and expertise (Abbott, 1988). Ironically, social work literature has neglected indirect work and, sadly, history reveals that some practitioners have also. This neglect is worrisome given that social work's ethical mandate is to meet people's basic human needs and to give special attention to environmental forces (NASW, 1996, p. 1). Contemporary social problems, for example, fragmented medical and welfare services, require indirect work. Social work has made some progress in classifying distinct components of indirect but there is a need to develop practice principles grounded in empirical research. In addressing these themes, this article traces development of idea of indirect work through works of Flexner, Richmond, Reynolds, and Hollis and comments on social work's ambivalence toward this work. The article also discusses research on indirect work and clients' views of it. In addition, article examines modern portrayals of indirect work that include wider political arena and offers recommendations for practice and research. Indirect Work: History of an Idea History reveals recurring themes and ideas. A few years ago, Andrew Abbott, sociologist, stated that probably vast majority of what people with title 'social worker' actually do in United States is indeed connecting together services provided largely by other professions and other institutions (Abbott, 1995, p. 559). How similar is this depiction to one made by Abraham Flexner some 80 years earlier? Flexner In 1915 Flexner, a prominent developer of medical training programs, delivered a lecture entitled Is Social Work a Profession? at annual session of National Conference of Charities and Correction (a precursor of National Conference of Social Work) (Flexner, 1915). The question addressed in Flexner's speech may have been premature, as social work was in an embryonic stage. Settlement houses had existed for more than 25 years (Addams, 1990), but professional social work training was relatively new. …

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Its Practice And Place In Social Work

The article examines the role of project-based activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in providing social support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine. The key areas of social assistance, including housing, medical, legal, psychological, and educational support for IDPs, are analyzed. The specific features of the project-based approach in NGO activities are identified, and the effectiveness of implemented projects is assessed. Given the increasing role of civil society initiatives in ensuring comprehensive support for IDPs, particular attention is paid to the analysis of three NGOs: the NGO «IDPs of Ukraine», the Charity Organization «East SOS» and the Charity Fund «HelpGroup». The specificity of their projects aimed at social adaptation, legal and psychological assistance, employment, social integration, and humanitarian support is examined. The NGO «IDPs of Ukraine» establishes support hubs for IDPs, providing humanitarian, legal, psychological, and educational assistance while also promoting legislative initiatives to expand social guarantees for displaced persons. The Charity Organization «East SOS» delivers humanitarian aid, conducts evacuation efforts, and documents war crimes, combining social support with advocacy activities. The Charity Fund «HelpGroup» focuses on medical and psychological support for IDPs, funding treatment and medication, as well as implementing rehabilitation programs and volunteer initiatives. It has been established that the effectiveness of project-based activities largely depends on clearly defined objectives, consideration of actual IDP needs, efficient resource utilization, and the establishment of partnerships. Thus, the research findings outline prospects for further improvement of NGOs' project-based activities in supporting IDPs, which may serve as a foundation for the development of more effective social programs and integration strategies for displaced persons in host communities.

The article provides a comprehensive examination of the specifics of communicative interaction between volunteer initiatives and the population amid military actions and other major social upheavals. The relevance of the topic is driven by the increasing role of the volunteer movement in Ukraine during the period of full-scale war and the necessity of ensuring efficient, structured, and ethically balanced communication as a key factor in the effectiveness of humanitarian response and the maintenance of social stability. The aim of the study is a thorough analysis of the characteristics of crisis communication by volunteers, the identification of its psychological, informational, behavioral, ethical, and organizational components, as well as the determination of factors affecting the efficiency of interaction with the population under conditions of heightened uncertainty and social tension. In the course of the study, a set of general scientific and specialized methods was employed, including theoretical analysis of scientific sources, systematization of approaches to crisis communication, interdisciplinary analysis of the principles of social psychology, social work theory, and organizational communication, as well as methods of generalization, structural analysis, and interpretation of the practical experience of volunteer initiatives. The study results made it possible to establish that volunteer communication in crisis conditions is complex in nature and serves not only informational but also psychological-regulatory, coordinative, and stabilizing functions. It was demonstrated that the efficiency of interaction largely depends on the level of trust, the structured nature of messages, the adaptability of communication strategies to different social groups, as well as the combination of informational accuracy with emotional support. The key organizational forms of communication have been identified (information points, mobile teams, digital channels, coordination meetings, feedback mechanisms) and the rationale for their integrated application has been substantiated. Based on the conducted analysis, practical recommendations have been formulated to enhance the efficiency of crisis communication, including the development of volunteers’ communication skills, the implementation of structured information protocols, ensuring information accountability, and creating psychological support systems for both the general population and the volunteers themselves.

Juvenile delinquency is one of the most pressing problems of modern society and, in the context of the psychophysiological characteristics of adolescence; corrective work with this category has its own specifics. The main reasons for the growth of juvenile delinquency are usually the negative influence of adults and families, low quality of life, lack of motivation among minors to study and manifestations of aggressive and asocial behavior, ineffectiveness of preventive and educational work in educational organizations. The article actualizes the problem of juvenile delinquency, and reveals the features of the implementation of disciplinary practice in pre-trial detention centers. The authors argue the need to revise and update social and pedagogical work with juvenile convicts, using analytical materials on the state of the organization of the upbringing of adolescents, suspects, accused and convicts in pre-trial detention centers. There is an increase in offenses committed by suspected, accused and convicted minors who are in pre-trial detention centers. The authors, using the methods of empirical research, interviews and questionnaires, analysis and generalization of data, show probable ways of preventing juvenile delinquency through the transformation of social and pedagogical work in pre-trial detention centers and drawing public attention to the problems of adolescents at risk. The presented study fully reflects modern promises to the acuteness of solving the problem of preventing asocial manifestations among adolescents and revising the mechanisms of their upbringing in the educational sphere and society.

The article is devoted to the issues of comparative analysis of foreign practice of training specialists in the field of social work. The leading countries of the world, namely: the countries of Western Europe, the United States of America, Australia are chosen as subjects. Attention is focused on the importance of research of foreign experience in order to develop the best domestic practice of training specialists in social work at higher education institutions of our country. It has been found that the history of the profession “social worker” in the developed world is more than a century long. The nature of the appearance of the first practical aspects of European training of specialists in social work in charitable agencies is determined. The chronology of the transformation of these agencies into modern educational institutions for the professional training of social workers with the subsequent emergence of university social education is represented. The results of the study by the International Association of Social Workers in 1950, which determined the quality of education of social workers around the world, are presented. There are three main models of social education, typical of foreign countries at the turn of the 50s of the twentieth century, namely: basic education, higher education and independent education. The characteristic of the formed models is given. The common and distinctive features of modern professional training of specialists in social work in the developed countries of the world are determined. The main approaches to the acquisition of educational specialization by social work specialists in different countries of the world have been formed, namely: branch, methodical and complex ones. The peculiarities of these approaches are described. Emphasis is placed on the expediency of training specialists in social work from the standpoint of universality of their future professional activity. They must maintain their universality and interchangeability in all areas within the acquired profession, and when changing the field of activity – not to lose their competence. It is determined that the training of social workers should include among the main educational professional competencies the competencies related to the formation of mobile and adaptive qualities that allow the specialist to easily adapt to different areas of social work, transferring their skills to a new field. The institutional support of training of specialists in social work in the developed countries of the world is investigated. It was found that some specialists receive social education within specialized vocational schools, and others – within the university education. The peculiarities of individual countries in the construction of the institutional system of training of specialists in social work are determined. The main features of institutional training of social work specialists in some European countries are described. The importance of unity and optimality of combination of theoretical and practical training of social work specialists is emphasized. The main directions of improving the training of specialists in social work have been formed, which can be applied in the domestic practice of training relevant specialists.