Gender stereotypes in social work with social risk families

Straipsnyje aptariam, kaip lyčių stereotipai pasireiškia socialiniame darbe su socialinės rizikos šeimomis. \taikant formalizuotą kiekybinį turinio analizės metodą buvo ištirti septyniose socialinės rizikos šeimų bylose sukaupti socialinio darbuotojo užpildyti dokumentai per 2007 metus. Dokumentų analizė atskleidė, kad apie du trečdalius išteklių skiriama socialiniam darbui su socialinės rizikos šeimų moterimis.The aim of this article is to investigate gender stereotypes in social work with social risk families. Social workers working with social risk families have a possibility to solidify gender stereotypes between sexes or can identify and challenge gender stereotypes in helping to achieve greter gender equlity in family life. Gender stereotypes present a conventionally simplified and standardized conception or image concerning the typical social roles of male and female. As the product of social activity, gender stereotypes are beliefs held about characteristics, traits, and activity-domains that are "deemed" appropriate for men and women. A social risk family is defined in contrast to a strong cohesive familywhich is able to function well and secure wellbeing of all family members. While the social risk family interfere with such socio-demographic factors as poverty, unemployment, alcoholism, child neglect, and etc., it is not able to overcome these factors autonomous and can not guarantee family members' safety. Lithuanian state institutions are providing basic social services to social risk families. Social workers working with social risk families seek to meet their needs and help to improve their social functioning. A method of formalized quantitative content analysis was applied to investigate formal documents related to social work in Leipalingis eldership with 7 social risk families during the year 2007. Mainn results of the investigation reveal that while working with social risk families activities are devided into male and female areas. About 2/3 of resources while providing social services are intended to target women's effort to maintain a safe and caring environment at home relevant to meet children's needs. Men are often neglected in this practice. Based on the finding of the investigation it is possible to assume that gender bias exists in social work with social ris families