The treatment of children and adolescents in the psychiatric ward under special surveillance – social-pedagogical challenge

The thesis deals with the situation of children and adolescents with severe mental disorders with associated auto or heteroaggressive behavior in existing systems of aid in Slovenia. In the theoretical part the author highlights the problem of the treatment of children and adolescents in a secure psychiatric ward for adults. At the beginning, summarizes the most common mental disorders and the phenomena of stigma and de-institutionalization. Emotional and behavioral disorders are presented through medical and social-pedagogic discourse. Described is an example of good practice from Correctional institution Planina in pedagogical medical model of intensive treatment of children and adolescents. Another solution the author suggests the model of the planned psychiatric ward for children and adolescents under special surveillance within the University psychiatric clinic Ljubljana. In the empirical part, the author analyzes various conceptual approaches in the treatment of children and adolescents. The qualitative research explores the views of the two key professional staff from Correctional institution Planina and the University psychiatric clinic Ljubljana on this problem. The study was focused on a critical assessment of the current state of treatment of children and adolescents with mental health problems in Slovenia and the role of social pedagogy in this field