Prospective foster parents' approach to the social service worker's support – in the case of Vilnius city

Straipsnyje aprašoma socialinių paslaugų svarba, taip pat būsimų įtėvių požiūris į socialinio darbuotojo paslaugas. Pati palankiausia vieta vaikui augti ir vystytis yra šeima, tačiau mūsų šalyje tik nedidelė tėvų globos netekusių vaikų dalis yra įvaikinami ar apgyvendami globėjų šeimose. Siekiant sudaryti palankias sąlygas vaiko asmenybės raidai, jo globėjams ir įtėviams būtina nuolatinė kvalifikuotų specialistų ir valstybės pagalba, nes daugeliu atvejų tik taip jie gali tinkamai atlikti savo pareigas ir patenkinti vaiko interesus. Lietuvoje priimta nemažai socialinę pagalbą globėjų ir įtėvių šeimoms reglamentuojančių teisės aktų, įkurtos atitinkamos institucijos, numatytos socialinės pagalbos teikimo strateginės kryptys, ruošiami socialinių paslaugų teikimo specialistai ir pan. Kita vertus, nepaisant šalies valdžios pastangų, Lietuvoje įvaikinimo, vaiko globos ir socialinės pagalbos įtėviams ar globėjams teikimo sistema yra neišplėtota, neužtikrintas socialinės pagalbos įtėviams tęstinumas, trūksta socialinių darbuotojų.Diploma thesis: social service worker's support to the prospective foster parents: in the case of Vilnius city.The work author: Inga Stūglytė – Novickienė. The best place for the child growing and improvement is the family. For some reasons not all children are growing in the families. Some children have no possibility to live in their biological families, so according to the established legislation order they live in the foster home under the supervision of foster parents or they are adopted. Children adoption in our country is regulated by different acts of legislation. The activity of the children rights Ombudsman is governed by the Law on the Ombudsman for Children rights guard of the Republic of Lithuania (2000), Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania, Regulations of organization and management of child guardianship (2002) etc. Research aim – to analyse the social service worker's support to the prospective foster parents. There are presented the following objectives to reach our goal : 1. To analyze theoretical conception of adoption procedure and enforcement. 2. To discuss the system of the social service workers support to the prospective foster parents. 3. To investigate the foster parents' approach to the social service worker's support and to reveal the main problems. Research methods : • Analysis of the scientific literature - scientific analysis of adoption issues. There are analysed stages of adoption procedures and the requirements are overviewed. • Document analysis - there are analysed and overviewed documents, acts of legislation, laws and regulations of child adoption regulating. • A qualitative study – semi-structured interview, where is analysed the foster parents' approach to the social service workers' support and the problems and solution opportunities are identifying .The results of research are received using content analysis. In conclusion it is possible to assert: 1. Adoption is considered like a social process when specific rights and responsibilities are provided to the foster parents to guarantee the child's safety. In intercountry adoption there is evaluated adoption opportunities, the child is prepared to adopt and the family is selected to a child. At that period the foster parents faced with internal and external factors. On purpose to realyse children rights and smooth adopt process, profesional social workers should coordinate it. 2. Institution of the Ombudsman for children rights of the Republic of Lithuania and State child rights Protection and Adoption Service under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour are taking care about the adobtion and the foster care too. 3. The research results reveal that the biggest problems for prospective foster parents are too long adopting period , a lack of the social service workers' support and weak knowledge about what kind of help is available.Švietimo akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta