Development and Support of Parental Competencies in Working with Vulnerable Families

This diploma thesis is focused on the issue of parental competence in vulnerable families. It offers an insight into social work with families where biological, psychological or social development of children can be threatened. Parental competence is related to fulfilling functions of family and satisfaction of needs of all family members. The aim of this work is to describe how social workers support and develop parental competence when working with vulnerable families and children. In accordance with the aim of the work, the author defined two research questions which focus on how social workers approach and influence parental competence of their clients. In her research, the author used qualitative approach which provided deeper understanding of social workers' intervention in vulnerable families. The research involved survey and semi-controlled interviews. To assessed the collected data, the method of data classification was used. The analysis of the obtained data has shown that it is essential to develop principals of family support which are reflected in the relationship between social workers and families. Only then support can be provided. Social workers should strive to build trust, approach families with respect, empathy, authenticity, without prejudice and in certain cases with sufficient authority. In their interactions with families, social workers should act as partners, motivate clients towards change and promote interdisciplinary collaboration. To develop and support parental competence, it is important to create a support system and define desired patterns of collaboration. Social workers should provide not only information but also support, help, and alternative perspective on the situation to empower their clients. That can be achieved by accompanying families, providing practical training, mediating contact with social environment, providing professional assistance etc. This should be done so that client's will to learn and change their behaviour leads to successful acquisition of parental competence. Findings of this work can serve as a feedback for social workers