Siromaštvo djece iz perspektive stručnjaka: Učinci i mogućnosti djelovanja

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present the opinion of professionals engaged in the systems of social welfare, education, civil society organisations, and local government and self-government concerning the effects of the economic crisis on the well-being of the family and children as well as on opportunities for developing social innovations in the prevention and easing of child poverty. Research included 22 child care professionals organised into three focus groups: (1) helpers from civil society organisations, including religious organisations, and from local self-government (seven participants), (2) teachers and professional assistants in schools (six participants), and (3) professionals from social welfare centres (nine participants). The professionals recognise the negative impact of the economic crisis, risk of poverty, and of poverty at all levels: on the well-being of children, functioning of the family and family relations, professionals and the system of providing assistance, especially the social welfare system. This paper offers a holistic picture of the complexity of the processes in families facing the risk of poverty or poverty itself as social exclusion resulting from unemployment is connected with the weakening of formal and informal social networks, prevailing sense of hopelessness and shame in view of deteriorated family relations, and the consequential risks relating to education, development, and the psychophysical as well as social well-being of children. It also emphasises the problem of co-operation between stakeholders in the provision of co-ordinated and purposeful assistance to families and children at the risk of poverty or those who live in poverty as well as of regional differences and the availability of preschool education services, and discontinuity in the financing of the programmes of civil society programmes and local self-government that could ease and reduce the risks of living in poverty. This research also shows that civil society organisations are perceived as the initiator of social innovation development, but the authors emphasize the obstacle of inflexibility and excessive regulation of the legal and administrative framework that often makes innovative approaches impossible.