Professional support for families in difficult life situations

Abstract

© 2016 by author/s.Relevance of the problem stated in the article is determined by the presence of a significant number of families in difficult life situations who need in professional support and socio-psychological assistance. The article aims to substantiate the effectiveness of the structural-functional model of professional supporting for families in difficult life situations. This kind of families’ support is analyzed as a form of a complex form of social assistance. The leading methods are analyses of scientific works and practice, empirical and experimental data, method of involved observation, modeling and experimental method. The experimental method aimed to identify the problems of families and to test the conditions of their effective professional support. The article presents the complex program of the families’ support, which includes diagnostic, projective, correctional, rehabilitative, recovery and consulting parts. This program is aimed both at eliminating factor of social risk, preventing the crisis situations in families and children’s environment, achievement of high level of specialists’ professional competence. The author determines a set of conditions necessary for effective professional support for families in difficult life situations (early diagnosis of the families needing in socio-psychological assistance; complex and systematic character of support; increasing the level of social workers’ professional competence; interagency cooperation). The author has developed a model of professional supporting the families in difficult life situations which include subjective, content, technological and effective components. It has been verified experimentally and included 2 directions: 1) support of parents and children; 2) methodical work with specialists of social services.