Ревија за социјална политика/Journal of Social Policy
Ревија за социјална политика/Journal of Social Policy is international peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Faculty of Philosophy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. It aims to advance critical academic and public debates on contemporary social policy issues at the local, national, regional, European, and global levels. The journal provides an interdisciplinary platform for the publication of original theoretical, empirical, and comparative research addressing key social challenges and welfare developments in diverse socio-economic contexts. Its scope encompasses topics related to labour markets, living standards, social protection and social insurance, education, health, housing, family policy, social assistance, social transfers, poverty and social exclusion, inequality, anti-discrimination, and broader issues of social justice and social development.
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Philosophy, Skopje, RN Macedonia
The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions. The journal allows the author(s) to retain publishing rights without restrictions.
Rethinking retirement in Greece: flexible pathways, gaps and policy implications
Population ageing, evolving labour markets, and concerns over financial sustainability have placed increasing pressure on pension systems across Europe. In response, many countries have introduced flexible retirement pathways that allow individuals greater choice in how and when to retire. This paper examines the design and implications of flexible retirement pathways in Greece. It maps the available options, outlines the corresponding financial incentives and disincentives, and analyses their expected impacts. To deal with demographic pressures and fiscal challenges, Greece has implemented extensive pension reforms, with the primary aim of raising effective retirement ages and encouraging longer working lives to enhance the long-term financial sustainability of the pension system. These reforms have shaped the currently available flexible retirement pathways, such as deferred retirement, early retirement with benefit reductions, and the possibility of combining pensions with income from work. Evidence indicates a gradual increase in the effective retirement age, higher employment rates among older groups, and a rise in employed pensioners, highlighting a shift toward extending labour market participation. Flexible retirement options have likely contributed to this development, although broader reforms have also played a substantial role in increasing the effective labour market exit age. However, little is known about the distributional effects of flexible retirement in Greece or the motivations behind individual choices. Barriers remain, including limited awareness, administrative complexity, and weak financial literacy, highlighting the importance of transparency and accessible information to support informed decision-making.
Copyright (c) 2025 Danai Konstantinidou, Evangelos Koumarianos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Do flexible retirement policies contribute to extending working lives in Hungary?
The increase in the old-age dependency ratio is putting pressure on public finances in ageing societies. Among the possible policy reform approaches postponing retirement can be particularly beneficial from the perspective of financial sustainability of pensions systems. In this article the aim is to present how opportunities for flexible retirement have changed in the past decade in Hungary and whether these policies have contributed to extending working lives. Our analysis shows that retirement flexibility is limited in the Hungarian pension system. Most possibilities for early retirement have been eliminated from the system during the reforms that followed the Great Financial Crisis. Opportunities for early retirement with full pension benefits are limited to women with at least 40 service years. On the other hand, retirement is flexible upwards, that is people can defer retirement and might also choose to work while receiving pensions. Flexible retirement policies promoting later withdrawal from the labour force, such as deferred retirement and the possibilities to combine work with pensions contributed to extending working lives in Hungary. It is also certain that the possibility for women to retire before the pensionable age (Women-40 scheme) lowered the overall effective retirement age, as women retiring under this option retired earlier than other women. Allowing more flexibility in retirement decision might improve well-being, on the other hand the costs of transitioning to a system allowing more flexibility for early retirement can be substantial.
pensions system, flexible retirement, financial sustainability
Copyright (c) 2025 Márton Medgyesi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Flexible Retirement Pathways in Romania: Rules, Motivations, and Implications for Prolonging Working Live
This article examines flexible retirement pathways in Romania, focusing on the interaction between statutory regulations, labour market participation, and social and fiscal outcomes. Drawing on legislation and data from the National House of Public Pensions, Eurostat, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and European Commission, the study investigates the rules regarding the timing of retirement (i.e. deferred retirement, early retirement), pension cumulation with work income, and differentiated pensionable ages. Recent reforms aimed to equalize retirement ages for men and women, link statutory retirement age to life expectancy, and incentivize longer work careers. Findings indicate that while legislative measures have increased formal flexibility, the actual take-up of flexible retirement pathways remains low, with a limited impact on labor market participation, particularly among women and low-educated workers. Employment rates among people aged 65+ have declined along with the decrease of employment in agriculture, while the employment rate of those approaching the pensionable age has only moderately increased over the last decade. The lower levels of employment among older people compared to the EU average suggest that structural barriers and social factors limit the impact of the flexible retirement pathways on prolonging the working life. Policy implications highlight the need for integrated labour and social policies to maximize the effectiveness of flexible retirement pathways.
flexible retirement, pension reforms, labour market participation, Romania,
Copyright (c) 2025 Daniela Urse https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
From policy to practice: A resource-based assessment of access to human rights
This study focuses on rudimentary disparities in access to human rights in Serbia, concerned with the severe divide between policy frameworks and their locative implementation. The purpose is to apply a resource-based approach to assess how public resources influence access to basic rights. Within a human rights-based approach framework, we identified and explored the presence or absence of resources that enable the realization of the right to work and the right to health. Field surveys and statistical sources served as the principal means of data collection while the investigation was conducted in 69 local communities within the City of Niš, where the indicators were evaluated and normalized by using the comparative scale. In the unbalanced distribution of public resources necessary for the actualization of rights lie the imperatives for travel, kindergartens, schools, health establishments, and pharmacies, with vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities suffering most due to the absence of these resources. Without the infrastructure support at community levels or with its little presence, realization of even the most basic human rights is heavily restricted, despite comprehensive legal and policy commitments. The resource-based approach can serve as a feasible measure to pinpoint local disparities in access to human rights.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bojana Vranić, Dr. Petar Vranić, Tadija Mitić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Flexible enough? Retirement pathways and their outcomes in Lithuania
This paper examines institutionally defined flexible retirement pathways and their outcomes in Lithuania - an EU member state with one of the highest employment rates among the older adults. The focus is on the main statutory old-age pension scheme. In Lithuania, the most widely used flexibility mechanism is the full combination of work and pension benefits beyond the pensionable age. Combined with relatively low life expectancy, it leaves the pathway of pension deferral as largely irrelevant despite of relatively generous conditions. Early retirement is rare due to restrictive rules and financial disincentives, except for periods of economic downturn. The high employment rates among older adults and the increasing duration of working life appear to be driven less by pension flexibility and more by structural factors such as low pension replacement rates, elevated old-age poverty, evolving labour market dynamics, and increases in the statutory pensionable age. As demographic pressures intensify, particularly in the context of a rapidly ageing Lithuanian population, additional forms of pension flexibility - such as differentiated or flexible pensionable age, or partial pensions - may gain political relevance. A key policy challenge for Lithuania lies in fostering later-life employment by mitigating negative financial, health- and care-related, as well as age-discrimination barriers, while promoting positive drivers including favourable working conditions, labour market adaptability and possibilities for choosing a variety of flexible retirement pathways.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jekaterina Navicke, Romas Lazutka https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The (Un)Discovery of Old People in Socialist Yugoslavia
This article results from an exploration in the production of knowledge about old age in socialist Yugoslavia. It particularly discusses the relationship between research and policy making, highlighting two contradictory tendencies: on the one hand, government bodies in Yugoslavia commissioned and funded substantial research in the social problems of old people, starting in the mid-1960s. On the other hand, policy responses remained deficient. I argue that one reason was the geographic concentration of problems of old age in villages, which were generally neglected by the government; this was manifest in the lack of pension coverage for private farmers and often miserable living conditions. My article is based on a close reading of Yugoslav social-science research on old people and on the analysis of archival documents about social policies in this arena. There is a particular focus on the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, where large-scale surveys of the situation of old people were carried out in the 1970s and 1980s, but where the government response remained insufficient. By the late 1980s, experts seemed to have given up the hope that their research might help to improve alleviating the lot of old people. My contribution is also understood as a rediscovery of a rich research tradition that fell into oblivion during the wars of the 1990s. Yet if we want to understand the dynamics of social inequality in Yugoslavia – as one of the reasons of its dissolution – we should listen to those contemporaneous voices.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ulf Brunnbauer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Constructions of belonging from a refugee perspective in the context of neighbourhood in East Germany
Diversity, belonging, neighbourhood, and RefugeeMigration are directly connected. Who belongs or is allowed to belong, or whose belonging is granted, enabled (in solidarity), or denied (violently), manifests itself in the context of RefugeeMigration. The term diversity describes, on the one hand, variety and heterogeneity, and, on the other hand, differentiation. The analysis of diversity can reveal discrimination, inequalities, exclusion, hegemonic tendencies, dominance, equal opportunities, and participation in a society. Belonging is a central element in the topic of migration. To date, no empirical study has examined the generation of belonging from the perspective of refugees in the context of neighbourhoods in East Germany. This article addresses this research gap. The data were collected using walking interviews and analyzed using grounded theory. The focus of the article is the research question of refugees' experiences in the neighbourhood. This article aims to present both the conditions under which refugees develop their own understandings of belonging and the concepts of belonging held by refugees.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Kasten https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Self-Determination in Patients with Intensive Care Needs: Care Management Implication
Highly vulnerable people, such as those on permanent ventilation, are heavily dependent on medical, nursing and social support. The aim of the treatment of these patients is to make them independent of the ventilators - insofar as there is a potential for weaning from ventilation. This requires a considerable amount of time, especially for people with multimorbid diseases. In a clinical setting, the necessary resources for this are not available. In a newly created transitional living form for out-of-hospital ventilation weaning, patients are closely supervised and supported in the weaning process by a multidisciplinary team in a homely environment. The transitional housing form is supported by research carried out by the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg. The evaluation of self-determination in a complex disease situation is one aspect of this research. This paper is based on a study that included 54 guideline-based, semi-standardised interviews which were conducted with the patients themselves and/or relatives covering the aspects of medical and therapeutic care as well as housing and self-determination. The interviews were evaluated using content analysis. In a firststep, the categories of the analysis of self-determination are described. Furthermore, the results are exemplified with a case study. Results of the study show that the perception of quality of life is closely linked to the possibilities for self-determination. The comprehensive medical, nursing and therapeutic support contributes to the well-being of the sick people, who should be informed about and involved in the treatment. The case study illustrates by way of example how self-determination can be achieved in the case of severely diseased patients (e.g. referring to their mobilisation, visits, spare time activities) and how compliance can be increased. It became evident that even in the case of lethal diseases whose progression cannot be influenced, a self-determined life is still possible.
Copyright (c) 2025 Corina Schiegl, Irmgard Schroll-Decker, Matthias Kurbel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Re-Awakening Role of Social Workers in Policy-Making Following a Global Pandemic: Lessons for Education and Practice
Social workers have largely contributed to policy analysis and planning since the rise of the discipline’s professional identity. It is through lobbying, policy advocacy and macro-practice that responses about human rights and social justice are crafted and integrated in international and transnational social work practice. Yet, these roles have for a while been suppressed in an attempt to standardise and confine the profession in the limits of a given nation’s legal and social status. Public crises like the recent novel virus SARS-CoV-2, come to force us to rethink what has been the role of social workers before such crises. Are we well prepared to take on these roles again, when for a long while education and practice has shied away from them, leaving contemporary practitioners in a predicament situation? This paper will explore both challenges and opportunities in social policy, arising from COVID-19, and will argue the need for re-emphasising on the social workers’ role in social policy, with the intention to make recommendations for education and practice.
Copyright (c) 2024 Panagiotis Pentaris https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Populism and Social Policy in Transitional Societies: Strategies and Impact on Marginalized Groups in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America
Countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America that have undergone significant political and economic changes face new challenges in shaping social policy. Populist leaders in these regions often use social policy as a tool for gaining political support, targeting marginalized groups as part of their strategies. This paper analyzes various approaches of populist regimes in transitional societies and their impact on social policy, particularly toward marginalized groups. Through case studies from Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, Venezuela, and Brazil, the paper offers a comparative overview of populist strategies. The analysis includes a systematic literature review and a comparative analysis of empirical examples of social policy under populist regimes, incorporating a theoretical framework based on the concept of “welfare nationalism” and specific case studies. Findings reveal that populist leaders use social policy to strengthen political control and support, with varying approaches to marginalized groups depending on regional and cultural contexts. Transitional societies represent fertile ground for populist strategies that use social policy as a tool for political mobilization. This research highlights the need for more inclusive social policies to mitigate the adverse effects of populism.
Methods of Social Work with Older People at Different Providers of Services for Older People in Croatia
The demographic data from the last census (2021) in the Republic of Croatia show that the proportion of older people in the total population will increase, as already predicted. With a larger number of older people, the likelihood of needing help with activities of daily living in later stages of life increases, especially among the population of 80 years and older, which leads to an increase in the number of services for the older people. With the development of social services for older people, different methods and approaches are being developed to meet the needs of older people in the community in which they live. The aim of this paper is to examine whether there are methods for working with older people that are used by different service providers for older people in Croatia. The article presents the methods of social work used by various service providers for older people and how they are based on concepts of social work with older people. The study used a qualitative approach with the interview method and the data was processed using the qualitative analysis method. The study involved 12 people who work in institutions and associations that provide services for older people. The results show that different methods of social work are present in the practise of working with older people and that the concepts of social work with older people are represented by service providers in which older people actively participate in the design of activities and services.
concepts of social work with older people
Adolescents' Lived Experiences of COVID-19
Adolescents experienced COVID-19 and the implementation of lockdown measures in various ways. The developmental phase of middle adolescence is a pivotal period characterised by various cognitive and social processes that contribute significantly to the creation of adolescents' identity. During this period, adolescents encounter significant events, both in terms of their personal growth and their lived experiences. These events may include transitioning to high school, obtaining their learner's licences, and other milestones. The implementation of lockdown measures and stay-at-home orders resulted in adolescents being restricted to their residential settings with their family members. Understanding adolescents’ lived experiences of COVID-19 was described through a qualitative phenomenological descriptive research design. The data collection consisted of individual semi-structured interviews with 16 participants in Johannesburg (Gauteng), using an interview schedule. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis and three themes emerged: (1) Participants’ experience of how COVID-19 Influenced their relationships, (2) Participants’ experience of how COVID-19 impacted their mental health, and (3) Protective factors and risk factors that impacted their experience of COVID-19 positively or negatively. From this, conclusions have been drawn, as well as recommendations for future research and practice. Initiatives that can potentially be used to support adolescents during a crisis period, such as a pandemic, include interventions related to mental health, academic performance, and physical well-being.
Copyright (c) 2024 Issie Jacobs, Kirstyn Layton https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Hardships and Difficulties of Informal Carers Supporting People with Dementia
As the population ages, informal care is gaining increasing attention from both researchers and policymakers. The term informal carers refers to family members, friends, or neighbours of people with dementia who provide unpaid assistance and support. This article is based on research data collected as part of a larger research project conducted in Slovenia between 2020 and 2024. The aim of this article is to explore the challenges faced by informal carers supporting people with dementia in Slovenia and to identify the main characteristics of informal care in this context, in comparison to findings from studies in other countries. The data source for this study consists of five interviews with people with dementia and five interviews with informal carers, conducted in various regions of Slovenia over the project's duration. The findings of the study are consistent with those of research from other countries. For instance, in Slovenia informal caregiving for people with dementia is predominantly carried out by wives and daughters, highlighting a significant gender dimension to informal care. The interviewees reported experiencing similar challenges to those faced by caregivers in other countries. In particular, managing the demanding coordination of informal care with jobs and other responsibilities, such as household chores and family care, was highlighted. They also reported psychological strains associated with this role, noting that its time-consuming nature deprives them of opportunities to care for themselves.
Family and Marital Counselling In Centres For Social Work in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Challenges and Policy Implications
Working with families is one of the most important tasks for the social work profession. In primary prevention, the most crucial task is to develop humane relationships among marital partners. Additionally, an essential segment of preventive social work involves educating and preparing youth for marriage and family and educating them about responsible parenthood. In secondary prevention, an important task of social workers is to help overcome marital conflicts. This highlights that family and marital counseling is one of the key tasks of social workers. Using QCA, the capacities of five centers for social work in Bosnia and Herzegovina in conducting marital and family counseling were analyzed. The experiences of counseling experts (N=10) were compared through semi-structured interviews. Various challenges and problems were identified that prevent centers for social work from being leaders in counseling. Family and marital counseling represents a complex and responsible task that requires expertise and competencies. The lack of systemic solutions, inconsistent norms and standards, and limited capacities of centers for social work slow down the development of quality counseling in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The data indicates that serious progress is needed in organizing the service, multi-sectoral cooperation, and institutional promotion for family and marital counseling to gain the place it deserves in social work
СОЦИЈАЛНА РАБОТА СО МАРГИНАЛИЗИРАНИ ЗАЕДННЦИ ВО ЗАЕДПНЦАТА-РАЗВНВАН•Е СЕРВИСИ ЗА КОРИСПНЦИ ’НА ДРОГИ ВО POMCKA ЗАЕДНИЦА
Во последните години во Македонија се случија низа промени, а воедно се јавија и многу проблеми кои од своја страна придонесоа одредени заеіщици да се најдат надвор од опттествените текови, социјално псклучени и маргинализирани. Во 1991 со распЫатето на Советскиот Сојуз и Југославија, започна деценија на регионални конфликти, нестабилност, зголемено движеіъе на населението. Политичката, економската и социјалната транзіщија значеа забележителен пад на условите заживот и влотуваіье на пристапот до услуги,можности за образование, вработуваіье,како и пад на здравствените показатели,юто доведе до пораст на сироматтијата.Овие промени ги засегнаа ранливите групи население, особено Ромите (Тозија, 2008:59). Поради ваквата настаната ситуација се отвори можност за поголем развој на граганскиот сектор како трет сектор, како надополнуваюе на владиниот и приватниот во областа на социјалната заттита поради неможноста да одговорат на порастот на социјалните проблеми и социјалното искучуваіье на одредни заедници.
IMPLEMENTATION OF LICENSING IN SOCIAL PROTECTION: Regional Achievements and Challenges
A license is a document (work permit) issued by an official body (most commonly chamber) to persons – professionals, institutions, programmes, projects. It is an instrument used by the state to supervise the entire process of development of the social protection, in terms of: adequate quality of the institutions; adequate operation of the institutions; adequate services delivered to beneficiaries; professional qualifications and development of professionals; continuing upgrading of the knowledge base (Bornarova, 2004).
МУЛТИСЕКТОРСКА СОРАБОТКА ВО РАБОТА СО ДЕЦА ВО РИЗИК
Денес социјалните проблеми ги надминуваат границиге на областа во која се појавуваат и истите се провлекуваат низ различни опттествени сектори. Од тие причина и реюенијата за нив треба да бидат сеопфатни, флексибилни и прилагодени на новата реалност. Прилагодуваіьето на актуелните состојби, мегу другото, значи и мултисекторека соработка која во својата основа подразбира справуваіъе со проблемите преку заедничко и истовремено делуваюе на субјекти од различни сектори. Мултисекторска соработка се однесува на активности кои се организираат, реализираат и во кои учествуваат субјекти од различни сектори, преку споделувапе на одговорноста, но и искористуваюе на нивните ресурсы и експертиза. Иако мултисекторската соработка во најголем дел се практикува на локално ниво, истата има можност да се применува во најразлични комбинации во кои се вклучени централната (национална) и локалните власти, претставниіщ на приватииот профитен я непрофитен сектор, како и грагани кои живеат или работат во конкретната локална заедница. Имај и ја предвид комплексноста на појавата на малолетничка деликвенција, односно детско престапниттво, која според сите научни сознанија и статистички податоци, бележи намалувапе на возрасната граница на децата со воспмтно-социјални проблеми и сторителите на кривични дела, но во исто време и зголемуваіье на сериозноста на сторените кривични дела, се наметнува потребата од систематска, организирана и сеопфатна опттествена акција. Како резултат на претходно изнесеното, овој труд има за цел да ја објасни потребата од мултисекторска соработка во областа на превенција и справуваіье со проблемот на детско престапниютво, но и да ги oпиme местото, улогата и активностите на клучните актери во оваа област.
мултисекторска соработка и детско престапниютво
Qualitative analysis of the newly impoverished families in the Republic of Macedonia
The years-long poverty measurements by applying the relative and subjective method have enabled identification of the basic poverty profiles. The poverty measurement and observation by the double method and using the information on the basic structures of state benefits users have enabled identification of three basic groups of poor families: traditionally poor, newly impoverished families and chronically poor families. The aim of this work is to examine, describe and explain the newly impoverished families, using the data obtained from the qualitative measurements. It also gives an answer why the qualitative approach was applied in the measuring of this phenomenon. Newly impoverished families are those that have felt the dynamic decline of the living standard during the transition period (households without a single employed member, households with employed members who do not get salaries on time, households having more members). Various data sources have been used in the analysis: natural environment observation, an interview (individual and group), and various types of written documents. Without any additional interventions of the researcher, information given by the media were used, conversations of citizens and politicians were carefully listened to for this problem. These families had difficulties adjusting to the newly emerged situation. They mostly try to find a way out of this situation in the grey economy. The reproductive situation of the second generation of poor from this kind of families is evident. The generalizations made for the researched problem, the newly impoverished families, arise mostly from the research elaborated with detailed information for 20 families (newly impoverished) followed through a 10-year period.
THE STATE AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE PENSION AND DISABILITY INSURANCE SYSTEM IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
The paper deals with the current state of the system of pension and disability insurance in the Republic of Serbia and the possible directions of change. The author analyses the causes of an extremely poor status of the pension and disability insurance system, based on current financing and intergenerational solidarity. The disadvantages of this system, in addition to its indisputable advantages, are also pronounced in other countries that apply it. However, in countries such as Serbia, there are factors that further complicate its sustainability, such as poor demographic situation, high unemployment rate, and the like. In this context, the text provides a brief overview of the measures taken to date, with the analysis of their short-term and long-term effects, Finally, the author gives a personal view of the direction of development of the pension and disability insurance system in the Republic of Serbia.
Social Work and its Discontents Under Neoliberal Conditions: The Rhetorics and Realities of the Concept „Inclusion“
A spectre is haunting European social policies and European social work – the spectre of „inclusion“. During recent years, the terms „exclusion“ and „inclusion“ have become central concepts in politics, the social sciences and last not least social work. Social exclusion has been declared to be one of the core problems of social work (cf. e.g. Sheppard 207, 5ff.). Despite a formidable career which the concept has made in politics and academia, turning up in each and every context and corner of the social work discourse, from the very beginning its lack of clarity and analytical lucidity has been critizised (cf. e.g. Anhorn 2008). Thus, the term exclusion – and the demand for inclusion - is used for completely different empirical phenomena such as long-term unemployment, migrants, homosexuals, lesbians, transsexuals, ethnic groups and people with impairments or disabilities – groups and individuals that presumably are not exposed to the same mechanisms of exclusion and whose „exclusion“ takes very different forms.
ПОВРЗАНОСТ НА НАСИЛНО ОДНЕСУВАЊЕ СО САМОПОЧИТУВАЊЕТО КАЈ УЧЕНИЦИТЕ ОД ОСНОВНОТО ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ
Низ процесот на растење, а и во текот на целиот живот, изложени сме на бројни влијанија од средината кои се одразуваат на нашите размислувања и на однесувањето. Ефектите од тие влијанија зависат од периодот на живот во кој поединецот се наоѓа, од ситуациските фактори, од моќта на одделни фактори, како и од особините на личноста. Евидентно е дека социјализацијата во значајна мера го определува однесувањето на поединецот во групата. Влијанието на врсниците е составен и значаен дел од растењето, развојот, идентитетот на поединецот и формирањето на неговите навики и однесување. Низ процесот на социјализација детето ги стекнува своите вредности и ставови, прифаќа конструктивни и деструктивни модели на однесување.
THE IMPACT OF SELF-ESTEEM ON THE DEGREE OF GENERAL AND EXAMINATION ANXIETY
The purpose of this research was to clarify the relationship to the level of self esteem and general and examination anxiety, as well as to determine the difference between general and examination anxiety among the students. Measuring instruments that were used in this research are Rosenberg self-esteem Scale, anxiety scale constructed by Hamilton and Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI).
СОС ЛИНИЈА ЗА ПОМОШ ОД ДРОГА - СОЦИЈАЛЕН СЕРВИС НА ГРАЃАНИТЕ
Употребата на дрога претставува сериозен медицински, психолошки, но и социјален проблем. Семејствата и лицата со проблематична употреба на дрога се соочуваат со низа сериозни проблеми кои оневозможуваат нивно нормално функционирање. Во светот за надминување на овие проблеми функционираат повеќе сервиси. Здружението на социјални работници на град Скопје со цел да ги следи активностите за превенција од употреба на дрога, ја отвори националната бесплатна телефонска линија 080011444. На линијата граѓаните од Република Македонија можат да добијат информации за проблемите со кои секојдневно се соочуваат, а се поврзани со употреба на дрога.
SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA: VISION AND REALITY
The system of social protection of disabled people in the country to its independence generally was conducted by a medical model and developed a system of institutional care. The reforms in the social protection system in the country (after establishing independence), develops and promotes the social protection of disabled people in their place of residence. The process of reforms in the field of social protection was developed in 2003 and the adoption of certain measures and the social protection policies are established in 2004 as a result of legislative initiatives. The new legislative initiatives and regulations created radical changes in the field of social sector by introducing new solutions. Social reforms are based on three new principles of social protection (decentralization, social inclusion and social protection plural), in order to strengthen and adjust the Macedonian system to European and international standards. Approaching european and international conceptions Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, in its policies and strategies embarked on a process of transformation of public services, social protection of people with intellectual disabilities through the processes of decentralization, disinstitutionalisation, privatization and implementation of joint projects NGOs working in the field of social protection. In this paper will be analyzed the active local policies for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as the capabilities and capacity of local government to open these services to people in the community, taking into account the above mentioned principles in social care.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOSTER CARE FOR ADULTS IN REPUBLIC OF CROATIA AND REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
The aim of this work is to show practice and opportunities for improvement of foster care for adults in Republic of Croatia and Republic of Macedonia, through a comparative analysis of the legal framework governing foster care. The analysis will focus on the comparison of certain statutory provisions that are related to foster care and state the main differences that exist in these countries. We will analyze the provisions relating to the types of foster care present in those countries, the accommodation capacities, the conditions to be met to perform foster activities, training and education of foster careers, the issuance of a license to conduct foster care and issues related with conclusion of the contract and compensation for foster carers. We will also display statistics about the current situation on the field of foster care in each country and propose guidelines for the further development of foster care for adults in Croatia and Macedonia.
СОЦИЈАЛНА ИНКЛУЗИЈА НА ДЕЦАТА СО ИНТЕЛЕКТУАЛНА ПОПРЕЧЕНОСТ И ДЕЦАТА СО ЦЕРЕБРАЛНА ПАРАЛИЗА
Интегритетот на личноста на човекот е основа на неговиот опютествен статус, па поради тоа без обsир на развиеноста на опютеството, поединецот води перманентяа битка за пегова афирмација и егзистенција. Битката на социјализација, процес на интеракција во која новиот член во опютествената заедница усвојува знаеіьа, веютини, навики, норми, вредности и други сознанија што се неопходни за успеівно интегрираіье во опютествената rpyпa яли во поівироката заедница е многу потеівка и подолготрајна за лицата со разлияен степен и вид на инвалидност. Целта ва натето истражуваюе 6eme да се утврдат взаемните односи во семејството како и во средината, со врсниците, наставниците и некои лични особини како: дружепубивост, доминантност и юубопитност на децата со интелектуална попреченост и децата со церебрална парализа. Применувајkи ги каузалниот и методот на дескриптивна анализа, техниката на тествраюе и тестот на Рене Жил за испитуваюе на социјални и семејни одвоси, 6ea собрани податоците од примерок составен од 12 деца со церебрална парализа на возраст од 5 до 20 години и 28 деца со лесна интелекутална попреиеност на возраст од 7 до 20 годиии. Податоците 6ea табелирани и статистички обработени со примета на хи- квадрат тестот. Анализата на резултатите посочи дека двете групи на испитаници на помала возраст се повеке приврзани за мајката, но во подоцнежниот период преовладува поврзаноста на момчиюата со таткото и копираюето како модел, од останатиге групи се забележува поголема приврзаност кон наставникот. Разлика помегу грузите се забележува во дистанцираноста и адекватното социјално однесуваюе, кај момчитата со интелектуална попреченост и девојчипата со церебрална парализа се забележува поголема дистанцираност и адекватно социјално однесувате. Можеме да заклучиме дека двете групи не се приспособени во целост кон луfето и средината која ги опкружува.
SOCIODEMOGRAFSKI FAKTORI NA REZILIENTNOST VO ZRELOSTA
Trudot e naso~en kon prikaz na razli~ni faktori na rezilientnost vo zrelosta. Istra`uvaweto ima{e za cel da gi istra`i razlikite vo istra`uvaweto na rezilientnosta kaj ispitanicite od rana, sredna i dlaboka zrelost vo odnos na polot, nivoto na obrazovanie, bra~niot i rabotiot status. Istra`uvaweto e sprovedeno na primeroci od 1612 `iteli na Srbija od 37 gradovi i sela, od dvata pola, na vozrast od 27-70 godini i na site obrazovni nivoa. Koristena e PORPOS baterija, namenski konstruiran instrument od 389 stavki i pra{awa, koe, pokraj drugoto sodr`i i kratki skali za procenka na rezilentnosta, kako i lista na op{ti podatoci
SOCIAL SERVICES: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES IN THE ALBANIAN CONTEXT
The system of social services in Albania was totally transformed compared to the system that functioned during the communist time. Besides State, various groups of civil society, strategic partners, donors and international organizations played an important role in providing social services. The aim of this paper is a) to provide a general overview of the role of the actors that provide social services in Albania; b) to analyse the impact of decentralization and privatization of social services; c) to present evidence of achievements and challenges in the public and non public services. The paper is not intended to be a comprehensive one on the overall subject of the system of social services in Albania, but rather a review of services related to social protection of vulnerable groups, children and women support, services for the people with special needs. This paper is prepared based on documentation analysis (basic policy and strategic documents, legislation), interviewing and practical experience reflection. The documentation analysis has involved reviewing all readily available materials, like domestic government policy documents, official statistics, national reports, publications of the NGO that offer social services and research publications on social services. The method for analyzing the information was content analysis. Ten key actors in Albania were interviewed for the purpose of this research: five officials of the Ministry of Wellbeing and Youth and five representatives of NGO-s. The purpose of interviews was to gather information that is not publicly available and to generate insights on the issue of social service provision. It is a belief that the conclusions of this research will be a contribution to reshaping the role of all actors, increasing the role of the civil society and private providers of social services and improving the quality of social services in Albania.
public and non public providers of social services
CHILDREN AT RISK: SOCIAL POLICIES AND SERVICES AND THEIR IMPACT IN ALBANIA
Albania society has experienced a prolonged transition which is accompanied with substantial changes that have caused effects on families and especially children’s lives. Groups of children at risk of social exclusion in Albania are: working and street children, children in conflict with law, poor children, Roma children, children who are subjected to violence and trafficking, children involved in the phenomenon of the blood feud, children with disabilities and children living in rural areas. This categories shares very difficult experiences such as living in minimal conditions, suffer lack of access to key services such as lack of health services, very low attendance and lack of access to educational institutions. These consequences associate with lack or inadequacy of appropriate service provision and lack of coordination between the responsible structures. The purpose of this study is to analyze the situation of children at risk in Albania, policies and services for this category, their impact as well. For the realization of the study are used methods of secondary data analysis combined with qualitative data provided through semi-structured interviews with key persons in different decision-making level, and focus groups with children at risk. Key findings are related with lack of policies to address the prevention, protection, assisted voluntary return, repatriation and reintegration of trafficked children; gaps in the implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Children; lack of coordination between institutions and services; services and programs at central and local level for children as Children Protection Units are not spread across all the territory; there is a reduction in the number of residential and day services and increase of community once, etc. Research findings conclude with the need for improved social care legislation and creating of suitable legal acts, which emphasizes the role of stakeholders in supporting children; Foreseen policies that address the prevention, protection, assisted voluntary return, repatriation and reintegration of trafficked children; to include the elimination of child labour in general policies and national programs; creating multi-sectoral mechanisms to identify victims of trafficking, especially trafficked children, etc.
TREATMENT- A PERSPECTIVE IN SOCIAL WORK AND A CHALLENGE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS
The field of social work in Macedonia was developed in several stages; in each of these there has been advancement in education and professional development of social workers. The role of a social worker in the past would be more in administration day, they are analysts and researchers who, coping with the modern day issues and the consequences of the social existence of the growing number of individuals and groups, are facing the challenges of using new modes of assistance and improving the mental and social state of users. Their line of work implies dealing with individuals and groups of various ages, with various problems (misconduct, substance abuse, post-violence effect, stress, mental illness), which, among others, are the result of the detrimental influence of the family and wider social setting, thus creating the need to use alternative therapeutic methods and techniques in reducing the negative social impact.