Emerging Models of Social Work Accompanying Housing, or How Czech Social Workers Treat Homelessness in Families with Children, while Having No Legal Support

Soňa Vávrová, Alice Gojová

Medailon autorů:

Soňa Vávrová is an associate professor of social work at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. She deals mainly with qualitative strategies in social work research. She surveys social work aims, positions of social workers in social services, the quality of social services and their transformation; she focuses above all on endangered children, elderly people and persons with a health disability.

Alice Gojová is an associate professor of social work at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. She surveys above all tools for social inclusion, chiefly by way of supporting families and community work.

Anotace:

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the article is to describe emerging social work models accompanying
housing that are implemented in work with endangered children and families, among others.
THEORETICAL BASE: Czech social work which supports housing makes use of two approaches
to reintegrate people without a shelter. These are Housing Ready and Housing First. METHODS:
Clarke’s situational analysis was used as a research method and a way of data analysis; it surveyed
the whole and non-reduced situation. Qualitative data were gained from interviews with 29 social
workers and analysed by way of chosen steps. OUTCOMES: 5 dominant social work models
that accompany housing were identified. Following the criterion of Relation to housing stock, these
were (1) the protective model, (2) the model promoting autonomy, and (3) the model based on
the extent to which the social worker accepts the demands of the client and the environment.
Following the criterion of Understanding housing as a right or readiness assessment, these were (4)
the model specialised in the competence in housing and (5) the comprehensive model. SOCIAL
WORK IMPLICATIONS: Getting to know Czech social work models accompanying housing
can help us when formulating (the lack of ) legal norms, mainly with regard to the endangered
target group of families with children.

Klíčová slova:

social work models, homeless families with children, social housing

s. 54–70