| Abstract [eng] |
Violence against the child is a difficult phenomenon to exist, existing as a major problem in every state. In Lithuania, in order to ensure adequate protection of the rights of the child, from 2018. July 1 centralized management of the child rights protection system. The aim of the reform is to ensure the implementation of equal practice, to create a coherent system of institutions, defining specific functions of institutions, to develop and improve the system of comprehensive services for the child and his or her family. The case of X city municipality after the institutional reform of child rights protection in Lithuania was chosen to be analyzed in the work. The aim is to highlight the main challenges faced by the X Municipality in providing support measures for children and their families in cases of violence. The child experiences violence in families at risk who need institutional support, but despite the reforms, support professionals working with the family at risk and the child growing up in it are constantly challenged by the provision of support measures. The problem with the master's thesis is - what support measures help to ensure the protection of the child from violence in a family at risk? The object of the research is to ensure the protection of the child from violence in families at risk. The aim of the research is to reveal the provision of protection of a child from violence in families at risk in X city municipality. The analysis of qualitative content is presented in the paper presenting the case of X city municipality, but this case is also relevant for other Lithuanian municipalities, as the same problems may be encountered in providing an assistance plan for a child and his / her family. The following research objectives have been formulated: to substantiate the theoretical assumptions of ensuring the protection of a child from the risk of violence in families; to substantiate the research methodology of ensuring the protection of a child from the risk of violence in families in X city municipality, to determine the peculiarities of assistance in ensuring the protection of a child from the risk of violence in families in X city municipality. In an empirical study of the protection of children from the risk of domestic violence, methods of partially structured interviews, scientific literature and document analysis were chosen. The study revealed the peculiarities of the work of assistance specialists with the family and the child in preparing the assistance plan. It turned out that there is no unified aid plan - to the child, to the parents or to the family in general. The opinions of the relief specialists differed on the basis of the different competencies and practices of each specialist. The results of the study revealed that there is a problem of lack of competencies of assistance specialists. There is a lack of personalized, specialized services for the child, especially younger children and adolescents. There is a problem with the availability of psychologist services, lack of competencies and financing of services. The results revealed the difficulties of interinstitutional cooperation in mobilizing a team of support professionals to prepare a support plan for the family. The analysis of the results of the research revealed that there are frequent cases of unexplained interrupted pre-trial investigations, the child's unwillingness to disclose violence and the parents' lack of motivation to seek change. Positive changes have emerged since the reform, with the creation of a mobile team and a case manager. Negative changes - more documentary work, less direct work for the family, poor quality services due to high workload, large number of families per support specialist. The research revealed that the aid plan in X city municipality is being implemented in cooperation between the public institution and the public sector. The master's thesis consists of an introduction, three parts (theoretical, methodological and empirical), conclusions, recommendations, a list of literature and sources. |
