Publication at Faculty of Social Sciences |
2015
Abstract
The article deals with the nature of social work in the sphere of material needs at labor offices of the Czech Republic. The so called "social reform" was realized in 2012, leading to a split of material needs agenda which in turn led to a change of social work practices.
Social work was reduced to payment of benefits of assistance in material need, and it has become highly bureaucratized. Using the concept of powerlessness, the causes of this reduction as well as consequences for psychological well-being are described.
Based on policy documents and semi-structured interviews, it is shown that causes are to be found mainly in politicization and economization of social work.