The Task of Social Work in Alternative Care Institutions of Asunción

Abstract

The article analyzes the way in which social intervention occurs in alternative care institutions in Asunción, emphasizing the functions, techniques, hindering and facilitating elements to provide a social approach appropriate to the requirements of the legal subjects involved in the problem, which in this case are children and adolescents from shelter homes, as well as their family and the community. The research is qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with social workers and other professionals involved in the work. Among the results that were found is that management, formulation and evaluation activities are developed in the institutions, using traditional tools of the profession, such as the interview as a first approach and data collection, as well as observation and monitoring of the situation of the boy, girl and adolescent. Among the facilitating aspects, the good predisposition of those responsible for the households, the quality of the human resources, the interdisciplinary coordination of the team, the physical space, the technology and the equipment stand out. Among the obstacles are the shortage of human resources and the need for a budget increase for this sector.