Revija Socialno delo

Mojca Šeme

Conceptualization of the Slovenian child and family social welfare system with the child-protection subsystem is presented and situated within selected international typologies. Using descriptive and interpretative methods, together with a discourse-sensitive review of sources, the historical, political, and legislative influences that have shaped the current orientation of the system are analysed. The findings indicate that, following Slovenia’s independence, a combined system initially emerged, integrating elements of conservative-corporatist systems and social-democratic systems – both types of systems being primarily oriented toward the provision of family support services. Over the past decade and more, however, the global economic crisis, the reorganization of social work centres, legislative changes, austerity pressures, and other factors have contributed to the strengthening of elements within the system that are characteristic of neoliberal child protection systems, which are typically primarily focused on child protection rather than on the provision of family support services. At the same time, a child-centred pattern has also been strengthening within the Slovenian system over the past decade, in line with international trends. Within the Slovenian system, it is necessary to strengthen those elements that are primarily oriented toward the provision of family support services, as this enables the state to fulfil the constitutional principle of the social welfare state.

Katja Fidler

The interaction of migration laws with laws on citizenship, the labor market, and social welfare in the everyday lives of migrants from third countries working in Slovenia as low-skilled workers, functions as a mechanism of structural violence. Etnographic descriptions of processes of renewal of residence permits and access to social rights of four families illustrate this indirect violence, embedded in the functioning of institutions and society as a whole. Findings from ethnographic material show how migrants struggle to meet their basic needs due to the legally prescribed uncertainty of temporary residence permits, the chain dependency of residence and social rights, and the lack of societal support. The conditionality and temporariness of their legal status place them in a subordinate and precarious position which deterioates their health. Some practical proposals to reduce such violence are provided.

Miroslav Budimir

Charitable food aid has been one of the most important responses to food poverty/insecurity in wealthy First World countries since the early 1990s. Exacerbation of the dual social-ecological crisis in the following decades served as the main justification for the institutionalization of the ecosocial policy programme of charitable surplus food redistribution (CSFR) in the EU member states. The focus of this paper is the impact of charitable food aid/surplus food redistribution on the welfare state in Slovenia. The paper is based on the primary empirical data collected from the major CSFR institutions and organizations in seven social work regions in Slovenia. The author finds that institutionalization and entrenchment of charitable food aid pushes the Slovenian welfare state further in the direction of a residual (neo)liberal welfare regime. In general, this ecosocial policy programme, strongly supported by the major EU funding instruments, proves that universalistic social model based on the principles of social solidarity and human rights has been abandoned in favour of charity-based short-term band-aid solutions that don’t tackle the root structural causes of poverty.

Margerita Banič

The purpose of the article is to present the current legislation and its implementation in the field of domestic violence, and to analyze restraining order in more detail. Interdisciplinary approach and search for new solutions against domestic violence are essential to reduce its intensity behind closed doors. The article addresses selected interpretations from recent case law, which together with the implementation of legislation develop new trends in legal practice, which consequently impacts the work of social work centres. The role of social work on individual and systemic level regarding domestic violence revolves around judicial critical thinking, hence, both disciplines (social work and law) combined present a useful insight into institutional and legislative situation.

Blaž Mesec

Damijan Cvek