Jana Mali

The development of social work with older people in Slovenia is closely linked to the development of social gerontology, as shown by previous research into the history of social work. The most obvious connection is in the development of social work in homes for older people, which were defined as social gerontological institutions. The paper examines the influence of neoliberal ideology on gerontological findings abroad. Based on a review of publications in the journal Socialno delo and its predecessors between 1961 and 1999, it analyzes articles dealing with the topics of aging and old age from the perspective of three elements of neoliberal ideology, namely (1) paternalism towards older people, which inhibits the participation and autonomy of individuals, (2) elements of stigmatisation and stereotyping of old age, and (3) the reduction of social rights. The results of the analysis confirm the presence of all these elements in different periods of the material studied. The influence of neoliberal ideology on the understanding of ageing and old age is evident in the texts, so it can be concluded that it also influenced the later development of social work with older people. Under the influence of neoliberal ideology, the analyzed records reveal ideas about the role of social work in practice, in the field, in concrete work with older people.

Anže Jurček

Interprofessional collaboration is recognized as a fundamental form of service delivery. Systemic, organizational and interpersonal factors act as its facilitators or barriers. Using mixed methods approach (interviews and an online survey), organizational and systemic factors were investigated, which, according to social workers in public health organizations, limit the development of social work in interprofessional collaboration in healtcare. Systemic factors were assessed as a more pronounced barrier than organizational factors, especially undefined norms and standards, legislatively undefined roles of social workers, and lack of training. Lower assessments and the dispersion of organizational factors reveal the significant influence of organizational contexts and cultures, especially the role of leadership, hierarchical relationships, workloads and work organization. Qualitative results additionally emphasize the importance of interpersonal relationships, professional identity, unrecognition and power of the professional group. The research shows that effective interprofessional collaboration requires simultaneous changes at the systemic, organizational, and interpersonal levels, as well as further development of interprofessional education and research into collaborative and team practices in healthcare.

Suzana Kocjančič

The paper underscores the significance and the role of social work expertise and practice in the domain of child protection and family law. In this area, despite the presence of active work and good practice, social work remains to some extent overlooked or undervalued. The study utilizes qualitative analysis and foreign research to demonstrate the similarities between the authentic concept of the best interests of the child and the doctrine of social work with the family. These associations are rooted in historical, legal, and social work frameworks. The objective of the study is to highlight and evaluate the competencies and methodology of social work in this field. In light of the contemporary status of social work within this domain, the objective of the paper is to promote awareness among the professional community regarding the contribution and authenticity with which social work autonomously responds to the intricacies inherent in the realization and execution of the principle of the best interests of the child in the context of family work.

Teja Bakše

Petra Videmšek

Jelka Zorn