Challenges and their overcoming when implementing the restructuring of children's care homes in Lithuania

Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania

Abstract

The aim of the study is to reveal challenges and the ways to overcome them in the context of the restructuring of childcare, based on the experience of social workers who work in children's care homes, which participate in the restructuring. Qualitative research type was chosen for the study. The method of a semi-structured interview with social workers who work in care institutions, that take part in the deinstitutionalisation process. The challenges arising to social workers in the context of the restructuring, which came to light during the study, are related to the resistance and anxiety of social workers regarding their future, the lack of information on the restructuring, the lack of engagement of social workers in the restructuring processes, the lack of the dissemination of good practices, the need to improve professional qualifications and the possibility to choose training courses of qualification improvement which correspond to their needs. The unpreparedness of the community for the restructuring, as well as the finding of foster parents and adoptive parents for children or the reunification with their family and the anxiety of the children about their future were also identified. In order to overcome the challenges arising during the restructuring it is necessary: to have a restructuring plan which is clear and understandable to all, the preparation of the employees for changes, the increase of dissemination of information in the communityand society, the rallying of the community, inter-institutional cooperation and the preparation of parents/ adoptive parents/foster parents.