Importance of social work intervention: Social and economic benefits

Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia

Abstract

Study is focused at an early intervention of social work for risk reduction in families with children and the importance of early intervention. Like an example on which the practical part of the study is based, is one of the early intervention methods – parents' educational programme “A Child's Emotional Upbringing” and the importance of this method in reduction of social risks and promotion of social and economic benefits. Risks characteristic for families with children are many-sided and complex and it means that the state and local-government institutions have to invest essential financial and human resources (professionals' resources) to solve them. As long as the emphasis is not put on preventive work in the practical social work activities, professionals will have to work with families with children, where social risks have already made severe effects on the life of the family. A questionnaire and interviews were used to acquire the data. The data obtained allow us to draw a conclusion, that intervention methods used early can reduce single risks, which, in its turn, promote the development of social and economic benefits both at an individual and family level, as well at the public level. Still, some risks remain unchanged. The result of the use of such early intervention methods in social work with families with children can be attributed to different aims of the methods. On the other hand, when analyzing the meaning of early social work methods through social-economical prism, one can conclude, that, by using these methods in routine social work, the amount of resources decreases, but, taking into account the fact, that these methods not always have a longstanding effect, the question still remains acute: what are the necessary amount of resources to be invested in order to maintain the achieved result.