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LOCAL FAMILY SOCIAL SERVICES IN CROATIA BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION’S STANDARDS AND RURAL REALITIES

Developed local social services have become one of key priorities in Croatian social policy and social care system. Impetus has been articularly given by the approach which is strongly promoted by the European Union and European Social Fund. There is a push to develop decentralized, user- oriented and inclusive social services that would be accessible on a local level and for the most vulnerable population. Rural communities are facing this challenge in particular due to a lack of various structural resources. EU promotes a welfare mix in developing local services that are owned by many different actors, such as the private sector, NGOs and local institutions. The aim of this research was to detect what kind of local family social services exist in rural communities in Croatia. The second aim of this research was to determine what standards of the European Union are integrated in family social services, such as: various sources of funding, accessibility, inclusiveness, active participation of service users. Particular focus was placed on services to tackle various family risks during the lifespan. Data were collected using online questionnaires that were filled out by local municipality representatives (N=200). Stratified probabilistic sampling was used taking into account regional affiliation and the level of development for each municipality. Research results indicate that local services are not balanced enough and do not cover various families’ needs. In rural areas, they are mostly oriented on meeting the needs of elderly people who live with family and family members with disabilities. Furthermore, on a local level in rural areas, the European Union’s approaches and standards are still not sufficiently integrated. It is noticeable that there is more space to use project funding schemes, because local services still depend to a great extent on national budget funding and do not involve service users in decision making in a significant way. Social work and its role is discussed as a profession that manages local services, using social planning techniques and project management approach.

family social services, rural communities, European standards

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