Understanding the nature and features of the deinstitutionalization process by the future social workers and social educators

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of the readiness of future social workers and social educators for the process of de-institutionalization. The purpose of the article is to describe the separate accents of the deinstitutionalization implementation in Ukraine at the present stage and to reveal the level of students’ understanding of the essence and features of this process. To reveal the essence of the problem of deinstitutionalization, the following theoretical methods are used in the study: analysis, synthesis, systematization, comparison, as well as empirical methods such as questionnaires, conversations, graphical data visualization methods. The essence of deinstitutionalization is revealed as a process of reform, which envisages a transition from an institutional care system to a system providing the upbringing of children in the family or in the close to it conditions. The basis vectors of deinstitutionalization are identified on the way of implementation the National strategy of reforming the institutions of institutional care and education of children in modern conditions. The issues linked to understanding by students (future social workers and social educators) the nature and features of reforming boarding institutions are identified and characterized. It is found that a large number of students do not understand the directions, components and strategic results of deinstitutionalization as an innovation in social work; they have no vision of the negative impact of boarding school on child development. It is also found that students do not sufficiently understand what the best interests of the child are. It is stated that the problem of students' unpreparedness to deinstitutionalization increases the weaknesses and risks of the reform process of boarding school in general. This causes a considerable resistance to change, slowing down the process, its misunderstanding. Based on the mentioned problems, we highlighted the tasks of training students of "Social work" specialty as subjects of deinstitutionalisation process.