Social pedagogy and social work relations in Greece: autonomous trajectories

This article explores the relationship between social pedagogy and social work in Greece. The search begins with the identification of their philosophical roots, which, although they are common and start from the Ancient Greek philosophers, have led the course of each discipline in a different direction. What follows is the presentation of the most important defining elements of the development of the studies of social work and social pedagogy in Greece, which include features and historical landmarks. The different trajectories can be seen from the development of studies, where social work has a long tradition as an academic discipline, whereas the academic tradition of social pedagogy is much shorter. A similar differentiation is found in the professional frameworks of social work and social pedagogy in Greece, that is, in the institutionalisation of the profession of social worker and social pedagogue. Indicative data from the field of research of each discipline are then presented. Despite the differences and the autonomous trajectories, remarkable commonalities and similarities between social pedagogy and social work in Greece are identified, such as some basic principles, priorities, epistemological and methodological dimensions and some common areas of interest and action. Therefore, the autonomous trajectories of these disciplines do not separate them, but as potentially complementary, are able to make interdisciplinary connections between them, so that prevention and intervention programmes, especially in the fields of education and the community, can be developed

Unaccompanied Minors in Greece and Italy: An Exploration of the Challenges for Social Work Within Tighter Immigration and Resource Constraints in Pandemic Times.

The number of unaccompanied minors (UAMs) arriving in the European Union (EU) has been increasing dramatically over recent years resulting in the formulation of EU policy directives around safeguarding and well-being. Notably, the majority of UAMs enter Europe irregularly through two main gateways to the European continent: via Italy, using the Central Mediterranean Sea route; or through Greece, transiting through the Eastern Mediterranean route from Turkey, mostly via sea. Profiles of UAMs travelling via the two different routes are significantly diverse, reflecting Italy\u2019s and Greece\u2019s geographical proximity to North Africa and the Middle East, respectively. Although Italy has witnessed a decline since 2018 (Todaro and Romano 2019), the two countries have faced a significant increase in UAMs, and this has required a considerable reorganisation of the reception systems and, more generally, of their welfare systems. However, difficulties in securing adequate reception for UAMs seeking protection have persisted in both countries. Through an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on the Italian and Greek reception systems and social interventions with UAMs, we utilised a multiple embedded case study approach within a comparative analysis, to identify key changes in the main services which should be guaranteed to minors\u2014namely, hosting/housing, guardianship, foster care, family/relatives reunification, school integration, language, job training for care leaving, and preparation for leaving care after 18 years (Di Rosa 2017; Buchanan and Kallinikaki 2018; Barn et al. 2020). Against a background of critical reviews of the main issues related to policies and reported social work practice in a context of COVID-19 precarity, set within a wider EU framework, this paper contributes to the literature with an analysis of the current situation and the tightening of the conditions of reception, inclusion and integration that await UAMs in these gateway countries today. We conclude that with the suspension of key services and amenities, and with a practical halt to the due process of immigration and asylum, social workers are facing a difficult challenge to prevent the deterioration of UAMs\u2019 mental health and well-being

FATHER INVOLVEMENT IN TREATMENT OF THE ADOLESCENTS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

THE STUDY AIMS TO EXPLORE THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE FATHER'S FAILURE TO ATTEND APPOINTMENTS IN THE ADOLESCENTS PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES AND THESIGNIFICANCE OF THIS FACT FOR THE TREATMENT OUTCOME. THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 318 FATHERS OF NATURAL, UNBROKEN FAMILIES COLLECTED FROM THE TOTAL OF 949 CONSECUTIVE REFERRALS TO THE OUTPATIENT ADOLESCENT UNIT OF THE GENERAL HOSPITAL OF ATHENS RECEIVED DURING A FOUR YEAR PERIOD (1986-1989). A NUMBER OF PARAMETERSARE EXAMINED AND COMPARED: DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, REFERRAL SOURCE, PRESENTING PROBLEM, PREVIOUS CONTACT WITH CHILD PSYCHIATRY SERVICES, LENGTH AND SEVERITY OF ADOLESCENT'S SYMPTOMATOLOGY, MOTHER'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS FATHER'S INVOLVEMENT PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS OF MARITAL AND PARENTAL STYLES, CLINICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ADOLESCENT AND THE SERVICES POLICY DURING THE INTAKE-DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT PHASE. FATHER INVOLVEMENT IN ADOLESCENT'S TREATMENT IS A RESULT OF A COMPLEX INTERACTION OF DEMOGRAPHIC - FATHER'S EDUCATION, ADOLESCENT'S SEX WHEN IT'S A BOY-, FAMILY - MOTHER'S POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO FATHER'S ENGAGEMENT IN CHILD CARE-, CLINICAL SEVERITY AND LENGTH OF SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT- SIGNIFICANCE OF REFERRAL SOURCE, FATHERS INFORMATION ABOUT THE REFERRAL AND INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE- SYSTEM VARIABLES. THE FATHER'S PRESENCE IMPROVES THE ODDS OF GOOD TREATMENT OUTCOMES.ΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΕΙΝΑΙ Η ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΡΑΓΟΝΤΩΝ ΠΟΥ ΚΑΘΟΡΙΖΟΥΝ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΥ ΠΕΡΙΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΗ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΠΑΤΕΡΩΝ, ΣΕ ΑΝΤΙΘΕΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΥΠΕΡΜΕΓΕΘΗ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΜΗΤΕΡΩΝ, ΣΤΙΣ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΙΕΣ ΨΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΗΒΩΝ ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΗΜΑΣΙΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΓΕΓΟΝΟΤΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΤΟΣΟ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΙΚΟΓΕΝΕΙΑ ΟΣΟ ΚΑΙ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΚΒΑΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΦΗΒΩΝ. ΤΟ ΔΕΙΓΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΑΣ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΙΤΑΙ ΑΠΟ 318 ΠΑΤΕΡΕΣ-ΜΕΛΗΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ, ΣΥΖΥΓΙΚΩΝ ΟΙΚΟΓΕΝΕΙΩΝ ΕΦΗΒΩΝ ΜΕ ΣΟΒΑΡΑ ΨΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ ΚΑΙ ΨΥΧΙΑΤΡΙΚΑ ΠΡΟΒΛΗΜΑΤΑ. ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΟΤΙ ΟΙ ΠΑΤΕΡΕΣ ΑΝΩΤΕΡΟΥ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΤΙΚΟΥ ΕΠΙΠΕΔΟΥ ΑΝΑΛΑΜΒΑΝΟΥΝ ΣΥΧΝΟΤΕΡΑ ΤΗΝ ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΑ ΑΝΑΖΗΤΗΣΗΣ ΨΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΕΦΗΒΟΚΑΙ ΕΚΕΙΝΟΙ ΠΑΙΡΝΟΥΝ ΕΝΕΡΓΟ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΣΤΗ ΘΕΡΑΠΕΥΤΙΚΗ ΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ. ΤΟ ΦΥΛΟ ΤΟΥ ΕΦΗΒΟΥ, ΟΤΑΝ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΑΓΟΡΙ, ΤΟ ΚΥΡΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΦΟΡΕΑ ΠΑΡΑΠΟΜΠΗΣ (ΓΙΑΤΡΟΣ, ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΗΣ, ΔΙΚΑΣΤΗΣ), Η ΣΟΒΑΡΟΤΗΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΣΥΜΠΤΩΜΑΤΩΝ, Η ΘΕΤΙΚΗ ΣΤΑΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΕΡΑΣ ΑΠΕΝΑΝΤΙ ΣΤΗ ΣΥΜΒΟΛΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΤΕΡΑ-ΣΥΖΥΓΟΥ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΝΤΙΜΕΤΩΠΙΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΒΛΗΜΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ Η ΠΡΟΣΕΓΓΙΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΤΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥΣ ΕΙΔΙΚΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΙΣ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΙΕΣ ΠΑΡΟΧΗΣ ΨΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑΣ, ΕΙΝΑΙ ΟΙ ΠΑΡΑΓΟΝΤΕΣ ΠΟΥ ΕΠΙΔΡΟΥΝ ΚΑΘΟΡΙΣΤΙΚΑ ΣΑΝ ΕΜΠΛΟΚΗ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΤΕΡΑ. Ο ΠΑΤΕΡΑΣ ΧΡΕΙΑΖΕΤΑΙ ΚΙΝΗΤΟΠΟΙΗΣΗ, ΕΝΘΑΡΡΥΝΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΥΠΟΣΤΗΡΙΞΗ ΓΙΑ ΝΑ ΠΕΡΑΣΕΙ ΣΤΟ ΜΕΧΡΙ ΠΡΟΣΦΑΤΑ ΘΕΩΡΟΥΜΕΝΟ "ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕΙΟ ΧΩΡΟ" ΤΩΝ ΨΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΚΩΝ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΙΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΕΦΗΒΩΝ. Η ΣΥΜΜΕΤΟΧΗ ΤΟΥ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΙ ΘΕΤΙΚΟ ΠΡΟΓΝΩΣΤΙΚΟ ΠΑΡΑΓΟΝΤΑ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΛΟΚΛΗΡΩΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΗ ΘΕΤΙΚΗ ΕΚΒΑΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΕΦΗΒΟΥ

Learning from asylum seekers during the social deprivation context of the Covid-19 pandemic: A comparative study

This chapter looks at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on asylum seekers living in North Greece and South Italy, based on 30 interviews conducted with them between December 200 to March 2021. It focuses on their perspective of the context they found themselves in, inclusive of views on the role of their social workers. The asylum seekers interviewed in this study were given the right for temporary stay in each country until the completion of their asylum approval process, while some were in the process of moving to the country of their choice. They lived either in reception centres (in Italy) or in flats owned by municipalities funded by UNCHR via the Ministry of Asylum and Migration (in Greece). During the pandemic lockdown periods entry to camps in Greece was forbidden to either social workers or researchers. Only those working in accommodation structures for minors or adults kept their contacts with the asylum seekers either digitally or face-to-face. The Italian reception centres were located in the countryside, away from populated areas. Social workers were allowed in, but had to manage their work alongside the need to protect themselves and their families from infection

"The end of the beginning”: learning from social work with asylum seekers during the Covid-19 pandemic: Α comparative study

This chapter draws upon learning from qualitative research with social workers providing services to asylum seekers in Northern Greece and Southern Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research team aimed to explore and compare challenges, difficulties, and enabling factors in social work practice with asylum seekers at this time, in the two countries. A parallel chapter (X), based on the same study, provides complementary analysis of 30 interviews with asylum seekers, 15 in each country. The research was prompted by a dearth of qualitative research that explores social work practice with asylum seekers (Field et al., 2021), especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. For now, the tide of media, political and legislative attention relating to the pandemic has receded. However, it is suggested that social workers’ adaptations and responses to the intersecting adversities in this phase remain significant within and beyond the context of social work with asylum seekers and refugees. Interviews of 20 social workers in each country were conducted in the five months preceding March 2021.The research group termed this phase, “the end of the beginning”, because the ‘end’ of the pandemic was unknown. Yet participants were at a stage where they were able to pause, look back and reflect on their navigation of interacting constraints, including personal, professional, systemic, political and moral stresses. Some also looked ahead with expressions of commitment and feelings of uncertainty. Social workers and asylum seekers are inevitably separated by a tangled fence of differences. These relate to roles, journeys, insecurities, relative power and choice. However, some dimensions of the ‘pandemic space’ were shared. To some extent, they were in the same storm, even if on different ‘boats’. The research was a chance to hear what that meant to participants and consider how that may have future and transferable relevance