In the master's thesis, I focused on the process of deinstitutionalisation of residential treatment institutions for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural difficulties/disorders. I focused on Veržej Elementary School – Unit Home. In the theoretical part, I outline topics that I find relevant to understanding the area I am exploring. In the research, I conducted three interviews with adolescents who reside in the newly created residential group in Veržej, and with three professional workers employed within the Educational home Veržej. I was interested in how the adolescents felt during their stay in the Educational home Veržej, how they experienced the transition to a residential group, what changes were brought with living in a residential group, how they feel in the group now, how they perceive the support of professional workers, and whether they feel more or less involved in the local community because of living in the residential group. I was also interested in the opinion of the professional workers about deinstitutionalisation and the vision of the Educational home Veržej in relation to deinstitutionalisation. I was curious to see what differences they have seen during their stay in the residential group compared to the educational group, their view on how the adolescents experience the transition to the residential group, and what changes the stay in the residential group has brought. I also found out whether in their opinion living in a residential group contributes to the integration of adolescents in the local community. Based on the results I have found, I formulated possible proposals aimed primarily at reorganisation of educational home, setting up new residential groups and working to integrate adolescents into the local community.
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