This master's thesis examines the field of adult guardianship in Slovenia and the role of social work centers and guardians in performing guardianship duties. The purpose of the research is to determine how social workers and guardians perform guardianship tasks, what obstacles they face, and how they interact with their wards. In the master's thesis, I focus primarily on adult guardianship in the context of elderly people, as the interviewees included in the research mostly shared experiences related to older wards. The social workers who participated in the research also answered questions mainly from the perspective of working with elderly people, as they are the ones who most frequently need guardianship protection. The theoretical part of the master's thesis is based on a review of relevant domestic and foreign literature addressing adult guardianship, its legal framework, the social context of aging and autonomy, various forms of elderly care, and ethical aspects of guardianship. Special attention is also given to intergenerational solidarity and the role of social work in the field of adult guardianship. The empirical part is based on qualitative research involving five social workers and five guardians. Data were collected through semi-standardized interviews and analyzed using qualitative analysis methods. The research results show that the changes introduced by the Family Code (2019) have positively influenced the implementation of guardianship. Social workers and guardians face numerous challenges in implementing guardianship, most notably lack of time, staff shortages, and psychological burdens. The research shows that wards often have weak social networks. The issue of institutional care, which limits wards' autonomy and social inclusion, is particularly highlighted. Adult guardianship thus raises important questions about autonomy, protection, the right to self-determination, and potential abuses of the guardianship system In the research, I examine how guardianship duties are carried out in practice, the challenges faced by social workers and guardians, the role of guardians in ensuring the well-being of their wards, the types of support and assistance available to them, and the ethical issues that arise in guardianship practice. Additionally, the thesis analyzes alternative models of support for elderly people, such as supported decision-making and strengthening community care, which in certain cases can represent more inclusive and less restrictive forms of assistance than traditional guardianship. Based on the findings, proposals for improving the adult guardianship system are formulated, including increasing the number of employees at social work centers, creating a list of potential guardians, introducing education and support groups for guardians, and raising public awareness about the importance and role of guardianship.
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