In the theoretical part of my master’s thesis, I focused on the definition of family, types of family structures, and the importance of family for a child’s development. I examined how different authors define separation, divorce, or the breakdown of an unmarried partnership, as well as children’s experiences and responses to parental separation across different age periods. I was also interested in the consequences of separation for children, risk factors, and protective factors influencing the impact of separation on the child. In addition, I explored legislation and guidelines for social and professional workers in the field of family protection and examined the role of social work in separation processes. In doing so, I focused on social work with families, social work with children, consideration of the child’s voice, and the protection of children’s best interests.
I also investigated how social workers and other professionals employed at Centres for Social Work in Slovenia, who deal with divorce and separation procedures, perceive their professional role and what experiences they have in working with children experiencing parental separation. I was particularly interested in the distress experienced by children as perceived by professionals in different age groups, as well as the methods of work used with these children. I also focused on the challenges employees face in this field and what they would need in order to perform their work more effectively. I used a mixed-methods research approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research, which provided in-depth insights through surveys and semi-structured interviews.
The findings show that the work of social workers and other professionals in parental separation procedures is professionally demanding and complex. Children experience various emotional distress reactions during parental separation, which differ according to their developmental stage; therefore, professionals use developmentally appropriate methods, with a trusting relationship with the child being essential. The greatest challenges include high parental conflict, organisational constraints, and the emotional burden on professionals, who mainly understand their role as protective and advocacy-oriented. A child’s adjustment to separation largely depends on parental behaviour, particularly the quality of communication, conflict reduction, and appropriate emotional support.
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