The construction of the unmotivated client as a tool for solving the dilemma between control and reflexive approaches of social workers working with vulnerable children in the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT

Social workers working with vulnerable children reproduce their ‘traditional dilemma’ between control and reflexive approach. This dilemma is particularly relevant in the context of contemporary, neoliberal-oriented society. At the same time, the situation is accentuated by the fact that more than half of the clients are often perceived by the support workers as ‘unmotivated’. The presented article aims to present a way how social workers working with vulnerable children deal with the dilemma of using control and reflexive approaches by constructing the client's (un)motivation. On the basis of qualitative research carried out using semi-structured interviews, narratives implicitly associated with the unmotivated client and their influence on the nature of the social workers’ interventions were revealed. Based on the data analysis, a recommendation was made to strengthen the use of reflexive approaches in social work.

ABSTRAKT

Sociální pracovníci pracující s ohroženými dětmi reprodukují své ‘tradiční dilema’ mezi jednostranností (kontrola) a symetrií (reflexivní přístup). Toto dilema je obzvláště aktuální v kontextu soudobé, neoliberální, společnosti. Situace je zároveň zvýrazněna tím, že více než polovina klientů je podpůrnými pracovníky často vnímána jako ‘nemotivovaná’. Předkládaný článek si klade za cíl představit způsob, jakým se sociální pracovníci pracující s ohroženými dětmi vyrovnávají s dilematem používání kontrolního a reflexivního přístupu prostřednictvím konstrukce (ne)motivace klienta. Na základě kvalitativního výzkumu provedeného pomocí polostrukturovaných rozhovorů byly odhaleny narativy implicitně spojené s nemotivovaným klientem a jejich vliv na charakter intervencí informátorů. Na základě analýzy dat bylo vysloveno doporučení posílit využívání reflexivních přístupů v sociální práci a posílit tak symetrii mezi sociálním pracovníkem a klientem.

KEYWORDS:

• Unmotivated client
• control approaches
• reflexive approaches
• vulnerable children
• social work

KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA:

• nemotivovaný klient
• kontrolní přístupy
• reflexivní přístupy
• ohrožené děti
• pomáhající profese

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Grantová Agentura České Republiky [22-00941S].

Notes on contributors

Kateřina Mikulcová

Kateřina Mikulcová is an associate professor at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. Her research is focused on the issue of reflexivity in social work with vulnerable children and their families. Her research interests also include the evaluation of social housing and homelessness of mothers, women, and children without a home.

Bohdana Richterová

Bohdana Richterová is the head of the Department of Social Pedagogy, which educates experts in bachelor's and master's degree studies. In her research she is focused on two areas; socially vulnerable groups of children and personal development of students and teachers. As part of the design of action research, she worked with groups of educators to improve their professional practice.

Ivana Kowaliková

Ivana Kowaliková is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. Her research topic is the social support of seniors in difficult situations with implications for social work.

Hana Kubíčková

Hana Kubíčková is an assistant professor at The Faculty of Education, University of Ostrava. Her research is focussed on issue vulnerable children and their families, youth at risk and foster families. Her other research interests include personality and social development of students and teachers.