Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, 2010. / Title from screen (viewed on March 3, 2010). School of Social Work, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Margaret E. Adamek, Carol Hostetter, Gail M. Folaron, Angela B. McBride. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-160).

The thesis draws attention to the most frequent causes of children unfavourable life situations which are solved in crisis centres. Introductory part focuses on theoretical definitions of crisis, crisis intervention, family and its importance for children, the problems of divorces and CAN syndrome. The aim of the thesis was to find out which are the most frequent problems encountered by the crisis centres workers and compare the clients and services of two selected crisis centres in Prague and České Budějovice. At the beginning the hypothesis was stated: the problems of CAN syndrome in clients of crisis centres occurs more often than other problems. The hypothesis was proved only in Children Crisis Centre in Prague. For the service comparison of the chosen centres semi-standardized interview with nine informants was used. From the answers of crisis centre workers the following hypothesis emerged: crisis centre workers suppose that provided services in terms of crisis intervention are sufficient.

Many children in society live in families where one or both parents have drug-addiction prob- lems. Early life conditions for these children may result in a need of support, which may be a requirement for a more favourable psycho-social development. The study purpose was to in- vestigate social worker’s experience of work with children with drug addiction problems in their primary family, based on the criticism of social service assistance. The study was based on a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. Six social workers in central Swe- den were interviewed about their experience of structural and individual preconditions and difficulties in the work. The study shows that the majority of the difficulties are experienced on the structural level within the organization while the majority of the preconditions are ex- perienced on the individual level. The structural difficulties are not experienced to affect the respondent’s own individual preconditions in their work and neither the feeling that they in their profession are able to do a good job. In addition, all the respondents feel that the support for the children and young people meet the current needs. / Många barn i samhället lever i familjer där en eller båda föräldrarna har en missbruksproble- matik. Uppväxtvillkoren för dessa barn kan resultera i ett behov av stödinsatser vilka kan vara en förutsättning för en mera gynnsam psykosocial utveckling. Studiens syfte var att undersöka socialsekreterares uppfattning av arbetet med barn som lever med missbruk i sin primärfamilj utifrån den kritik som riktats mot socialtjänstens stödinsatser. Undersökningen utgick från en kvalitativ ansats med semistrukturerade intervjuer . Sex socialsekreterare i Mellansverige in- tervjuades om upplevda strukturella och individuella möjligheter och svårigheter i arbetet. Studien påvisar att majoriteten av svårigheterna upplevs återfinnas på strukturell nivå inom organisationen medan majoriteten av möjligheter återfinns på individuell nivå. De strukturella svårigheterna upplevs inte påverka respondenternas egna individuella möjligheter eller upple- velsen av att de i sin yrkesroll kan utföra ett bra arbete. Dessutom framkom att samtliga re- spondenter upplever att stödet till barn och unga tillgodoser de aktuella behoven.