My Diploma work is called ``Reasons for Children´s Placement in Institutional and Correctional Facilities``. The aim of the work was to find out and analyse why children were transferred into the facilities of institutional and correctional education and to map all legal measures which could procede. The theoretical part deals with socio-pathological phenomena in families, legal framework of placing children in special-care facilities, children´s social and legal security, different school institutions and their inmates´ rights and duties as well as psychological impact of institutional care on children´s development. In the practical part a method of quantitative sociological research, a secondary data analysis, has been used. The research database consisted of all children who were placed in any special-care facility as a result of court-ordered institutional and correctional education, preliminary measures or parent agreed-to placement in an diagnostic institute. Three hypotheses based on the professional literature findings were defined. 1. The main reason why children are placed in institutional facilities is a dysfunctional family where the children´s education is threatened by some sociopathological phenomena. 2. Children are mostly placed in the institutional facilities aged 12 {--} 15. 3. The fact schools do not solve the behavioural problems in children in the long term affects negatively more than one quarter of institutionalised children. The first hypothesis was not confirmed while the other two were.

Magister Public Health - MPH / The study had an observational, descriptive, cross sectional design. The sample consisted of 205 participants selected through convenience sampling. All students who presented for HIV testing during the colleges’ HIV Counselling and Testing campaign in December 2011 were asked to complete a self-administered closed-ended questionnaire voluntarily. The data was analysed with EPI Info versions 3.5.1. A frequency analysis was conducted for all the variables such as demographics, risk perception to HIV, knowledge of HIV, HIV testing behaviour. The association between HIV knowledge, risk perception and risk behaviours were assessed for gender differences. Chi-square analysis was conducted to determine the association between the main variable of interest HIV risk behaviour and each other explanatory variable (demographics, HIV knowledge, risk perception etc). Results were discussed using the theory of planned behaviour.

The field of bankruptcy prediction has experienced a notable increase of interest in recent years. Machine Learning (ML) models have been an essential component of developing more sophisticated models. Previous studies within bankruptcy prediction have not evaluated how well ML techniques adopt for data sets of companies with higher credit risks. This study introduces a binary decision rule for identifying companies with higher credit risks (abnormal companies). Two categories of abnormal companies are explored based on the activity of: (1) abnormal credit risk analysis (”AC”, herein) and (2) abnormal payment remarks (”AP”, herein) among small Swedish limited companies. Companies not fulfilling the abnormality criteria are considered normal (”NL”, herein). The abnormal companies showed a significantly higher risk for future payment defaults than NL companies. Previous studies have mainly used financial features for bankruptcy prediction. This study evaluates the contribution of different feature categories: (1) financial, (2) qualitative, (3) performed credit risk analysis, and (4) payment remarks. Implementing a Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), the study shows that bankruptcies are easiest to anticipate among abnormal companies compared to NL and all companies (full data set). LightGBM predicted bankruptcies with an average Area Under the Precision Recall Curve (AUCPR) of 45.92% and 61.97% for the AC and AP data sets, respectively. This performance is 6.13 - 27.65 percentage units higher compared to the AUCPR achieved on the NL and full data set. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP)-values indicate that financial features are the most critical category. However, qualitative features highly contribute to anticipating bankruptcies on the NL companies and the full data set. The features of performed credit risk analysis and payment remarks are primarily useful for the AC and AP data sets. Finally, the field of bankruptcy prediction is introduced to: (1) evaluate if bankruptcies among companies with other forms of credit risk can be anticipated with even higher predictive performance and (2) test if other qualitative features bring even better predictive performance to bankruptcy prediction. / Konkursklassificering har upplevt en anmärkningsvärd ökning av intresse de senaste åren. I denna utveckling har maskininlärningsmodeller utgjort en nyckelkompentent i utvecklingen mot mer sofistikerade modeller. Tidigare studier har inte utvärderat hur väl maskininlärningsmodeller kan appliceras för att förutspå konkurser bland företag med högre kreditrisk. Denna studie introducerar en teknik för att definiera företag med högre kreditrisk, det vill säga avvikande företag. Två olika kategorier av avvikande företag introduceras baserat på företagets aktivitet av: (1) kreditrisksanalyser på företaget (”AK”, hädanefter), samt (2) betalningsanmärkningar (”AM”, hädanefter) för små svenska aktiebolag. Företag som inte uppfyller kraven för att vara ett avvikande företag klassas som normala (”NL”, hädanefter). Studien utvärderar sedan hur väl konkurser kan förutspås för avvikande företag i relation till NL och alla företag. Tidigare studier har primärt utvärdera finansiella variabler för konkursförutsägelse. Denna studie utvärderar ett bredare spektrum av variabler: (1) finansiella, (2) kvalitativa, (3) kreditrisks analyser, samt (4) betalningsanmärkningar för konkursförutsägelse. Genom att implementera LightGBM finner studien att konkurser förutspås med högst noggrannhet bland AM företag. Modellen presenterar bättre för samtliga avvikande företag i jämförelse med både NL företag och för hela datasetet. LightGBM uppnår ett genomsnittligt AUC-PR om 45.92% och 61.97% för AK och AM dataseten. Dessa resultat är 6.13-27.65 procentenheter högre i jämförelse med det AUC-PR som uppnås för NL och hela datasetet. Genom att analysera modellens variabler med SHAP-värden visar studien att finansiella variabler är mest betydelsefulla för modells prestation. Kvalitativa variabler har däremot en stor betydelse för hur väl konkurser kan förutspås för NL företag samt alla företag. Variabelkategorierna som indikerar företagets historik av genomförda kreditrisksanalyser samt betalningsanmärkningar är primärt betydelsefulla för konkursklassificering av AK samt AM företag. Detta introducerar området av konkursförutsägelse till att: (1) undersöka om konkurser bland företag med andra kreditrisker kan förutspås med högre noggrannhet och (2) test om andra kvalitativa variabler ger bättre prediktive prestandard för konkursförutsägelse.

Problem statement Due to HIV and AIDS impacting on communities, devastating consequences have been predicted. The number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in need of care is escalating, causing social workers’ caseloads to become unmanageable. These OVC who lost their parents through death are suffering multiple losses due to being orphaned. The material, protection and affection needs have to be addressed in a holistic, eco-systematic, multidisciplinary team approach. In practice social workers tend to focus mainly on the material and protection needs of OVC due to high caseloads and staff turnover, neglecting their affection needs. Social workers need to work with foster parents and children in identifying potential risk factors that could lead to risk behaviour in foster children who have lost their parents through death. The researcher designed an assessment tool that could enable social workers in practice to do an effective risk assessment of OVC in foster care. Intervention could be planned accordingly by setting goals to address risk factors timeously in an attempt to prevent future problem behaviour in OVC placed in foster care. Aim To develop an assessment tool for social workers to identify risk behaviour in foster children who have experienced multiple losses such as the loss of one or both parents. Method A mixed methods design was used, specifically the sequential and explanatory design which involved collecting and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data. These obtained data were then connected and integrated. Results It was proved that a Risk assessment tool helped social workers to identify risk factors in a team effort between social workers, foster parents and children. Meeting the psychosocial needs of OVC placed in foster care more effectively is important in order to prevent the development of negative behaviour. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Problem statement Due to HIV and AIDS impacting on communities, devastating consequences have been predicted. The number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in need of care is escalating, causing social workers’ caseloads to become unmanageable. These OVC who lost their parents through death are suffering multiple losses due to being orphaned. The material, protection and affection needs have to be addressed in a holistic, eco-systematic, multidisciplinary team approach. In practice social workers tend to focus mainly on the material and protection needs of OVC due to high caseloads and staff turnover, neglecting their affection needs. Social workers need to work with foster parents and children in identifying potential risk factors that could lead to risk behaviour in foster children who have lost their parents through death. The researcher designed an assessment tool that could enable social workers in practice to do an effective risk assessment of OVC in foster care. Intervention could be planned accordingly by setting goals to address risk factors timeously in an attempt to prevent future problem behaviour in OVC placed in foster care. Aim To develop an assessment tool for social workers to identify risk behaviour in foster children who have experienced multiple losses such as the loss of one or both parents. Method A mixed methods design was used, specifically the sequential and explanatory design which involved collecting and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data. These obtained data were then connected and integrated. Results It was proved that a Risk assessment tool helped social workers to identify risk factors in a team effort between social workers, foster parents and children. Meeting the psychosocial needs of OVC placed in foster care more effectively is important in order to prevent the development of negative behaviour. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Adolescence is a formative period of identity development. From the start of high school young people begin to direct their own development through peer selection and behavioural choices. During this time young people have the opportunity to engage in risky behaviours such as drinking alcohol, smoking, having unprotected sex and taking illegal drugs, for the first time. These behaviours amongst young people have been linked to a range of adverse health and wellbeing outcomes, both short and long term. This study seeks to improve understanding of eleven to fifteen year olds' behavioural choices through investigation of potential links to perceptions of adulthood and gender. In order to capture this more fully a mixed methods approach is used with a quantitative cross-sectional pupil survey and in-depth intergenerational family qualitative interviews. By exploring a broad range of age and gender stereotyped, and risky behaviours, this study seeks to provide better understanding of participants' perceptions, motivations and involvement in these behaviours. Results of the study demonstrate both gendered and age differentiated patterns of perceptions. Between eleven and fifteen years old, boys demonstrate more pronounced values attributed to masculine roles. Conversely, stereotyped feminine roles appear to decrease in appeal to girls. Fourth year girls perceive risky behaviours as considerably more relevant to them, than their male peers. Interviewed mothers were unsure of how best to manage their daughter's behaviours considering their own lack of experience and the apparently high value attributed to non-confrontational, friendship based, mothering. Current methods of teaching and intervening generally address mixed gender age-group classes. This research suggests in order to modify risk-taking behaviours a gender specific approach may be more effective.

This diploma work named Socio-Pathological Phenomena at Secondary Vocational School and Their Possible Solution deals, in its theoretical part, with the basic terminology related with this topic. It also focuses on the risk behaviour among today's young people, and briefly introduces socio-pathological phenomena which occured at the surveyed secondary school in the last two years. It also describes other kinds of contemporary risk behaviour among young generation. At the end of theoretical part, there are introduced some of the current trends in school prevention and solution of socio-pathological phenomena. Period of adolescence is of course closely associated with this topic. It's called critical stage, and all the students pass this period during their secondary school attendance. That's why the chapter devoted to adolescence is elaborated in full details. Gender differences concerning appearance and intensity of socio-pathological phenomena are also mentioned here. Next, there is explained the system of primary prevention in The Czech Republic, the importace of family and school background, the impact of peers on personality development. In empirical part of this diploma work, there is introduced Secondary Vocational School, Ltd., 844 Schulhoffova, in Prague 4. The research probe was realized...

The diploma thesis deals with the theme of negative effects (forms of risk behaviour) at elementary schools pupils in Český Krumlov and mentions valid legilslation in the field of the risk behaviour primary prevention at school-compulsory choldren and youngsters. The theoretical part describes chosen socially-pathologic effects, the system of primary prevention and MŠMT legislation and other ministries as well in the field of risk behaviour prevention, as well as preventive aktivity of the institutions and organizations in the area of the city of Český Krumlov according to valid laws. The diploma thesis in the practical part includes empirical research performed at chosen elementary schools in Český Krumlov among teachers mapping their experience with the most frequent risk behaviour forms of pupils and further their knowledge and valid legislation usage inthe field of preventation both at schools and duringafter-school activities.

The thesis is focused on the specifics of the social service called low-threshold facility for children and youth and how the virtual communication can be used to work with the clients of the service. In the theoretical part the low-threshold facilities for children and youth, range, principles and target audience of this social service are described. Also function and purpose of communication is described and the specifics of mobile and virtual communication are characterised. The possibilities how to use the mobile and virtual communication in basic and special social consultancy are another topic. The practical part is focused on mapping how the area of Czech Republic is covered with the facilities supplying the social service called low-threshold facility for children and youth. It also includes a survey research reflecting actual practise in using the virtual communication as a tool when working with clients in these facilities. In current facilities mainly e-mail and Facebook social network are used sometimes also Skype, ICQ application and other social networks. Current practise is very diverse because a complex professional methodical basis to supply this service model is still missing.

Institutions for leisure time activities focused on children and youth are divided into two basic groups in this thesis. First group is represented by educational institutions whose activity is arranged by Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on pre-school, basic, secondary, tertiary and other kind of education (School Act). These institutions concern basic art education, language education and free-time activities. Non-state and non-profit organizations concerning upbringing and education of children and youth in their leisure time belong to the other group. Mostly, they are civil associations whose activity is arranged by Act No 83/1990 Coll. on gathering of citizens. For example, association Junák {--} union of scouts of the Czech republic, civil association YMCA (Young Men´s Christian Assiciation) or civil association Duha (Rainbow) belong there. The aim of this thesis is to describe the problems of institutions of free time activities in short and then bring information on particular organizations functioning in regions Český Krumlov and Prachatice. For this purpose the database of subjects functioning in these regions was created. From them, twenty organizations were chosen, investigated and described more detailed. Because of the aim, the method of qualitative research was used, to be specific, the technique of interview and technique of documents analysis were chosen. Recognized information is divided into six spheres, e.g. legal norm, financing, membership, focused activity, presentation for the public, staff and material funding. According to acquired information from these thematic spheres, separate institutions are compared and their common characteristics or the specifics of single respondents are checked. This work is established for everybody who wants to acquire basic information on free time institutions and know more about some of these organizations.