The diploma thesis focuses on the concept of social work in the social and legal protection of children and social workers perception of the prestige this profession. The diploma thesis defines terms such as self-worth, self-realization, motivation and prestige, while the emphasis is mainly on meeting expectations that were formed before studying at university, or higher professional school. The work also focuses on the professional and systemic limits that social workers at OSPOD encounter, but also on the assumptions that are an integral part of the professional performance of social work at OSPOD. The empirical part of the thesis is focused on qualitative research, where semi-structured interviews were used and the respondents were selected on the basis of the reference selection. This thesis also looks into the problem and identification of critical areas, which are connected with the performance of social work on OSPOD, mainly in the context of perception of prestige of this profession.

Our work is focused on the period of the global COVID-19 pandemic at its beginning, specifically in the spring and autumn of 2020. It particularly features the area of Czech educational system. We aim to reflect how the pandemic and the closely related distance education in schools affected teachers' attitude towards the education process and also their mental health. In the theoretical part we aspire to define basic terms, such as the teacher's personality, professional growth, motivation, stress, burn-out syndrome and mental hygiene. In addition, we offer an explanation of the process of distance education. The empirical part was realized via semi-structured interviews with teachers of theoretical subjects on vocational schools who were involved in the educational process during the time when it was forced to be led online. The most troublesome issues were the following: the teachers' inadequate technical skills and low self-confidence related to those, but also the minimal support from the schools' management regarding both the training in usage of on-line tools and the need of care of students', school employees' and parents' mental health. KEYWORDS personality, professional growth, motivation, mental hygiene, burn-out syndrome, COVID-19 pandemic, distance education

This diploma thesis deals with the topic of the social worker's mental hygiene in connection with dealing with the psychological stress arisen from their profession in the present day. Thesis contains the detailed depiction of the present day state of the social work profession in the context of the postmodern era. Due to professional sources the work analyses and explains personality particularity of social workers which are important for discharging this profession including the theme of the psychological stress of social workers, and the ways of coping with it are included as well. The main mental hygiene resources are fundamental and "superstructural" (the core of the social work) which are necessary for coping with the psychological stress. The thesis demonstrates the importance of cooperation of the three mainstays that are responsible for promoting and formation of the required position for the mental hygiene in social work - meant for employers, educators, and social workers as well. All these mainstays participate in enhancing the quality of social work. The lack of high-quality and appropriate mental hygiene in this profession thwarts the realization of first-rate social work. However, as this thesis outlines, it depends mainly on the social worker whether he or she can use the potential of the mental hygiene resources effectively or not.

The thesis explains the concept of crisis, crisis intervention and telephone crisis intervention, its procedures and techniques. It's focused on history of Helplines not only in Czech Republic but also in the world. It looks closely at the format and principles involved in Helpline call management. The thesis identifies requirements that are imposed on trained specialists and presents some of the institutions that organize training in telephone crisis intervention. Not only Czech but also international organizations focusing on telephone crisis interventions are introduced. A telephone counselors might be at risk for so-cold "burnout syndrome", therefore, the thesis includes chapters devoted to supervision practice and mental hygiene. Finally, the specific Helpline calls are listed.