PAPŠO, P. (Eds.), Banská Bystrica : Univerzita Mateja Bela, 2016, 153 s., ISBN 978-80-557-1142-3
On April 13 and 14, 2016, the Department of Social Work of the Faculty of Education at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, in cooperation with Lillehammer University College in Norway, held an international scientific conference in Banská Bystrica entitled "Perspectives on the Protection of Children and Youth in Slovakia, Norway, and Other Countries." One of the outputs of this international scientific event is the conference proceedings of the same name, edited by Peter Papšo, a member of the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Education, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica.
The 153-page proceedings primarily focus thematically on the protection of children and youth in selected countries. It comprises twelve linguistically diverse contributions by sixteen authors — seven are in Slovak, three in English, and two in Polish. The contributions are both review and empirical in nature.
In their review paper, authors D. Baková, A. Jankurová, and L. Ludvigh Cintulová focus on the importance of communication and positive accompaniment of a child placed into care. Another contribution by author A. Bania is focused on the family and social work with the family, though the author does not omit contemporary threats to the family either.
J. Bartoszewski presents in English an inspiring model of work with perpetrators of domestic violence, developed on the basis of ten years of research and practical experience of the author working with a marginalized group of individuals with behavioral disorders and antisocial personality. In the fourth contribution, an empirical one, N. Benecová and B. Barabasová present the issue of parenting values from the perspective of Slovak youth. In addition to theoretical foundations, the authors present the results of research aimed at determining the attitudes of young people aged 20–24 toward marriage and parenthood, using a method of a non-standardized questionnaire of their own design. Another interesting empirical study, a contribution by authors M. Dávidová and M. Hardy, focuses on parental behavior and its influence on the child's personality. The authors examined this issue using the E.M.B.U. questionnaire method, specifically its short version. S. Krzyśka, in a review paper written in English, addresses art therapy in social work as one of the facilitative methods. D. Nincová, in the seventh contribution, turned her attention to deinstitutionalization as a path to systemic change in social services for children with disabilities, in a biodromal context. Another author, M. Olejniczak, in an extensive review paper in English, addresses the interesting topic of social inequalities in the information (knowledge) society from an educational perspective.
Z. Petrincová raises a serious multidisciplinary topic of fetal alcohol syndrome as an invisible physical disability. In addition to theoretical foundations, the author included in her contribution a description of the activities of a civic association in this field, in which she herself is active. Another author, D. Rušinová, brings practical experience and recommendations from non-governmental non-profit organizations in the practice of social work with children and young people, highlighting specific examples from practice that have proven effective as well as those that have failed. The author of the eleventh contribution, which is review in nature, is M. Styczyńska. It focuses on pedagogization as a form of support for the family environment. The twelfth and final contribution, authored by D. Žilinčíková, is devoted to the topic of social work with children in the system of child protection and social curatorship. In this review paper, the author offers suggestions for supporting target groups of children and young people in the protection system, as well as a description and services provided by one of the civic associations in which she actively works.
In conclusion, it can be stated that the presented work, with its multi-thematic scope (ranging from systemic issues of a theoretical nature to methodological recommendations for practice), contributes to the development of both the theory and practice of many sciences and scientific disciplines. We consider it necessary to also appreciate the diversity of the composition of the contributing authors, which consists not only of academics but also of practitioners. The proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "Perspectives on the Protection of Children and Youth in Slovakia, Norway, and Other Countries" provide a wealth of valuable information both for the helping profession of the social worker and for other helping professions (psychologists, educators, and andragogues).
PhDr. Dominika Kadlubeková, PhD. reviewer of the proceedings