Hope in social work and social work intervention with roma children: A case study

Abstract

Media has documented the disadvantageous social condition of Roma Children to affect their hopes for future. However, little is known in research about hope for future in Roma Children and social work practices that govern it. This case study investigated the hope level, age as a mediator in Children of the Roma Community (n= 15) and documents social work practices around Hope for future in an organisation in Slovakia. A mixed method approach (Questionnaires; n=15, Archival study; n= 7, Semi- structured interview; n=1) showed that as the children’s age increases, their hope level decreases (via inferential statistics). Moreover, contextualised accultured social work practices around Hope included significant use of artistic leisure-based activities, education/training, fulfilment of their needs (Maslow’s Theory), holistic approach involving families and like-minded organisations (via Content analysis). Emerging themes to explain activities focused on the strength-based approach (via thematic analysis). Age as a mediator in decreasing hope level is explored via the lenses of Critical social work theory and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological theory. As a first to probe upon the social work practices involving Children of Roma community, this study develops the implications of a structured framework on Hope in Social work using the CAIMer model.