In the context of social transformations taking place in Ukraine, namely introduction deinstitutionalization and decentralization processes. Social workers who provide social services to children face new challenges in attracting resources and the potential of local communities to the processes of socialization and harmonious development of children.
In Ukraine, social work with children in local communities is governed by a number of laws «On promoting social development and youth development in Ukraine» (1993), «On Local Self-Government in Ukraine» (1997), «On Child Protection» (2001), «On Social Services» (2003), «On Social Work with Families, Children and Youth» (2009), «On Cooperation of Territorial Communities» (2014), «On Voluntary Association of Territorial Communities» (2015), decrees of the President of Ukraine «On the Strategy of National Patriotic Education of Children and Youth for 2016-2020» (2016), Declaration on the General Principles of the State Youth Policy in Ukraine (1992) and the National Plan of Action for the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for 2006-2016 (2006), the National Action Plan for Implementation and the stage of the National Strategy for the Reform of the Institutional Care and Keeping of Children for 2017-2026 (2017).
The United States system of social work has the leading place in implementing the system of social work with children in local communities, taking into account more than a century’s history of formation and development, the existence of a broad regulatory and legislative framework and innovative methods, models and technologies. The research of American scholars from the stage of the birth of private philanthropy to implementation of system of social work with children in local communities is advanced and globally recognized as one of the innovative ones and covers the full range of provision of social services for children at the level of local communities.
The thesis studied and analyzed a significant body of international and Ukrainian scientific papers that enabled the improvement of the conceptual apparatus of research on the nature of the concepts of «community», «local community», «social work in the community», «social work with children in local communities»; an analysis of the concepts of «territorial community», «community of interests», «technologies of social work with children in local communities» was carried out; characterized areas, content, models, methods and technology of social work with children in local communities in the United States; historical and pedagogical analysis of the formation and development of the system of social work with children in local communities of the USA;
It is concluded that content of social work with children in the local communities of the United States consists in the target implementation of social programs, the resolution of family conflicts, relations with children, solving educational problems, employment, organizing cultural and leisure activities, etc.; identified the following areas of professional social workers, restore or improve the capacity of individuals and their families, or groups of individuals in social functioning, and work to create social conditions that support communities in need; the practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior, social, economic and cultural institutions and all these factors interaction.
The results of the study can be used by social workers at social service centers for families, children and youth, specialists in non-governmental organizations, specialists working in the United Territorial Communities, specialists in children’s services in order to establish a system for social work with children in local communities; institutions of higher education in the development of content modules of educational disciplines «Technologies of social work», «Technologies of social work in foreign countries», «Organization of social and pedagogical activities by children and youth in foreign countries», «Organization, administration and cross-sectoral partnership in social work», «Specialized services and non-governmental sector in the social sphere» (for students of the first (bachelor) educational level), «Technology of organization and activation of communities», «Modern Strategies for the Provision of Social Services» (for students of the second (master’s) educational level) in the specialty «Social Work».
