Analysis of the Work of Centres for Social Work in Montenegro

ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO

VInstitutelada for Social VMinistrylada of Labour IDEAS Candrne Child Gore Protection Candrne SocialGore Welfare CONTENTS

ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ��4

SUMMARY ��6

1 THE RESEARCH CONTEXT ��16

2 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH �� 20

3 METHODOLOGY �� 24

3.1 Research Techniques �� 24 3.2 Ethical Principles �� 26 3.3 Management of the Research Process �� 27 4 ANALYSIS OF THE MONTENEGRIN LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS REGULATING THE WORK OF CENTRES OF SOCIAL WORK �� 28 4.1 An Overview of the Montenegrin Legislative Framework Regulating the Work of Centres of Social Work �� 28 4.2 Legal Framework Regulating the Organization of Centres for Social Work �� 33 4.2.1 Organization of Centres for Social Work and Job Descriptions �� 33 4.2.2 Professional Procedures �� 36 4.3.3 Level of Harmonization of the Legislative Framework with International Standards �� 39 5 ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY DATA ON THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK �� 40

5.1. Professional Workers at Centres for Social Work �� 40 5.2 Beneficiaries of Centres for Social Work �� 41 5.3 The Levels of Development of Community-Based Services �� 44 6 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK �� 46

6.1 Analysis of the Organization of Work of Centres for Social Work �� 46 6.2 Analysis of the Compliance of the Number and Structure of Publisher: Employees in Relation to Normatives �� 54 UNICEF Country Office in Montenegro 6.3 Analysis of the Workload of Professional Workers and Case Characteristics �� 57 6.4 Management and Better Working Conditions in Centres for Social Work �� 62 6.5 Analysis of the Compliance of the Work of Professional Workers Edited by: with their Job Descriptions �� 63 Peter Stonelake 6.5.1 Admission �� 63 6.5.2 Case Management Procedure �� 65 Cover Photo: 6.5.3 Cash Benefits �� 72 UNICEF Montenegro / Duško Miljanić 6.6 Use of the Information System �� 73 6.7 Perception of Support of the Institute for Social and Child Protection �� 75 Design and prepress: Pixella 7 PERCEPTION OF THE REFORM OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK ��76

8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS �� 78 Circulation: 50 copies 8.1 Conclusions �� 78 8.2 Recommendations �� 84 Published: 8.3 Lessons Learned �� 89 Podgorica, 2019 9 LITERATURE �� 90 AcknowledgementsPodgorica, 2019. Acronyms

The analysis of the Work of Centres for Social Work was conducted in cooperation with the Institute for Social and Child Protection, at the request of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of BU Branch unit Montenegro, with the technical and financial support of the UNICEF Country Office for Montenegro.

The research team would like to thank the UNICEF Montenegro Country Office for its support during CSW Centre for Social Work the implementation of the Analysis of Centres for Social Work, the Institute for Social and Child Protection, and all the other institutions that participated in the research. EU European Union

We owe a special debt of gratitude to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, because without its IPA Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance support it would not have been possible to carry out the research. Also, we would like to thank all the participants in the research who are employed in Centres for Social Work in Montenegro, who ISCP Institute for Social and Child Protection were open in their responses and who devoted their time to participating in this analysis, as well as the directors of the Centres for Social Work who wholeheartedly supported the researchers in their work. We owe a particular debt of gratitude to the parents and children who decided to participate in MLSW Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare the qualitative research and to share their experiences with the social and child protection system, as well as to talk about the challenges they face in their everyday lives. SWIS Social Welfare Information System

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of the Centre for Research and Social Development IDEAS and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of UNICEF and its partners.

4 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 5 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES ability of the centres to provide holistic and Podgorica, 2019. multidisciplinary support (by cooperating with SUMMARY The main purpose of the research is to provide other sectors) to children and families exposed support for the improvement of the organization to various vulnerability risks and provide and quality of the work of the CSWs in concrete recommendations for improved work INTRODUCTION Montenegro, as well as for the improvement of of the CSWs in the areas of identification, the quality of services for children and families outreach, multi-sector cooperation, planning through: a) analysis of the implementation of and provision of assistance (services and cash According to the last population census, the population of Montenegro the legislative framework at the level of the benefits). The analysis will also assess the CSWs; b) analysis of the barriers that the CSWs pros and cons of the changes introduced: case stands at 620,029, of which 145,126 are children, who make up 23.4% encounter during the provision of services to management methodology, the Social Welfare of the total population. beneficiaries; and c) making recommendations Information System, new cash benefits regarding the improvement of the organization, administered by the Centres for Social Work, work and performance of the CSWs. In order to the new legal framework and expanded family he current social challenges in to their beneficiaries: children (families), adults accomplish these goals, the specific objectives and community-based services. Montenegro, as well as in the other and elderly people. There are 13 functioning of the research were as follows: T countries of South-East Europe are: Centres for Social Work with 12 branch units, The research has benefitted from qualitative poverty, social exclusion, unemployment covering 24 municipalities throughout the 1. To examine whether the legislative and quantitative methodologies, including: (especially among young people and women), whole territory of Montenegro. framework that regulates the work of the a desk review of the existing literature, internal migration, social polarization and CSWs is adequate; qualitative research with decision makers, socio-demographic trends, such as aging In 2011, the Ministry of Labour and Social 2. To determine the extent to which the qualitative research with the CSW staff, populations. In order to better respond to Welfare conducted the initial analysis of legislative framework that was created qualitative research with children and families, the social challenges, Montenegro has been the work of the centres, with the technical during the reform of the social and child quantitative research with the CSW staff and carrying out comprehensive reform of the assistance of UNICEF and financial assistance protection system is being applied at the analysis of secondary data from the SWIS. social and child protection system over the last of the EU. The analysis determined the need for level of SCWs; The research process had three phases. 10 years. The initial incentive for the reform was a comprehensive reform of the centres in order 3. To assess whether the currently available During the first phase, an analysis of the the expert support of UN agencies (UNICEF to increase the number and capacities of the resources at the level of CSWs are international and national legislative framework and UNDP) and the significant financial support staff, introduce new working methodologies, sufficient to perform the tasks envisaged and the available data was carried out. Based of the European Union (IPA 2010 and 2014), introduce territorial reorganization, etc. by the reform; and on the initial findings, a set of data-collection which resulted in the harmonization of the legal 4. To determine the quality of services instruments and procedures was developed. and strategic frameworks with international The present assessment was created as a provided by the CSWs and the effects of The second phase included data collection. documents and standards, establishment of result of the need of the state of Montenegro the reform. In the context of the qualitative part of the the Institute for Social and Child Protection, to measure the progress that has been made research, we organized: a) 15 interviews with implementation of a comprehensive reform in improving work with beneficiaries of the the representatives of decision makers; b) four of the Centres for Social Work, as well as social and child protection system, through The direct user of this analysis will be the focus group discussions with 52 professional intensification of the deinstitutionalization and the impact of a number of reform initiatives Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, which workers; c) 36 semi-structured interviews decentralization processes, which resulted of importance for the operation of the CSWs, will make use of the research findings to with professional workers; d) four focus group in a significant reduction in the number of implemented from 2011 to the present day. improve the management of the CSWs. Given discussions with 39 parents of children; and e) beneficiaries of residential care and the The assessment was carried out as an integral that the ultimate goal of all these measures 20 interviews with children. Participants were expansion of the number of services provided part of the comprehensive reform of the social is to increase the quality of customer service, identified in cooperation with the ISCP and at the family and community levels. One of the and child care system, at the beginning of the CSW beneficiaries can also be considered as CSWs. The centres were chosen in such a way most significant results of the reform is the implementation of the five-year strategic plan end-users in the long run. as to cover all of Montenegro’s regions, as well reform of the CSWs, aimed at introducing case for the development of the social and child as to cover both small and large centres. An informed consent form was signed by all the management methodology into the work of the protection system in Montenegro (Strategy METHODOLOGY CSWs, changing the organization of the work of for the Development of the Social and Child participants, while children also gave verbal the centres and the introduction of supervision. Protection System for the Period 2018–2022), consent, in addition to their parent’s/guardian’s The analysis will produce data and information Centres for Social Work are the key institutions and in that sense it aims to generate data and signed consent for the child’s participation that will feed government policy in the direction in the area of social and child protection in information, on the basis of which decision in the research. Quantitative research was of increased efficiency and effectiveness Montenegro, with the public authority to makers can develop policies and measures to conducted through two questionnaires in order of the work of CSWs. It will assess the provide social and child protection assistance improve the organization and work of the CSWs. to collect data on the work of 67 case managers

6 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 7 and supervisors. The data was collected using including the right to life in the community 2. COMMUNITY - BASED SUPPORT the existing resources. The number of the SurveyMonkey platform. Analysis of the and the right to involvement in the life of the AND A HOLISTIC APPROACH employees, especially those in direct work primary data from the information system was community. This has led to an improvement with beneficiaries, is not sufficient to provide not possible with the envisaged methodology, of the quality of work with beneficiaries, both The analysis indicates that there are no quality services to beneficiaries, although so secondary data was used. in terms of timely work with the users and in available resources at the local community there are 23% more employees than the terms of individualization of the work. In this level for the effective involvement of users in applicable standards envisage. In the overall The limitations of the research were reflected regard, the reform of the CSWs represents a society and that the CSWs do not encourage structure of employees, the highest number in the insufficient availability of official data major step in improving the quality of services the involvement of different local community of employees work on financial, administrative and in difficulties in organizing and supporting for the users of the social and child protection stakeholders in their work, which leads to the and technical jobs with a share of 32%, and the process of primary data collection, as well system. fragmentation of support. The key obstacles just 48.5% of staff are engaged in direct as organizing focus groups and interviews. to delivering quality and holistic support to the work with beneficiaries. There is a significant The period for collecting data for quantitative However, not all citizens enjoy the same CSWs are: a high burden of documentation; percentage (13.1%) of managerial staff, 2.5% research with professional workers was benefits from the reform. A major challenge the insufficient involvement of representatives of employees are involved in planning and extended until August, and the period for remains in terms of the availability of CSWs of other systems in the professional work of development work, with 3.8% working on so- qualitative research with children and parents to all citizens, whereby the analysis indicates the CSWs; and underdeveloped resources at called other (non-systematized) jobs. Although was extended until September 2018. that support is most often offered to citizens the levels of local communities and the social the professional procedure in the CSWs is in a situation of high or moderate risk, that and child protection system, as well as at the based on the case management method, only In order to ensure the appropriate quality is, when the beneficiaries have already level of other systems. 17.3% of workers deal with this type of work, of the process, the Steering Committee suffered significant damage or harm. Once while 19.7% of professional workers deal with oversaw the entire research process. The they come into contact with the CSWs, such cash benefits, and 9.0% with legal matters. findings of the analysis were presented to beneficiaries usually remain isolated from 3. PARTICIPATION AND REALIZATION OF This shows that CSWs use the majority of their all interested stakeholders. Both the findings the community, without the support they THE RIGHT TO PROTECTION human resources to work on cash-benefit- and recommendations of the analysis were need in order to engage equally with other related matters. The negative impact of limited validated by the Ministry of Labour and citizens in society, despite the efforts of The analysis indicates that the CSWs are not human resources on the quality of work with Social Welfare, Institute for Social and Child professional workers to provide them with a empowering their beneficiaries, that they are users is further aggravated by the insufficient Protection and other relevant stakeholders, quality service. not providing sufficient information necessary level of alignment between the competencies which participated in the process. for the protection of rights, nor the possibility of professional workers and the demands of The basic factors identified in the analysis to meaningfully participate in the protection the jobs they perform. The analysis points to that have led to this situation are: process, which is incompatible with the significant inequalities in the availability of both BASIC FINDINGS application of the principle of the best interest. human and material resources among different This kind of conduct by professional workers CSWs. The analysis indicates that 1. PROACTIVE IDENTIFICATION is associated with insufficiently developed AND PREVENTION competencies, as well as the time constraints Montenegro has been investing they face in their work. The disbalance of power 5. ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND significant efforts and resources The analysis indicates that effective between professional workers and beneficiaries REALIZATION OF PROFESSIONAL mechanisms of proactive identification and is further contributed to by the fact that there PROCEDURES in improving the work of the prevention have not been established at the are no appeal mechanisms established at the CSWs in the past 10 years. level of local communities, which leads to level of CSWs, nor are there mechanisms for The analysis points to significant challenges an absence of systemic guarantees that a protecting the rights of beneficiaries. in organizing the work of CSWs, in relation to In the period from 2011 to 2018, the number person in need of support from the social and the internal organization of the service, but also of workers increased by 53% and the network child protection system will be recognized as in relation to the organization of professional of CSWs was further developed by the such. The following factors are recognized as 4. ACCESSIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY procedures and human resource management. establishment of new centres. In addition to the main barriers to proactive identification OF USE OF RESUSCITATION AT THE The practices of management in social work this, significant resources were also invested and prevention within the framework of the LEVEL OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL are not sufficiently developed, including in improving the competencies of professional analysis: a) CSWs are not sufficiently present WORK monitoring and distributing the workload. In the workers, and the reform of the legislative in the community; b) there is no strong course of the case management procedure, framework introduced the basic principles of interconnectedness between institutions The analysis indicates that the limitations in an admission assessment is rarely carried protection, such as individualization of work, and organizations in the community; and c) the quality of services provided by CSWs are out, which makes it difficult to determine participation, prohibition of discrimination and the capacity of service providers to identify due to a lack of resources for implementing the urgency of treatment and the adequate respect for the human rights of beneficiaries, persons in need of support remains low. the applied model and inefficient use of response of the CSWs in such situations.

8 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 9 related tasks; keeping records of children with 8. SUPERVISION OF THE WORK OF THE disabilities and adults with disabilities and CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK reporting on their situation. These jobs are not being carried out by professional workers, or Analysis of the legislative framework and also else the professional workers do not possess data in the field indicate that supervision of the the necessary competencies to perform them. work of the CSWs is neither efficient nor clearly At the level of CSWs, procedures for stimulating defined. At the level of the social protection good work and also sanctioning bad work have system, sufficient resources have not been not been identified, which creates the image of allocated, nor have supervisory procedures a bad working culture. been developed, which significantly limits the possibility of implementation of the legislative 6. INTRODUCTION OF THE framework in practice. INFORMATION SYSTEM This is indicated by a number of stated As for the impact of the information system on deviations from the prescribed work models, working with users, the analysis indicates that which can be easily identified through the introduction of the information system has led supervision. to an improvement in the quality of work with beneficiaries, in terms of both material benefits and case management. Inconsistencies in the 9. DESIGN OF THE CENTRES FOR application of the information system in case SOCIAL WORK AND JOB management were identified in the course STANDARDIZATION of this assessment. Only 15% of the case managers believe that the information system The analysis indicates that the reforms at the fully describes what they do with beneficiaries, level of the organization of the CSWs have not and as many as 35% think it describes their been sufficiently accompanied by changes work to a small extent or hardly describes at all in the organization of the work of the CSWs. what they do with the users. In some centres, During the reform of the CSWs, a large number professional workers enter the cases into the of public authorities and other tasks were system with a significant delay or do not enter assigned to them, so CSWs are carrying out them at all, with only 46.3% of case managers the activities of the social and child protection entering more than 90% of the cases on which agency, the guardianship authority, the they are working into the information system. authority responsible for cash benefits and the body responsible for keeping various records, reporting on the social situation of citizens and 7. CHALLENGES IN APPLYING the development of systems at the local level. THE SUPERVISION MODEL The changes to the work and authorities of UNICEF Montenegro / Duško Miljanić The research findings indicate that the planned the CSWs have not been accompanied by model of supervision is not adequate, and an assessment of their capacities to perform Challenges have also been identified at the the case management methodology has been that supervision is being carried out to a very these tasks or job standardization, which has level of case management. Deadlines are not identified whereby most procedures are run by limited extent. Two-thirds of case managers led to a mismatch between the resources of being respected in a large number of case professional workers who gather in informal (64.8%) did not participate in any of the the centres, the organization of centres and the management procedures. The analysis indicates teams, with one of the team members being in group supervisions during 2017, and 38.9% requests put before them. Specific challenges that deadlines are being respected in only about charge of entering the case into the information of them did not participate in individual ones. in the work of the centres exist in relation to one-third of cases, except where there is a need system. In relation to the envisaged tasks of Supervision is mainly carried out through the organization of foster care. to produce findings and opinions for the courts, a case manager, the tasks with the largest consultations regarding a concrete case, and then the deadline is respected in almost numbers of perceived malpractices are in the without any organized form of educational and four-fifths of these cases. When it comes to following areas: providing support and training supportive supervision. smaller CSWs and branch units, a deviation from for foster parents; carrying out guardianship-

10 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 11 RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to improve the work of the CSWs, a wide range of measures should be implemented at the level of strengthening implementation of the current regulations, improving the resources of the CSWs, as well as in terms of adjusting the legal framework.

In the following period, it is necessary that:

1. The Government of Montenegro, acting 3. The ISCP should design a Social Service at the national level, and local self- Workforce Development Plan with a government units, acting at the local level, competency framework in cooperation with should work on enhancing the existing academia and other interested parties for prevention and proactive identification development of a social service workforce mechanism by strengthening inter-sector in social and child protection. cooperation and developing the capacity of service providers to recognize citizens at risk. This implies: a) improving the 4. In order to increase the amount of time coordination between institutions and professional workers can dedicate to organizations at the community level their work with beneficiaries, which is regarding the prevention and proactive a prerequisite for providing quality work identification of citizens at risk; and b) and a holistic type of support, the MLSW the development of the competencies of should increase the number of employees professionals working in all institutions working directly with beneficiaries as soon that are in contact with citizens, in order to as possible. be capacitated to recognize those citizens who need support from the social and 5. The MLSW should make changes to the child protection system and to be able to legislative framework as soon as possible in refer them to such support, through the order to change the standards determining development of multi-sector indicators for the number of professional workers in the the identification of children at risk. centres. Apart from the number of citizens, the criteria for determining the number 2. The Government of Montenegro should of professional workers should be the work on establishing a responsibility number of beneficiaries and the inherent mechanism for the social inclusion characteristics of the territory covered by of vulnerable citizens at the level of the given CSW. all institutions and organizations and introduce a mechanism of obligatory 6. The MLSW should increase the number participation by representatives of other of case managers at the system level by relevant organizations and institutions in 80%, so that the number of new cases is the processes of assessment and planning reduced to five per month. This requires of protection. the hiring of an additional 50 professional workers.

12 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 13 UNICEF Montenegro / Zoran Jovanovic Maccak 7. The MLSW should limit the number 13. The management of CSWs should pay Major system reforms should be phased system and may lead to a feeling of a loss of of beneficiaries per case manager to a more attention to establishing cooperation in order to avoid any potential destructive control over the work. In this regard, the pace maximum number of 50. with other community-based institutions innovation. Implementation of a large number of reform should follow the readiness of the and organizations and involve experts from of changes, without adequate support for system, while the reforms themselves must the community in the work of CSWs. adopting the new methods of operation, be planned carefully, not only in relation to the 8. The time that professionals can dedicate to changes in the education system, that is, public policy objectives, but also in relation to beneficiaries can be increased by reducing acquiring competencies, may lead to major the available resources. the time they spend on administrative 14. The ISCP should establish a model of changes that could be destructive for the work. Therefore, the ISCP should approach internal supervision at the level of all the revision of both documents and records CSWs, to strengthen the educational so that the percentage of the workload function of supervision and to develop an of professional workers that is related to external supervision model to be provided administration can be reduced from 49% by the ISCP. to a maximum of 25%.

9. In order to develop the necessary community - based resources, the Government of LESSONS LEARNED Montenegro should increase its efforts to develop community-based social services, especially in regard to the sustainability of Several key lessons were learned funds for such services. while undertaking this research:

10. The ISCP should work on the development Prior to the implementation of the reforms at of a formal mechanism for protecting the the CSWs, it is necessary to standardize the rights of beneficiaries at the level of the work and to draft professional guidelines for CSW. This could be achieved by means of every individual task, since implementation introducing the institution of the Protector of any legal framework without practical of the Rights of Beneficiaries, who would guidelines and norms leads to uncontrolled be in charge of informing the beneficiaries innovation, that is, discrepancies in practice at about their rights and the available grievance the system level, without any guarantees that and complaint mechanism. When it comes the envisaged norms will be implemented. to the complaints, the Protector would report directly to the ministry in charge of The reform of the social and child care system social welfare affairs. requires partial reform of the responsibilities of other community-based systems and broad support from the government of the country in 11. The ISCP should increase the level which the reform is being carried out. Although of support to the CSWs in terms of the system of social and child protection can developing social and child protection create the grounds for social inclusion, in order management practices and working on the to achieve the inclusion of citizens in society it development of a culture that encourages is important that other systems are involved in the development of professional workers, support and that they provide services that are innovation and learning. tailored to the needs of vulnerable groups.

12. The CSWs should come up with a system In the course of the reform of the system, it of rewarding workers who demonstrate is necessary to establish effective methods of excellence in their work, while the directors participation by professionals working in the of the CSWs should promote quality work systems, in order to make sure that the reforms and sanction irresponsible behaviour. are relevant to direct work with beneficiaries. UNICEF Montenegro / Dusko Miljanic

14 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 15 and the expansion of the number of services provided at the family and community levels. THE RESEARCH The reform is based on the rights, normatives and standards established in international CONTEXT documents (1–7). In that sense, the reform rests on the following principles: respect for Montenegro is an upper - middle - income country located and the indivisibility of human rights, the best interests of beneficiaries, the availability of 1 in South-East Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, which services to beneficiaries in the least restrictive regained independence in 2006, following a referendum environment, the participation of beneficiaries, the responsibility of beneficiaries, autonomy of on independence. beneficiaries, the choice of services and service providers, timeliness and continuity (8). Special ontenegro is an upper - middle - income The current social challenges in Montenegro, as attention during the reform has been paid to the country located in South-East Europe, well as in other countries of South-East Europe establishment of an integrated social protection on the Balkan Peninsula, which are: poverty, social exclusion, unemployment system in line with UNICEF’s guidelines (9). In M this regard, special attention during the reform regained independence in 2006, following a (especially among young people and women), referendum on independence. Accession to internal migration, social polarization and has been paid to strengthening competencies the European Union is the country’s highest socio-demographic trends, such as aging and the general design of the system so as political and economical priority. Montenegro populations. Combating poverty and social to contribute to the independence of the applied for EU membership in 2008 and exclusion requires more efficient and more beneficiaries to the greatest extent possible, officially received the status of a candidate targeted provision of services in the domains linking the social and child protection system state in 2010, initiating massive reforms at all of health, employment and social protection. with other community-based systems and the levels. Montenegro became a member of NATO MONSTAT’s poverty analysis from 2013 shows sustainability of services. in 2017. The territory of Montenegro covers that the average poverty rate is 8.6%, while 13,812 square kilometres, and according to the the poverty rate for the northern region stands In order to achieve this, in the last decade 2011 census its population is 620,029, of which at 10.3%. The population in the north of the Montenegro has adopted a set of laws, by-laws 145,126 are children, making up 23.4% of the country has limited access to public services, and strategic documents of importance in the total population. Montenegrins make up 45% while women and the elderly have significantly domain of social and child protection, as well 2 of the population, Serbs 29%, Bosniaks 9% lower incomes. The unemployment rate in the as in the domain of the work of the CSWs . In addition to changes made at the level of and Albanians 5%, while other nationalities are north is twice as high as the national average, UNICEF Montenegro / Risto Bozovic represented in smaller percentages. The birth reflecting growing regional developmental legislation and the work of the services, the rate is moderately negative, which indicates a disparities. work on reforms has been accompanied by development of the social and child protection gradual decrease in the number of inhabitants. an improvement of the strategic framework. system in Montenegro is defined primarily Slightly more of the population lives in an urban In order to better respond to its social The current strategic framework for the through the Strategy for the Development of environment (63%) than a rural one (37%). challenges, Montenegro has carried out a the Social and Child Protection System for the Period 2018–2022 (10). Montenegro’s economy is being transformed comprehensive reform of the social and child 2 The most important acts are: The Law on into a market one, whereby 90% of the state protection system during the last 10 years. The Social and Child Protection, “Official Gazette of companies have been privatized, including initial incentive for the reform was the expert Montenegro”, 27/2013, 1/2015, 42/2015, 47/2015, The Strategy for the Development of the Social banks, telecommunications operators and support of UN agencies (UNICEF and UNDP) 56/2016, 66/2016, 1/2017, 31/2017 – decision of and Child Protection System (10) is of particular the energy sector. The unemployment rate in and the significant financial support of the the CC, 42/2017 and 50/2017 (2013), the Law on importance for the further reform of the work Protection from Family Violence “Official Gazette Montenegro was at 16.1%1 in early 2018, while European Union (IPA 2010 and 2014), which of the CSWs. As a special measure in the of Montenegro”, 46/2010 (2010). The Family Law, GDP per capita stood at about US$17,800 in resulted in the harmonization of the legal context of the improvement of the normative “Official Gazette of Montenegro”, 1/2007, 53/2016 framework, the Strategy envisages the 2017 and had an annual growth rate of 3%–4%. and strategic frameworks with international (2007), the Law on the Treatment of Juveniles documents and standards, the establishment in Criminal Proceedings, “Official Gazette of following: improvement of the functioning of of the ISCP, implementation of a comprehensive Montenegro”, 64/2011 (2011), the Law on the the CSWs; improvement of material benefits reform of the CSWs, as well as intensification Prohibition of Discrimination of Persons with and activation measures for users of financial Disabilities, “Official Gazette of Montenegro”, of the deinstitutionalization and decentralization support allowances; and improvement of the 1 Montenegro, Statistical Office of Montenegro 39/2011 (2011), and the Strategy for the Prevention processes, resulting in a significant reduction in system of supervision of professional work (2018). ARS Press Release – 1st Quarter, 2018: of Violence and Protection of Children from Violence (10). The Strategy defines that, in relation to the https://www.monstat.org/cg/novosti.php?id=2730. the number of beneficiaries in residential care (2017–2021).

16 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 17 overall functioning of the CSWs, it is especially territorial (professionals responsible for a important to conduct an analysis of the work specific geographical area/part of the city); and of CSWs, of the functioning of supervision categorical (professionals working mostly with and of the Social Card – Social Welfare beneficiaries that had one dominant specific Information System’s (SWIS) compliance with problem). The work was organized within the requirements of professional work. A professional teams comprised of a social worker, particularly important field of development in a psychologist, a pedagogue and a lawyer. The the domain of supervision is the development territorial approach was based on so-called of an external supervision model and the ‘polyvalent’ work, where professionals worked

further development of supervision at the level in the territory of a particular local community, UNICEF Montenegro / Zoran Jovanovic Maccak of CSWs. trying to solve problems regardless of the type of problem. The Law on Social and Child Protection (2013), as a fundamental law, rests on the principles of The reform of the work of CSWs, which took the decentralization, deinstitutionalization and place after the initial analysis of the work development of community-based services. of the CSWs (2011), led to professional, New articles were introduced in relation to methodological and organizational changes supervision in social work and inspection, as well in the functioning of the CSWs. In place of as in relation to the model of public procurement the categorical/territorial approach, a case for social and child protection services. Within management method was introduced, the current course of reforms, progress has abolishing mandatory teamwork and increasing been made in the field of the development and personal and professional accountability (11). application of information technology, and after many years of professional efforts, the Social Although significant steps have already been Card – Social Welfare Information System (SWIS) taken, recent research in the area of social and has been put in place. The introduction of SWIS child care points to some of the challenges in has led to a more efficient performance of triage the work of CSWs, the most important ones jobs, more efficient office work, management being (12–14): of administrative and non-administrative • Insufficient connections between the procedures, and monitoring and managing centres and other actors in the community; the work at the level of CSWs. A particularly • An insufficient level of compliance between significant effect of the introduction of SWIS is the SWIS and the requirements of case the improved management of resources and management; a reduction in the costs for social allowances. • Insufficiently developed professional com- From the perspective of the beneficiary, the petencies of professionals working in CSWs; SWIS has facilitated access to the exercising • The high workload of professional workers, of the right to social and child protection, the or an insufficient number of workers; and transparency of the procedure itself, and has • The high degree of focus of the resources generally led to a greater credibility of and trust of the CSWs on the distribution of cash in the social welfare institutions. benefits, which does not leave enough resources for case management. Prior to the reform of the social and child protection system, CSWs operated at an Neverthless, that research work was only inter-municipal level3. The previous practice qualitative in nature and analysis of the work of CSWs was marked by two organizational of the CSWs was not a major point of the models that operated simultaneously: research. This research analyses those, and other issues, from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective, and will provide the 3 There used to be nine CSWs (public institutions), evidence needed for informed decision making which were mainly organized at the inter-municipal regarding the response to the challenges that level. The exceptions were the CSWs in Herceg Novi, CSWs are facing. Rožaje, Plav and Podgorica.

18 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 19 4. To take a closer look at the quality of the services that CSWs provide to beneficiaries PURPOSE AND and to produce recommendations focusing OBJECTIVES OF THE on improving the quality of such services.

1. ALTHOUGH THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK RESEARCH IS BASED ON INTERNATIONAL 2 STANDARDS, THE GENERAL ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE LEGAL his research is taking place within of the CSWs, the research will stimulate FRAMEWORK, AS SUCH, IS ADEQUATE. the ongoing reform process aimed at debate among the social and child protection Tsupporting the reforms of the social and stakeholders on the further improvement of However, analysis of the legal framework of child protection system in Montenegro and at the work of the CSWs. the work of the CSWs has never been carried the beginning of the implementation of the the Based on the information generated during out and this research will give the first insight new strategic cycle of planning the development this research, the MLSW will take measures to into this domain. In order to establish whether of the social and child protection system. In that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the the job descriptions are in line with the legal sense, the choice of the moment to carry out CSWs, and to improve the quality of services framework governing the work of the CSWs, this research is rather important since it allows provided to the beneficiaries of the CSWs. the following objectives have been addressed: the shortcomings of the reforms at the level of The research is designed in such a way as to CSWs to be addressed through the provision generate data and information, on the basis of • It is necessary to determine the extent of recommendations, and incorporation of which decision makers can develop policies to which the legal framework governing such recommendations into strategic planning, and measures to improve the organization and the work of the CSWs is in line with the thus contributing to further success and work work of the CSWs. The direct beneficiaries of international strategic and legal framework; on the initiated reforms. the analysis will be the MLSW and the ISCP, • It is necessary to examine whether and to which will make use of its findings to improve what extent the legal framework prescribes Specifically, the main purpose of the research the management of the CSWs. Given that the standards that support accessibility and a UNICEF Crna Gora / Zoran Jovanovic Maccak is to support the development of the ultimate goal of all these measures is to increase proactive approach in identifying families organization and quality of the work of the the quality of service provided to end-users, and children at risk, as well as prevention; 2. THE ANALYSIS OF THE APPLICATION CSWs in Montenegro and the improvement CSW beneficiaries can also be considered as • It is necessary to examine to what extent the OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK AT of the quality of services provided to children end-users of the research findings in the long legal framework supports the participation THE LEVEL OF THE CSWS FOCUSED and families. CSWs have been selected as the run. of beneficiaries and the individualization of ON THE DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION subject of research because they play a vital work with them; OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN role in the implementation of the reform and In order to achieve this, the specific • It is necessary to determine to what extent TERMS OF ORGANIZATION OF development of the social and child protection objectives of this research are as follows: the design of the CSWs allows for adequate WORK AT THE LEVEL OF CSWS AND system at the local level. In this sense, one allocation of the assigned roles; and THE APPLICATION OF THE LEGALLY specific research objective is to provide support 1. To examine the adequacy of the legal frame- • It is necessary to determine whether the PRESCRIBED PROFESSIONAL for the ISCP, as the main research body also work and create recommendations for im- criteria for determining the number of PROCEDURES. tasked with providing quality assurance of the proving the legal framework if necessary; employees are adequate. social and child protection system, conducting 2. To examine and improve the implementation In this regard, the aim of the research was to an analysis of the progress achieved, as well of the legal framework at the level of the In this way, the relevance of the legislative determine: as assessing the barriers to the capabilities CSWs by identifying the key challenges in framework to the beneficiaries can be of the centres to fulfil their roles, in order to the application of the legal framework and analysed, especially when it comes to the key • To what extent the organization of the CSWs provide recommendations for improving the developing recommendations for improving domains defined by the job description. In is in line with the legislative framework. organization, work and performance of CSWs. the application of the legal framework; the part of the report dealing with the results, • To what extent the standards related to The direct beneficiary of the analysis is the 3. To examine the adequacy of the currently these questions were considered from a professional workers are being fulfilled. MLSW, as the main creator of policy and available resources at the level of the CSWs theoretical perspective. When it came to the • To what extent the work at the level of organization of work of the centres. As the in relation to the legal obligations of the discussions, they were considered in the light CSWs is being carried out in line with the results of the research will be presented to all centres and to produce recommendations of the obtained findings. procedures envisaged by the legislative the key decision makers in the field of social and for the improvement of such resources if framework. child protection, as well as to the employees necessary; and

20 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 21 3. THE APPLICATION OF THE LEGAL 4. THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE through different mechanisms (e.g. re- application of the legal and professional FRAMEWORK AND ITS ADEQUATE REFORM OF THE SOCIAL AND CHILD distribution of the workforce, hiring new frameworks and by improving the IMPLEMENTATION ARE INEVITABLY PROTECTION SYSTEM WAS TO employees, change of job descriptions, resources available to the centres, the LINKED TO THE AVAILABLE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES improvement of worker competencies and outcome would be an improvement of the RESOURCES AND, IN THAT SENSE, IT PROVIDED TO BENEFICIARIES. improvement of management). quality of services for the beneficiaries – WAS CRUCIAL TO EXAMINE WHETHER achievement of the ultimate goal of the THE CSWS HAVE THE SUFFICIENT Given the recent analysis of the reform from the • By acting at all these levels, that is, by reform of the CSWs. HUMAN RESOURCES NEEDED FOR AN perspective of the beneficiaries, this analysis improving the organization of CSWs by ADEQUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE has focused on the three research questions. LEGAL FRAMEWORK. Nevertheless, it did tackle the issue of the quality of services provided to beneficiaries, in Given that the work of the CSWs relies directly order to answer the following questions: on community resources, apart from the development of the resources of the CSWs, • How do professionals from the CSWs the analysis focused on the development see the impact of introducing the of community-based resources. In order to aforementioned information system on the examine whether the available resources at the quality of work with beneficiaries? level of CSWs were sufficient to carry out the tasks envisaged by the reform, the following • How do professionals from the CSWs see research questions were addressed: the impact of introducing case management methodology on the quality of work with • To what extent are the professionals in the beneficiaries? CSWs familiar with the reform of the social and child protection system? • How do professionals from the CSWs perceive the role and functions of the • Are professionals (given the existing Institute for Social and Child Protection? capacities and resources) able to fulfil the tasks defined by the legislative framework? • To what extent are the services provided • To what extent does the number of currently by the CSWs important and meaningful to employed workers allow adequate work at children and families? the level of CSWs in relation to the number of beneficiaries? In this way, the analysis aims to provide comprehensive recommendations for further • How are resources redistributed at the improvement of the work of the CSWs, in level of CSWs in relation to the basic order to: responsibilities of the centres? • Improve the context of professional work • How does the distribution of material bene- with beneficiaries through further improve- fits affect case management and alternative ment of the legal and strategic frameworks models of distribution of benefits? and the organization of the CSWs;

• How do professionals see the available • Improve the implementation of the legal resources in relation to the volume of work? framework and the uniformity of work of the CSWs through better control • How present and intensive is cooperation and implementation of regulations and with other institutions (primary healthcare guidelines and the development of centres, schools, national employment additional guidelines; and agency, day-care centres and other social welfare institutions) that are relevant to the • Improve the resources available at the lev- centres, given the nature of their work? el of CSWs in working with beneficiaries UNICEF Montenegro / Risto Božović 22 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 23 in particular the focus was on families with included was lower than planned. Namely, children with disabiltiies, families with a problem it was assumed, prior to the analysis of the METHODOLOGY of violence and families living in extreme workplaces, that the number of professional poverty. Also, one criterion was that 50% of workers acting as case managers would be 3.1 RESEARCH TECHNIQUES families have been on the records of the CSW significantly higher. since 2015 (after the reform). Case managers informed the children and parents/caregivers The instruments used during our qualitative The research was designed as a mixed-method about the research. If both the children and research with parents and quantitative research 3 research work, with the research part consisting parents/caregivers agreed to participate in the with professional workers were piloted. Five 6 of the following components: research, they were involved in the research. In cognitive interviews took place to examine addition, they had the opportunity to back out the level of understanding of the questions before the interview, after talking about it with contained in the qualitative instruments, as well • A desk review; Welfare, the Ministry of Public Administration, the interviewer. Children and parents/caregivers as in the quantitative instruments. Quantitative the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Internal were in no way obliged to participate in the questionnaires were tested on two cases, • Qualitative research Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry research. An informed consent form was signed during which we checked the applicability of with decision makers; of Health, the Ombudsperson, the Parliament by all the parents/caregivers, and the interviews the matrix for encoding the work on the case. with children were conducted after reaching an After testing, the questionnaires were duly • Qualitative research of Montenegro, UNDP, UNICEF, the EU and two civil society organizations. The beneficiaries agreement with the children (verbal consent). adjusted. with CSW employees; themselves were not directly involved in the • Qualitative research development of the methodology. When it comes to the quantitative part of the During the process of planning the analysis research, 56 case managers and supervisors of SWIS data, at the beginning of the with children and families; Qualitative research with professional participated (77% of the total number of such research, we analysed the practice of data • Quantitative research with workers was conducted in June and July professionals in Montenegro). Data on the case entry into the system, the integrity of the data 2018 through two focus groups and 36 semi- manager workload was collected for 67 case from the system, as well as the quality of CSW employees; and structured interviews that took place in June managers and supervisors (93% of the total the data itself. During the assessment of the • Analysis of secondary data 2018. Two focus groups with case managers number). Managers submitted workload data quality of the SWIS data on case management, for a total of 67 workers: 60 case managers and it was concluded that the data itself was not from the SWIS. and professional workers in charge of cash benefits were held, one of which gathered seven supervisors, or 2,968 cases. Of the total sufficiently reliable, that certain centres are

supervisors and managers, and the other one number of case managers who participated in not entering information on case management he desk review was conducted at the very lawyers. The focus groups were attended by 52 the research, 36.7% work in the department into the information system in an adequate beginning of the research for the purpose respondents, which means that the survey itself for children and young people (N=22), 18.3% manner, and that the data is not always of identifying the challenges in the work T covered a total of 88 professional workers. The work in the department for adults and the entered in a timely manner, which is why we of the CSWs, as well as the capacity of the focus groups took place at the ISCP. The semi- elderly (N=11) and 45.0% in the professional collected additional detailed quantitative data. centres to fulfil their obligations. It covered structured interviews were carried out in CSWs. department service (N=27). Managers provided Nevertheless, the data related to cash benefits the relevant legal and strategic documents, researchers with a detailed structure of the is reliable. standards and protocols related to the work of During each of the semi-structured interviews, tasks for 58 case managers, who in the course the CSWs, as well as relevant statistical reports one case was analysed in detail, in addition to of one month undertook a total of 4,216 different Some of the limitations of the research were: and research findings. two cases that were analysed to examine the actions, which is 72 actions per case manager insufficient availability of official data and actions undertaken by the case manager and per month, or about three actions per day. difficulties in organizing and supporting the After the secondary data analysis was to check whether the deadlines were being collection of primary data; the organization developed, preparatory talks with stakeholders respected. CSWs were chosen in such a way The data was collected through the of focus groups and interviews, and the fact took place in order to obtain information on as to cover all the regions of Montenegro, SurveyMonkey platform4,5. In spite of the high that the users were contacted through the the expectations of the various research including both small and large centres. response rate, the number of case managers local CSWs. Namely, the practice of CSWs stakeholders and to allow them to take part in contacting beneficiaries, with the technical the development of a detailed methodology. Qualitative research with beneficiaries was support of the ISCP, could lead to bias in the carried out in the period June–September 2018. 4 The total number of case managers employed The research with decision makers took place in The focus groups with parents/caregivers were in the CSWs, who were identified through the research, was significantly lower than the expected June and July. It covered 15 different institutions attended by a total of 39 parents/caregivers. A number of case managers. 6 Cognitive interviews are organized in order to and organizations: the Institute for Social and total of 32 children were interviewed. Families assess the understanding of the questions, and if Child Protection, the Union of Municipalities of were selected in such a way as to encompass 5 SurveyMonkey is an international platform for the the way participants understand the question is the Montenegro, the Ministry of Labour and Social a diverse set of problems and beneficiaries; collection of data: https://www.surveymonkey.com/. same as that planned by the researcher.

24 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 25 focus group sample with parents. In order to with professional workers, their participation in The final report was evaluated by the Ethics implementation of the interviews and focus of ensure the highest level of impartiality possible, processes in the CSW and their relationships Committee and all the recommendations were groups, the setting up of questionnaires on an the ISCP was provided with the criteria for with professional workers. With the intention implemented. online platform, development of the initial and selecting participants for focus groups. Prior to of preventing any secondary traumatization of final reports and the presentation of data at the the beginning of the interview or focus group, the users, the participants were duly informed final presentation of the research. The IDEAS the participants were asked about the kind of of the possibility of ending the interview or 3.3 MANAGEMENT OF THE team leader was Marko Milanović, the director information that was shared with them by the skipping any questions. This possibility was of IDEAS, while the other members of the CSWs about the research, in order to determine repeated during the interview. In order to RESEARCH PROCESS team were: Miroslav Brkić, full professor at the whether the centres had accurately informed protect children from abuse and neglect, at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade; Ivana potential participants in the way that had been beginning of the interview, all the participants he project was managed by a Steering Krstić, an associate professor at the Faculty agreed. This feedback indicated that the CSWs were told that if any information provided Committee composed of representatives of Law in Belgrade; and Lidija Milanović, a had adequately communicated the information during the interviews should indicate any Tof the Ministry of Labour and Social psychologist and expert in the field of social to the users. The period for collecting data for possible abuse or neglect of children, the case Welfare (Goran Kuševija, Director of the and child care. The IDEAS researchers collected quantitative research with professional workers would be reported to the external supervisor. Directorate for Social and Child Protection), the data in the field. was extended until August and for qualitative the Institute for Social and Child Protection research until September 2018. The design of the research specifically addressed (Drago Spaić, Director), UNICEF (Nela Krnić, No incidents were recorded during the process the issues of confidentiality of information and Child Protection Officer; Marija Novković, of data collection. During the preliminary informed consent. A written informed consent Social Policy Officer) and UNDP (Aleksandra discussion of the researchers with the 3.2 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES form was distributed and filled out by all the Višnjić, Programme Manager for the Social participants it was found that the CSWs, that is, adults who participated in the quantitative part Card – Integrated Social Welfare System). the ISCP had informed them about the research he research was carried out in of the research, while informed consent for The project management included monitoring in an adequate manner. The conversations were accordance with the ethical principles the quantitative research was guaranteed by the implementation of the research, enabling recorded and the recordings themselves were Tprescribed by UNICEF. In the course of submission of the informed consent form at data collection, organization of the work and deleted immediately after the report was drawn the research, procedures for the prevention the beginning of the interview and participants access to documentation, quality control of up. The researchers were specially trained of harm to children due to their participating in were able to continue with the research only the instruments and methodology and the and instructed to ask open questions and to the research, informed consent, confidentiality if they clicked on the box proving that they research itself in all its phases. The overall generally stick to the principle of neutrality in of information and prevention of conflicts of had read the electronic form and agreed to process was overseen and technically guided interviews and focus groups. The quality of the interest were duly applied. the content. In the case of children, parents by the external supervisor – Nela Krnić, UNICEF interviews was checked on a sample of five or guardians had to give written consent for Montenegro Child Protection Officer. The randomly selected interviews with the aim In order to ensure that all individuals in contact their participation in the research, after which MLSW invited professional workers and the of establishing whether the participants felt with the children had adequate competencies oral consent was required from the children. directors of CSWs to take part in the research, free to express their opinions and to assess to interview children, the following criteria The informed consent also contains provisions while the ISCP organized focus groups and whether the researcher had any impact on the were followed: 1) the people interviewing the related to the confidentiality of information interviews with both professional workers and data collection. children had to have previous experience in by the researchers and the participants in the beneficiaries and informed the IDEAS project working with children; 2) they had to be familiar research. Only the researchers had access to team about the agreed dates and times for Links to the quantitative questionnaires with the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the recordings and transcripts, which were focus groups and interviews. In addition, one intended for the employees in the CSWs were and 3) they must have attended a course in deleted after writing up the report. All the of the tasks of the management board was to distributed by the ISCP. Data was compiled from developmental psychology, or a similar course. participants were informed that participation in organize a complete presentation of the project different sources with the aim of ensuring the In addition to this, the setting of the interview the research does not involve any remuneration. and to disseminate its findings to the relevant quality of the quantitative data. The possibility was controlled. In order to ensure that children The research began upon approval from the decision makers. The final presentation took of filing a complaint against the researchers’ were protected against any additional harm Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee is place in November 2018. The presentation actions to the external supervisor in UNICEF during the research, researchers never an external body that was engaged by UNICEF was attended by professional workers, the was introduced as yet another mechanism for remained alone with the children in a room in order to analyse the ethical procedures of directors of the CSWs, representatives of data control. with the door closed, and the children were the research and it is composed of professors international organizations, representatives allowed to invite a person of trust to accompany from various universities in Podgorica and of the ISCP, as well as representatives of the The findings and recommendations of the them during the interview. The interviews were independent experts. The procedures were MLSW and the Government of Montenegro. analysis were validated by the Ministry of organized in a safe environment in the CSWs. assessed as being good, with the exception of a During the conference, social and child Labour and Social Welfare, the Institute for The topics discussed with children were such warning regarding the selection of participants protection stakeholders were able to comment Social and Child Protection and other relevant that they were not asked to provide sensitive in qualitative research by the CSWs, a situation on the analysis itself. IDEAS oversaw the stakeholders that participated in the process. information, nor did they refer to any traumatic which was overcome by providing strict criteria development of the research framework, the experiences, but primarily to their experience to the ISCP for the selection of participants. methodology of the research and instruments,

26 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 27 Table 1. Beneficiaries of Centres for Social Work ANALYSIS OF THE Children Adults and the elderly MONTENEGRIN LEGAL AND • Without parental care or a child • With disability; INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS whose parents are unable to provide • Abusing alcohol/psychoactive substances; care for the child; • Victim of neglect, abuse, exploitation and REGULATING THE WORK OF • With disabilities and developmental domestic violence, or at risk of becoming a 4 difficulties; victim; • In conflict with the law; • Human trafficking victim; CENTRES OF SOCIAL WORK • Abusing alcohol/psychoactive • Homeless; substances; • Pregnant woman without family support and • Victim of abuse, neglect, domestic without adequate living conditions; violence and exploitation, or at risk of • Single parent with a child, without family 4.1 AN OVERVIEW OF THE MONTENEGRIN LEGISLATIVE becoming a victim, or a human support and without adequate living conditions; trafficking victim; • Who, due to special circumstances and social FRAMEWORK REGULATING THE WORK OF • Whose parents disagree on the risk, needs an appropriate form of social CENTRES OF SOCIAL WORK exercising of their parental rights; protection. • Found outside the place of residence without parental, foster-parent, or guardian supervision; entres for Social Work are the primary 8. Assess the eligibility of the guardian, foster • Pregnant girl without family support institutions for social and child protection parents and adoptive parents; and without adequate living Cin Montenegro, with entrusted public 9. Provide training and professional support conditions; authority in this field. In accordance with the for foster parents; • Single parent with a child, without legal provisions, CSWs perform numerous and 10. Act as a guardianship authority; family support and without adequate diverse roles7. 11. Undertake measures, initiate judicial and living conditions; • Who, due to special circumstances other proceedings and take part in them; and social risk, needs an appropriate They: 12. Determine developmental disabilities, form of social protection. incapacity for work, or disability; 1. Decide in the first instance on the 13. Keep records and take care of storing the applications for the exercising of social and records of beneficiaries; Law on Social and Child Protection stipulates child protection rights; 14. Keep records of children with disabilities A CSW is obliged to make 14 forms of material benefits 8, 9, 10: 2. Make decisions on travel benefits for and persons with disabilities in the territory and issue a decision at the The state of Montenegro provides a wide range of material benefits that persons with disabilities; of the local self-government unit; can support children and other beneficiaries. Still, there is a question of the beneficiary’s request for 1. Financial support; burden of processing applications related to such a large number of different 3. Provide emergency intervention services; 15. Report on the situation of children with 2. Care and support allowance; benefits. 4. Assess the current situation, needs, disabilities and persons with disabilities in the exercising social and child 3. Personal disability allowance; strengths and risks; territory of the local self-government unit; protection rights within a 4. Allowance for the parent or guardian of a 5. Create and monitor individual service plans, 16. Develop and participate in the implementation personal disability beneficiary; including a plan to help victims of violence; of strategies, plans and programmes; maximum of 15 days and, if 5. Non-recurring financial assistance; 6. Develop an individual activation plan and 1 7. Cooperate with state administration bodies, necessary, to conduct a special 6. Funeral expenses; provide support for the social inclusion of local governments and other organizations; beneficiaries capable of working; and inquiry procedure within 30 days 7. Monitor the exercising of rights and protect 18. Perform affairs in accordance with the Law of the date of receipt of a properly 8 The maternity benefit for the mothers of three or more children was also in place in the period from children with disabilities from violence; on the Execution of the Decision of the served application, or the initiation Constitutional Court of Montenegro U-I No. 2015 to 2017. 6/16 of 19 April 2017. of a procedure ex officio. 9 Article 20, 41–42, 46–50, 52, 54 and 55–56 of the 7 The basic tasks of the CSWs are determined Law on Social and Child Protection. primarily by the Law on Social and Child Protection, The CSWs are responsible for the provision of In addition to case management, assessment 10 Allowances under items 1 to 7 relate to basic the Family Law, the Law on Protection against support to both children and adults from the and planning affairs, the CSW is authorized to Domestic Violence and the Law on Travel Benefits of social protection cash benefits; allowances under Persons with Disabilities. above list of roles. recognize the right to material benefits. The items 8 to 17 relate to basic childcare cash benefits.

28 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 29 7. Healthcare assistance; – foster care13. In order to provide community- which significantly limits the development A wide range of social and child care services 8. Benefit for a newborn child; based support for beneficiaries, that is, to of services in the domain of social and child has been introduced. However, no dedicated 9. Child allowance; secure the child’s stay in the family, the Law on protection. funds have been set up for the development 10. Costs of nutrition in preschool institutions; Social and Child Protection prescribes various The Law on Social and Child Protection for the and financing of these services, which 11. Assistance for the upbringing and education types of social and child protection services14: first time establishes the Institute for Social significantly limits the development of social of children with disabilities; and Child Protection16 to perform development, and child care services. 12. Reimbursement of salary compensation The state of Montenegro provides a wide counselling, research and other professional and salary compensation for maternity or range of material benefits that can significantly activities in social and child protection. The In the area of custodial affairs, the obligations parental leave, including compensation support children and other beneficiaries. work of the centres is particularly important of the CSW are stipulated by the Family Law of the salary of an employee undertaking Still, there is the question of the burden of for those activities of the institution related (15). In accordance with this law, a CSW is entrepreneurial activity for maternity or processing applications related to such a large to providing professional supervision support responsible for protecting the best interests parental leave; number of different benefits. and monitoring the quality of professional and rights of the child. In addition to this, this 13. Multiple birth benefit; and work, organizing professional development law provides for the obligation of all actors, 14. Reimbursement of salary compensation 1. Support services for life in the community programmes for professional workers and including citizens, to notify a CSW as soon as and salary compensation for part-time (day-centre support services, home help, professional associates, informing the they find out about any violation of the rights work. living with support, day centres, personal professional and general public about the of the child22, and in particular emphasizes that assistance, interpretation and translation implementation of social and child care, the judicial authorities, other bodies, medical, In the procedure of exercising the rights to into sign language and other support drawing attention to the needs and problems educational and other institutions, non- material benefits related to financial support, services in the community); of beneficiaries, and issuing, renewing and governmental organizations and citizens have personal disability allowance, allowance of revoking licences for work. to notify a custodial body as soon as they find the parent or guardian of a personal disability 2. Counselling therapy and social/educational out that a parent is unable to exercise his/her beneficiary and non-recurring financial services (counselling, therapy, mediation, In addition to the establishment of the ISCP, the parental rights.23 assistance, besides collecting documentation, SOS telephone line and other services with Law on Social and Child Protection provides a the CSW must provide findings and an opinion the objective of overcoming crisis situations range of mechanisms that should guarantee The Law on Protection against Domestic that serves as documentary evidence11,12. The and of improving family relations); the professionalism of the employees of Violence (16) stipulates the obligation and state of Montenegro provides a wide range of the CSWs, such as obligatory internships17, determines the mechanisms for coordinating material benefits that can significantly support 3. Accommodation (foster family placement, taking a professional examination18, vocational the activities of all bodies and institutions for children and other beneficiaries. Still, there family placement, in an institution, a training of professional workers19, as well as the protection of victims of violence24 and is a question of the burden of processing day centre, refuge and other types of the licensing of professional workers20. defines in detail the role of the key actors applications related to such a large number accommodation) protecting against domestic violence. This law of different benefits. The Law on Social and Child Protection stipulates that it is the obligation of a CSW to: 4. Services of urgent intervention (services recognizes the MLSW as the body competent The Law on Social and Child Protection is ensuring safety in situations that endanger for supervision over professional work, while • Set up a multidisciplinary expert team in restrictive in relation to the institutional the life, health and development of inspection supervision over the work of CSWs order to design a victim-assistance plan placement of children and prohibits beneficiaries, to be provided 24 hours a is carried out by the Directorate for Inspection and coordinate victim-assistance activities; placement of children from 0 to 3 years of day)15. Affairs and its Sector for the Inspection of and age and, for the general population of children, Social and Child Protection21. placement can be provided only when other In this manner, a wide range of social and child • Act in cases of domestic violence following options are exhausted and when the child care services have been introduced. However, an expedited procedure25. cannot stay in a family or in family placement there are no dedicated funds set up for the development and funding of these services, 16 Articles 120–121, Law on Social and Child The Law on Protection from Family Violence Protection. sets additional guarantees for the protection of children with disabilities and persons 17 Article 126, Law on Social and Child Protection. 13 Article 70, Law on Social and Child Protection. 11 Article 78, Law on Social and Child Protection. 18 Article 127, Law on Social and Child Protection. 14 Articles 60 and 62–72, Law on Social and Child 22 Article 5, Family Law. 12 When the exercising of rights in the field of Protection. 19 Article 128, Law on Social and Child Protection. material benefits requires the assessment of the 23 Article 80, Family Law. degree of developmental disabilities, or incapacity 15 Emergency interventions are carried out 20 Articles 126–139, Law on Social and Child for work, or the disability itself, the CSW determines through being on standby, as a special form of work Protection. 24 Article 5, Law on Protection from Family Violence. this fact based on the findings, assessments and outside of working hours, during which an employee 21 Articles 163–164, Law on Social and Child 25 Article 6, Law on Protection from Family opinions of the Social and Medical Commission. must be continuously available. Protection. Violence.

30 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 31 with disabilities, and stipulates that it is the 4.2 LEGAL FRAMEWORK REGULATING THE obligation of the CSW to: A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL AND ORGANIZATION OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES • Keep records of children with disabilities HAS BEEN INTRODUCED. and persons with disabilities on the territory HOWEVER, NO DEDICATED of the local self-government unit26; FUNDS HAVE BEEN SET UP 4.2.1 Organization of Centres for Social Work and job descriptions • Pay visits at least once a month to children FOR THE DEVELOPMENT with disabilities, and produce written reports27; and AND FINANCING OF THESE SERVICES, WHICH • Deliver a report at least once every six he organization of the CSWs is more 4041In CSWs, there are work positions of managers, months in written form to the ministry SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS THE closely defined by the Rulebook on the supervisors42, professional workers and other competent for social care affairs, which DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL AND TOrganization, Normatives, Standards and workers. A professional worker can be employed shall contain data on the level of realization CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES. Manner of Work of Centres for Social Work. to perform basic tasks related to social and child of social care for children and persons with care (case manager and professional worker in disabilities.28 JOB DESCRIPTIONS IN CENTRES charge of cash benefits), as well as to be in FOR SOCIAL WORK charge of legal affairs. Other workers can be Also, the Law on Protection from Family Violence request that the CSW produce a report on employed to deal with financial/administrative opens the possibility for a CSW to initiate a the child’s personality and the circumstances The work of the CSWs is carried out through and technical affairs. In CSWs with seven or procedure for determining protection measures29, in which he/she lives, to ascertain the the professional department and department more professional workers, supervision is as well as the possibility of a misdemeanour circumstances in which the offence was for financial and administrative and technical carried out by a supervisor, while in centres body to require a CSW to seek an opinion on the committed, the juvenile’s antecedents and his/ affairs39. Depending on the number of with up to six professional workers supervision purpose of such a protection measure30. her personal characteristics33. The CSW informs professional workers, the professional is carried out by the ISCP43 (18). Following the judicial authorities about the application department can be established as a unique the approval of the head of department, the The Law on Treatment of Juveniles in Criminal of educational orders34, criminal sanctions35, organizational unit or a number of professional supervisor may also perform the role of case Proceedings (17) stipulates that a person who, educational measures or measures of special departments can be established. manager and carry out specialized professional at the time of committing an unlawful act obligations36. The CSW also participates in tasks. which is qualified by law as a criminal offence, the execution of institutional measures and of 37 is younger than 14 (a child), may not be tried sentences of juvenile imprisonment and is Up to 10 professional workers in criminal proceedings31. In these cases, the obliged to provide the child with the necessary 40 A professional department for cash benefits criminal charges are dismissed, and/or the assistance following the enforcement of an 1. Unique professional service. in the CSWs may be organized as a professional proceedings are suspended, and the data on institutional measure or of a sentence of service if it has at least two professional workers engaged on legal affairs and one professional worker juvenile detention.38 11–16 professional workers40 the offence and the perpetrator are referred engaged on basic social and child protection affairs. to the custodianship authority to take further measures, or to a CSW32. The prosecutor may 1. Professional department for children and 41 A professional department for children and young people, and adults and the elderly. young people and a department for adults and elderly 2. Professional department for people may be organized if the CSW has at least six cash benefits and legal affairs. professional workers engaged on basic social and 26 Article 12, Law on Protection from Family 33 Article 69, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles in child protection affairs (at least three per professional Violence. Criminal Proceedings. department). More than 16 professional workers41 34 Article 13, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles in 42 Supervision or so-called support to professional 27 Ibid. 1. Professional department for Criminal Proceedings. workers at the CSWs was introduced in Montenegro children and young people. 28 Ibid. following the adoption of the Law on Social 35 Article 98, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles in 2. Professional department for and Child Protection in 2013 (Official Gazette of 29 Article 27, Law on Protection from Family Criminal Proceedings. adults and the elderly. Montenegro, 27/13 of 11 June 2013). The Rulebook Violence. 36 Articles 126–127, 129, 131, 133, 134 and 137– 3. Professional department for on the Organization, Normatives, Standards and 30 Article 29, Law on Protection from Family 138, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles in Criminal cash benefits and legal affairs. Manner of Work of Centres for Social Work (Official Violence. Proceedings. Gazette of Montenegro, 17/16 of 11 March 2016) introduced supervision in CSWs as a form of internal 31 Article 2, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles in 37 Articles 148–149 and 180, Law on the professional support. Criminal Proceedings. Treatment of Juveniles in Criminal Proceedings. 39 Article 4, Rulebook on the Organization, Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work of 43 Article 11, Rulebook on the Organization, 32 Article 47, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles in 38 Article 181, Law on the Treatment of Juveniles Centres for Social Work. Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work of Criminal Proceedings. in Criminal Proceedings. Centres for Social Work.

32 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 33 The Rulebook on the Organization, Normatives, Department for Financial and Administrative Standards and Manner of Work of Centres and Technical Affairs are regulated by the for Social Work defines in detail the duties Act on the Internal Organization and Job of managers, supervisors and professional Systematization of Centres for Social Work THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK workers at the CSWs44, while the tasks of the (18).. SEES THE CSW AS A REACTIVE INSTITUTION AND DOES NOT CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR 44 Articles 12–14, Rulebook on the Organization, PROACTIVE ACTION BY THE Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work of Table 3. Job descriptions of Centres for Social Work CSW. Centres for Social Work.

POSITION JOB DESCRIPTION The basic professional tasks of the CSW are carried out by the case manager and Manager Organizes the work of professional workers, supervises the keeping of professional worker in charge of cash records and documents, assigns the cases, coordinates the work with other benefits45,46. Basic professional tasks are departments and services at the centre and local self-government units, monitors the work of interns and volunteers and appoints their mentors, carried out by professionals who possess produces monthly, quarterly and annual plans, programmes and work the appropriate educational profile and work 47 reports. licence . Supervisory tasks can be performed UNICEF Montenegro / Zoran Jovanovic Maccak by professional workers who perform basic social and child protection tasks, provided CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING Supervisor Guides, trains, supports, encourages and evaluates the work and they have five years of experience and have CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK development of case managers’ professional competencies case managers, acquired the necessary knowledge in the field organizes and carries out the supervision procedure, informs the head 48 of the professional department about cases of unprofessional and illegal of supervision . At the level of CSWs, planning In order to establish a CSW, it is necessary to have behaviour by of case managers, and compiles an annual progress report on and development tasks can be performed by three professional workers performing basic the work of case managers. sociologists with a specialist degree in the field professional tasks in social and child protection, of sociological sciences and a licence to work, one professional worker in charge of legal as well as professional workers who perform affairs, two workers in charge of administrative 49 Case manager Informs the beneficiary of his/her rights, plans and carries out an initial and basic professional tasks . 50 targeted assessment, produces proposals of plans and services, monitors and financial affairs and one technical worker and coordinates the implementation of proposed services, performs a (18). When it comes to branch units, at least review and evaluation, and generally organizes and realizes the exercising of two professional workers in charge of basic rights, services and protection measures, keeps records and documentation professional activities of social and child care about the beneficiary, drafts and explains the findings and expert opinion and 45 The work of a case manager can be done by a must be employed, alongside one professional may perform specialized professional tasks if he/she meets the prescribed social worker, a psychologist, a pedagogue, a special worker in legal affairs, one administrative/ criteria for such tasks. pedagogue, a sociologist, a defectologist and an andragogue, while the work of a professional worker financial worker and one technical worker, in charge of cash benefits can only be carried out by while the offices must have at least one Professional Collects data for exercising the right to cash benefits, assesses the situation a social worker. professional worker performing basic worker in charge and needs of beneficiaries, produces findings and opinions, motivates and professional tasks in social and child care51 of cash benefits involves the beneficiaries through appropriate forms of activation, creates 46 Article 4, Rulebook on Detailed Conditions and Standards for the Performance of Professional Work (18). In addition to the minimum number an individual activation plan and generally provides support for community of employees, depending on the number involvement. in the Area of Social and Child Protection. of inhabitants covered by the CSW and the 47 Article 7, Rulebook on Detailed Conditions and increase in the number of beneficiaries in Standards for the Performance of Professional Work the previous year, the territorial coverage or a Professional in the Area of Social and Child Protection. worker in charge Informs the beneficiaries about procedures for exercising their rights, of legal affairs about their rights and obligations, checks the admissibility of evidence and 48 Article 12, Rulebook on Detailed Conditions submitted documents, collects evidence from other competent authorities and Standards for the Performance of Professional 50 Article 21, Rulebook on the Organization, necessary for the exercising of rights, performs actions related to the Work in the Area of Social and Child Protection. Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work of initiation of court and other procedures, provides consultative support to Centres for Social Work. the case manager and the professional worker in charge of cash benefits. 49 Articles 15 and 16, Rulebook on Detailed Conditions and Standards for the Performance of 51 Article 21, Rulebook on the Organization, Professional Work in the Area of Social and Child Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work of Protection. Centres for Social Work.

34 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 35

particularly complex beneficiary structure, shall worker dealing with basic professional tasks also be taken in consideration when defining or a professional worker in charge of legal the total number of employees of the CSW52,53. affairs, with the support of workers in charge of administrative and financial affairs (18). If the 4.2.2 Professional procedure centre finds the case admissible, the case shall A maximum working 10 of days from the date the of case assignment A maximum 30 of or 60 days from the date completion of assessment initial the of Initial plan services of and measures – a maximum of days from the15 date of beginning work, of after the initial assessment; other plans can be made within 60 days theof date beginning of of work. months after the adoption of individualthe plan / / isA review performed 6 be forwarded to the head of the professional TIMEFRAME The basic stages of the professional procedure department, that is, the case manager or at the CSW are: admission, assessment, other responsible professional worker. It is planning, review and evaluation. the obligation of the professional worker to determine the priority of treatment based on The admission procedure is common to both the data collected during admission. Based on case management and cash benefits. The the collected data, the following priorities are centre opens a case only after the case has determined – immediate intervention (within Documentation: PU Form.1) Documentation: PL form. 1) 2) Register rejected of applications. / Documentation: LPK Form.1) Documentation: PR-1 form.1) 2) PR-2 form. 3) LP form. Documentation: LPK or NM-OS1) and Findings 2) forms. opinion. DOCUMENTATION been reported by other services or citizens. The 24 hours), urgent intervention (within 3 days) professional worker in charge of cash benefits and regular intervention (within 5 working receives the application or speaks to the person days). In accordance with the Law on Social who reported the case. Besides a professional and Child Protection (19), the CSW is obliged worker in charge of cash benefits, admission to provide immediate intervention services, can also be performed by a professional which should be available to citizens 24 hours

a day. These are realized in all situations when the safety, health and development of the 52 Articles 22–24, Rulebook on the Organization, beneficiary are under direct threat. If the right Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work of to cash benefits is being exercised, the case Centres for Social Work. is referred to the head of the professional 53 If a CSW covers a territory of more than department responsible for cash benefits, 10,000 inhabitants, there should be one additional while the beneficiary is referred to a lawyer to professional for basic professional services for be further informed about their rights. every 5,000 inhabitants; if there are more than 30,000 inhabitants, there should be one additional This design of the admission procedure professional worker in legal affairs for every 30,000 inhabitants; for up to 100,000 inhabitants there strongly relies on the practice of referring should be one professional worker in planning beneficiaries to the CSWs by other systems, and development, and an additional one for every which makes the social and child protection additional 50,000 inhabitants. In doing so, out of system dependent on other systems in the total number of professional workers in the terms of the coverage and identification centres, at least 50% should be social workers. of potential beneficiaries. Accordingly, none It is realized through meetings, individual contacts, consultations or case conferences, and all those who involved are in the process sign plan.the The following plans can be developed: Initial services 1) and measures plan. 2) Family plan services of and measures with a continuity plan of permanence and a plan contact of between parents and relatives with the child. 3) Self-reliance plan (for children aged 14+). Frequency contact: of If the child is 1) at home – once every two with the beneficiary. with the 2) Checking the admissibility the of application. 3) Determining the priority treatment. of 4) Referral other to competent authorities and organizations. 5) Organizing immediate intervention During the process case of assignement, the workload and other criteria consideration takenare into by the CSW. months by telephone or through direct contact. 2) If the child is removed from the home – once during the first month and at least three times a year after that. The and review evaluation carried are out through the supervisory within the review, expert service team or during the case review conference. The admission process includes: Receiving1) the application, telephone calls and contact The initial assessment takes place through the following stages: Planning1) an initial assessment at the the level of CSW. 2) Collecting data through interviews with beneficiaries, observing, gathering available information and data from professionals from other departments. 3) Making an assessment (situation and needs, safety issues, protection measures). 4) Reporting on results. It is realized following the initial assessment when it is concluded that it is necessary gather to more data the for provision services of and is obligatory in the following Ensuring cases: the safety 1) a child of separated 2) from the Planning family. the accommodation a child of outside 3) the Starting family. a procedure the for deprivation legal of capacity placement under custody. and CSWs may recruit additional administrative, financial PROCEDURE and technical workers, workers if the territory has: of the jobs in the job description list includes 1) fewer than one employee in administrative and visiting communities to identify families at risk, financial affairs and one employee in technical affairs work with diverse groups in the community

for 30,000 inhabitants; 2) for between 30,000 and to raise citizens’ awareness of the work of 60,000 inhabitants – two workers in administrative the centre, education of citizens regarding the affairs and one technical worker; 3) for between support they can receive, and the initiation or 60,000 and 100,000 inhabitants – three workers in 54 administrative and financial affairs and two workers development of preventive programmes . in technical affairs; 4) for between 100,000 and 150,000 inhabitants – four workers in administrative and financial affairs and three workers in technical 54 Although the law stipulates the obligation of affairs; 5) for between 150,000 and 200,000 transparency with regard to informing the public Admission can be performed by: A professional worker in 1) The preparation the of plan is Thedone by: case 1) manager. 2) The supervisor, with the approval the of head the of professional department. People involved: the child, parents, other important persons and and/or manager organizations, supervisor are evaluation and Monitoring carried The out by: case 1) manager. 2) The supervisor if he/she is in charge the of case. People involved: the child, parents, other important persons and/ manager organizations, and supervisoror charge cash of benefits. 2) A professional worker in charge basic of professional tasks. 3) A professional worker in charge legal of affairs. The process case of assignment a caseto manager or worker in charge cash of benefits can be The done by: head 1) the of department. professional 2) The director The initial assessment is done Theby: case 1) manager. 2) The supervisor, with the approval theof head the of professional department. People involved: and/ormanager supervisor. The targeted assessment is carried The out by: case 1) manager. 2) The supervisor, with the head the of of approval the department. professional inhabitants – five workers in administrative and about social and child protection in the media, as RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONALS financial affairs and three workers in technical affairs. well as in other ways, the Rulebook regulating the Article 24 prescribes the possibility of increasing manner of work of the centres does not recognize the number of employees based on an increase in this principle, and hence it has not been determined the number of beneficiaries which has not been in which way the CSWs inform citizens about their

considered in the above calculation. rights and the services that are available.

Targeted Targeted Admission Assignment Assessment Assessment Development of plan Monitoring and Evaluation Case Initial 36 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO Table 4. Stages of work in case management The legislative framework sees the CSW as If a person expresses his/her intention to documents produced by their case manager, a reactive institution and does not create the exercise one of the rights in the domain of such as the service plan, to confirm that they conditions for proactive action by the CSW. cash benefits, the employee who performed are familiar and in compliance with the content AT THE LEVEL OF THE CSW, 55 Due to all this, even though it is conceived as the admission procedure refers the case to the of the documents relating to them . However, THERE ARE NO APPEAL the main pillar of the social and child protection head of the professional department and refers the question remains as to whether these MECHANISMS, NOR IS THERE system, the CSW is rather passive when it the beneficiary to a lawyer. Also, the case mechanisms are a sufficient guarantee for the ANYONE RESPONSIBLE FOR participation of the beneficiaries, since the comes to identifying the needs of children and manager him/herself can initiate a procedure for PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF by-laws do not establish clear obligations or families at risk. exercising the right to material benefits in the BENEFICIARIES. Upon admission, the case manager should start SWIS if such a need arises during their work. procedures for the participation of beneficiaries, planning an initial assessment in consultation An employee working in legal affairs is obliged e.g. sanctions if the beneficiaries’ participation is with the supervisor or with the head of the to inform the beneficiary about the rights and lacking. Also, there are no appeal mechanisms at department. Within the initial assessment, procedures for exercising their rights, as well the level of CSWs, nor is there anyone in charge the case manager collects information on the as about the beneficiary’s obligations. After of protecting the rights of the beneficiaries in situation and needs of the beneficiary, with the that, the beneficiary is referred to a professional relation to the work of the CSWs, to ensure The legal framework designates CSWs as the mandatory involvement of different people and worker in charge of cash benefits to provide effective protection of the beneficiaries. These institutions responsible for the coordination institutions that can provide relevant information. him/her with the necessary information to gaps in the legislative framework are the reason of all the local community actors in the properly assess the beneficiary’s needs and for a major imbalance in power between the processes of providing services, assistance The targeted assessment is planned and produce findings and opinions. beneficiaries and professional workers in the and support. However, the legal framework implemented based on the findings from the process of protection, which raises the risk that does not provide systemic mechanisms initial assessment, when the case manager At the same time, the lawyer is obliged to this principle defined at the level of the law does for coordination, nor the responsibilities of decides on the type of additional data needed obtain the evidence from other bodies that not apply in practice. representatives of other systems to respond to to undertake certain activities and measures. is necessary for exercising the right to cash the invitations of the CSWs, which means that This assessment process provides a good benefits. Most of the material evidence for The legal framework gives broad authority to the involvement of other actors remains at the basis for identifying risks and strengths, as exercising rights is available through the SWIS, the CSWs to protect and guarantee the rights level of their willingness. In such a context, the well as for planning protection and creating which is regularly updated in terms of the of beneficiaries and the best interests of ben- expectations from CSWs are significantly support networks. eligibility criteria, which significantly facilitates eficiaries, especially children. Apart from oblig- higher, especially in terms of coordination the availability of rights to beneficiaries. After ing all citizens and organizations to report viola- and providing immediate protection at the The development of a service plan takes place the necessary documentation and evidence tions of children’s rights to CSWs, the centre, local level, than their real possibilities allow. in parallel with the assessment procedure. The have been collected, the lawyer shall verify the as a referral body for social and child care ser- The lack of clear provisions for the participation following various individual service plans (18) admissibility of the claim and issue a decision vices, controls the quality of the work of the ser- of these institutions in the process of protection are developed at the centre: on the exercising of the right to cash benefits. vice providers and the fulfilment of the planned and ways of cooperation with the CSWs can goals based on the individual work plans, which be a barrier to organizing effective social and • The initial plan of services and measures, enables the CSWs to actively work to fulfil the child care in Montenegro. As already stated, best interests of beneficiaries in the protection the legal framework provides for a general no later than 15 days after the day when 4.3.3 Level of harmonization of the work with the beneficiary started; process. However, the CSWs cannot influence appeal mechanism, where the second- • A family plan with a continuity plan for the the legislative framework the quality of work of other institutions, in rela- instance authority is the ministry responsible child, no later than 60 days after the day with international standards tion to the best interests of those beneficiaries for social welfare, which does not ensure the when the work with the beneficiary started; not in the social and child protection system, accessibility of the appeal mechanism to all which can be crucial to achieving the best in- beneficiaries. • A plan of services and measures for adults Based on the review of the legislative terests of beneficiaries, such as the health and and the elderly, from the day when the framework, it can be concluded that the education systems. Similarly, the best interest Prevention, as a form of activity, is not work with the beneficiary started; and legislative framework recognizes the beneficiary is neither specified nor defined, although the defined in the job description of the CSWs. • A self-reliance plan for children under the as a subject of protection, and guarantees the principle is mentioned in the Family Law. The Usually, other systems identify risks, or the age of 14. beneficiary’s right to participate in every stage insufficient definition of this principle and the beneficiaries turn to help themselves, which of the work of CSWs, the active involvement lack of clear guidelines for work in relation to most often happens in high-risk situations. The The CSW is obliged to regularly review the work of beneficiaries in the creation, selection and determining the best interest can be a signif- organization of the CSWs, based on the case with the beneficiary. The Rulebook defines the use of rights in the domain of social and child icant challenge for the implementation of the management method, was created to provide standards for review and evaluation in relation care, and voluntary participation in procedures principle of best interest in work. support in high- and medium-risk situations, to the age or target group (18). The case can be related to the exercising of rights. This is also which places the CSWs primarily in the position closed or reviewed based on the results of the formalized within the documentation of the of a reactive service. evaluation. CSW and beneficiaries are required to sign the 55 The beneficiary’s refusal to sign his/her plan must be justified.

38 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 39 ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY Number of Workers (N) DATA ON THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK 120 Andragogue

5 100 Defectologist 5.1 PROFESSIONAL WORKERS AT CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK 80 Spec. Pedagogue A total of 445 employees were employed in the CSWs in Montenegro on 31 December 2017 56. Of these, 81.8% (20) are employed with an indefinite- Pedagogue 60 period contract. The salaries for 385 workers (86.5%) are financed from 51 Sociologist the state budget, while the salaries of 62 employees (13.5%) come from 40 project funds (20). 31 Psychologist 38 23 20 Lawyer Of the total number of employees, 228 are and special pedagogues 2.2% (N=5) (20). 10 13 14 professional workers, 25 are professional The data collected in this study indicates that 8 2 6 Social Worker 1 5 associates and 167 are administrative and most workers are women (81.5%) and that the 0 logistics associates, while there is no workplace majority of professional workers are less than 1 2011 2017 1 data for 25 employees. 35 years old (60.1%).

When it comes to the category of professional If we compare this data with data from workers, social workers dominate the 2011 (11), we can conclude that the total Figure 2. Comparative overview of the number of professional workers in the Centres for Social Work. structure with 44.3% (N=101). Lawyers make number of employees increased by 53.4%, up 22.4% of professional workers (N=51), from 290 to 44557. At the same time, the psychologists 13.6% (N=31), sociologists number of professional workers increased by 10.1% (N=23), pedagogues 6.1% (N=14), 53.8%, from 144 to 228, primarily in terms Despite the fact that the educational profile of records of the centres on 9 May 2018 indicate of employed psychologists, sociologists social workers dominates the total number of 20,835 children, of whom 4,769 were users of Figure 1. Structure of employees at the Centres and pedagogues. There are 25 professional professional workers in the CSWs (they are the child protection services, while 16,066 entered for Social Work associates in the centres, most of whom are most represented in terms of numbers), they the system on the basis of exercising the right graduate economists (64.0%), as well as 167 are mostly engaged in cash benefit services to cash benefits (21). Professional workers Professional associates Associates NA associates58 (20). and administrative activities. More detailed data is available from the reports 56 The number of employees refers to the total of the ISCP, which do not disaggregate data on 5.6 number of workers employed at CSWs, both in those 5.2. BENEFICIARIES OF children and young people, and on the basis jobs that involve the exercising of public authority of which it can be concluded that the most and in those jobs related to the provision of services CENTRES FOR SOCIAL dominant target group are children entitled to developed by the CSWs. WORK cash benefits, with a share of 88.9%, followed 37.5 51.2 57 There were 144 professional workers in the by victims of abuse and neglect (2.1%) (20). CSWs, 18 professional associates and 128 workers Children are the most frequent victims of in administrative and technical affairs. During 2017, the total number of beneficiaries emotional violence (57.7%), neglect (22.4%) 58 Among the associates, the highest proportion of CSWs stood at 84,448, and children and and physical violence (16.7%). Sexual violence of employees were those with secondary school young people accounted for one-third of the was recorded in 2.3% of cases, and online 55.6,6 education (87.4%), followed by elementary school beneficiaries – 28,915 or (34.2%) (20). If we violence in 0.8% of cases. education (9.0%), and the lowest proportion have a take a look at the number of children only, the university degree (3.6%).

40 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 41 Table 6. Some of the material allowance beneficiaries per municipality (MONSTAT, 2016) Table 5. Structure of children and young people who are CSW beneficiaries (ISCP data) Average number of beneficiaries per month N % Financial support to families Cash benefits 25,814 88.9 Municipality Personal disability Care and support In conflict with the law 871 3.0 Number of Number of family allowance allowance Placement in foster families 394 1.4 families members

Assessment of parental competencies 390 1.3 Andrijevica 138 393 22 201 Violence 371 1.3 Bijelo Polje 805 2,429 244 1,467 Witnesses of violence 244 0.8 Bar 523 1,642 135 721 Approval of the CSW on the disposal of the property of a minor 237 0.8 Berane 1,025 3,063 126 1,052 Emergency intervention services 218 0.8 Budva 59 124 42 143 Other services (day-care centres, resource centres) 184 0.6 Cetinje 209 583 89 561 Placement in an institution 128 0.4 Danilovgrad 194 555 59 343 Guardianship 46 0.2 Gusinje 96 261 16 91 Guardianship in special cases 44 0.2 Herceg Novi 102 268 102 396 Limitation of parental rights 32 0.1 Kolašin 181 444 39 227 Kotor 54 124 48 267 Supervision of the exercising of parental rights 26 0.1 Mojkovac 163 455 42 395 Deprivation of parental rights 16 0.1 Nikšić 1,392 4,134 232 1,582 Placement in the institution for upbringing and education 13 0.0 Petnjica 0 0 0 0 Extension of parental rights 8 0.0 Plav 288 912 56 400 Adoption 7 0.0 Pljevlja 417 1,129 108 1,132 Total 28,915 100 Plužine 43 86 13 105

Based on the data of the ISCP, the most frequently used cash benefit is child allowance, then benefit Podgorica 1,989 6,261 604 4,168 for a newborn child, as well as multiple-birth benefit (20). Rožaje 896 3,050 126 691 Šavnik 49 .96 8 63 Figure 3. Basic cash benefits in the domain of childcare Tivat 68 181 18 138 Ulcinj 218 611 77 538 ChildChild allowance allowance111811118111,181 Žabljak 52 72 16 175 Crna Gora 8,961 26,873 2,222 14,856 BenefitBenefit for for a newa new born born 443444344,434 childchild On 31 December 2017, the CSWs recorded 46 right to child allowance was exercised by 5,829 children under guardianship, and another 44 families with 10,876 children; compensation MultipleMultiple birth birth benefits benefits415741574,157 under guardianship in special cases, with their for the parent or guardian of a beneficiary of guardians primarily being foster parents or the personal disability allowance was used by professional workers of the CSWs (20). In 2017, 1,892 people; the costs of nutrition in preschool CostsCosts of ofnutrition nutrition of of 315131513,151 the right to financial support was used by 7,374 institutions were covered for 304 people; pre-schoolpre-school institutions institutions families with 22,112 members; the personal reimbursement of salary compensation and ReimbursementReimbursement of of disability allowance was used by 2,356 people; salary compensation for maternity or parental salarysalary compensation compensation 2513 25132,513 the care and support allowance was used by leave was used by 1,745 people; benefits for a andand salary salary 13,386 people; the health protection support newborn child were used by 3,905 people; and AssistanceAssistance for for up- up- was used by 3,802 people; funeral costs were reimbursement of salary compensation and bringingbringing and and 378378 covered in 30 cases; the right to compensation salary compensation for part-time work was educationeducation of ofchildren children for a newborn child was used by 598 people; the used by 14 people (10).

42 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 43 5.3 THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES UNICEF Montenegro / Dusko Miljanic

UNICEF Montenegro / Duško Miljanić

As the work of the CSWs strongly kinship foster care is dominant, with 84.0% of children living with relatives, compared to 2010 relies on the availability of there has been a rise in the number of children community-based services, we in non-kinship foster families from nine to 63, will present data that indicates that is, from 3.0% to 16.0% in terms of the share (12, 20). It is important to mention that the level of development most children in institutions currently are of services for children in children with developmental disabilities, with only six children being placed into foster care Of the 365 jobs that Montenegro. are projected based on with intensive support (20). During the reform, systematization of jobs, community-based services were also 3.8% are not in line with During the reform, the number of children in developed. Significant funds were invested in the legislative framework. the Children’s Home “Mladost” in Bijela the development of day-care centres, 13 of decreased significantly. The number of children which were established59 – serving 180 children placed in this institution decreased by 49.7% in and young people with disabilities in 2017 (20) the period 2008–2017, and in July 2017 it stood with girls being significantly more represented at 85 (10, 20). In the context of the transformation (62.2%). In 2016, the family outreach worker of the system, the Small Group Home was service was piloted, and in 2018, the process established in Bijelo Polje, with six children of establishing an SOS telephone for child living in it in 2017 (10). This process was victims of violence was initiated (14). accompanied by an increase in the number of children in foster families, so at the end of 2017 there were 394 children in 288 foster families, 59 Day-care centres have been established in which is 29.6% more than in 2010, with the Bijelo Polje, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Herceg Novi, Plav, Ulcinj, highest level of increase in fostering children Cetinje, Berane, Mojkovac, Rožaje, Danilovgrad, recorded in the last two years (12, 20). Although Podgorica and in the Public Institution “Mladost” in Bijela, within the process of its transformation.

44 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 45 In the overall structure of employees, the ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF highest number of employees (117) work on OVERALL, THE STRUCTURE Overall, the structure of staff in Centres for financial, administrative and technical jobs with Social Work is dominated by those who are CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK a share of 32%. There is a significant percentage OF STAFF IN CENTRES FOR not engaged in direct work with beneficiaries (13.1%) of managerial staff, 2.5% of employees SOCIAL WORK IS DOMINATED (51.5%). are involved in planning and development work, BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT 6.1 ANALYSIS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF WORK with 3.8% working on so-called other (non- When it comes to case-management-related ENGAGED IN DIRECT WORK systematized) jobs. Although the professional work, only 17.3% of workers deal with this type OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK WITH BENEFICIARIES (51.5%). of work, while 19.7% of professional workers 6 procedure in the CSWs is based on the case deal with cash benefits and 9.0% with legal management method, only 17.3% of workers WHEN IT COMES TO matters. Based on the analysis of Table 7. Structure of prescribed positions deal with this type of work, while 19.7% of in Centres for Social Work CASE-MANAGEMENT- the job systematization, it professional workers deal with cash benefits, and 9.0% with legal matters. RELATED WORK, ONLY 17.3% can be concluded that the Position N % OF WORKERS DEAL WITH THIS systematization of jobs is, to the Director 13 3.6 Overall, the structure of staff in CSWs is TYPE OF WORK, WHILE 19.7% Head of Department 11 3.0 dominated by those who are not engaged in OF PROFESSIONAL WORKERS greatest extent, harmonized with Head of the Department for Cash direct work with beneficiaries (51.5%). DEAL WITH CASH BENEFITS 9 2.5 the legislative framework. Benefits AND 9.0% WITH LEGAL Head of the Department for There are only nine workers who act as MATTERS. Children and Young People, and 4 1.1 supervisors in all CSWs. Internal supervision Adults and the Elderly functions in four CSWs – those in Podgorica, OF THE 365 JOBS THAT Head of the Department for Bar, Bijelo Polje and Nikšić – while in the other 2 0.5 ARE PROJECTED BASED Children and Young People centres supervision is carried out by the ISCP. If we analyse the structure of jobs in individual Head of the Department for centres, we can notice significant differences. The ON SYSTEMATIZATION OF 2 0.5 Adults and the Elderly Although the job systematization is consistent share of professional workers working directly with Management JOBS, 3.8% ARE NOT IN LINE Menadžment beneficiaries ranges from 29.4% in the CSW Cetinje Head of the Department for Menadžment with the legislative framework to a large extent, WITH THE LEGISLATIVE Administrative and Financial 7 1.9 SupervizoriSupervision the staff structure cannot be considered to 58.8% in the CSW Mojkovac. Supervizori FRAMEWORK. Affairs StručniCase Managers radnici na poslovima vođenja slučaja optimal. The existing method of work is based Stručni radnici na poslovima vođenja slučaja Supervisor in the Department for StručniProfessional radnici for na financial materijalnim support davanjima on the case-management method, but only 4 1.1 Children and Young People Stručni radnici na materijalnim davanjima 17.3% are dealing with this kind of jobs. On StručniProfessional radnici for na legal pravnim support poslovima Supervisor in the Department for Stručni radnici na pravnim poslovima the other hand, 18.9% of professional workers Of the 365 jobs that are projected on the basis of 3 0.8 PosloviProfessional planiranja for planning i razvoja and development activities Adults and the Elderly Poslovi planiranja i razvoja are in charge of cash benefits. This is due to the systematization of jobs, 3.8% are not in line Finansijsko-administrativniFinancial, administrative and technicali tehnički staff poslovi the complex structure of services that the Supervisor 2 0.5 Finansijsko-administrativni i tehnički poslovi with the legislative framework60. The following DrugoOther CSW provides, as well as to the inadequate Case manager in the Department 16 4.4 Drugo table shows the structure of employees in the for Children and Young People organization and systematization of jobs in the CSWs based on the job classification system. Case manager in the Department 3.8 centres. 6 1.6 3.8 13.2 for Adults and the Elderly 13.2 Case manager 41 11.2 If we analyse the structure of jobs in 2.5 Professional worker in charge of individual centres, we can notice significant 60 CSW Podgorica – professional associate 72 19.7 2.5 for the calculation of benefits in the field of child cash benefits differences. Thus, the share of management 32.1 protection and travel benefits for persons with Professional worker in charge of employees in the CSWs varies from 26.7% in 33 9.0 32.1 disabilities with a work complexity coefficient of legal affairs the CSW in Herceg Novi to 5.6% in the CSW in 17.3 7.22, professional associate for human resources Professional worker in charge of Plav. The share of professional workers working 9 2.5 17.3 management with a work complexity coefficient of planning and development directly with beneficiaries ranges from 29.4% 7.22; CSW Bijelo Polje – worker for personal disability Professional worker in charge of 38 10.4 allowances, worker for health care support, assistant financial and administrative affairs director; CSW Nikšić – professional associate in Worker in charge of technical project management; CSW Bar, branch unit Ulcinj 79 21.6 activities 2.5 Figure 4. The share of different positions – professional associate for human resources 2.5 Jobs not provided for by the envisaged by the Rulebook on the staff structure. management with a work complexity coefficient of 14 3.8 9 19.7 Rulebook 7.22; CSW Rožaje – admissions worker with a work 9 19.7 complexity coefficient of 4.66. Total 365 100.0

46 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 47 Figure 5. Staff structure in Centres for Social Work in relation to the type of the job.

TOTAL 13.2 48.5 2.5 32.1 3.8 13.2 48.5 2.5 32.1 3.8 Cetinje 17.6 29.4 10 47.1 0.0 17.6 29.4 10 47.1 0.0 13.2 48.5 2.5 32.1 3.8 Kotor 18.5 59.3 0.0 22.2 0.0 18.5 59.3 0.0 22.2 0.0 17.6 29.4 10 47.1 0.0 Mojkovac 11.8 11.8 58.8 58.8 0.0 29.4 0.0 0.0 29.4 0.0 18.5 59.3 0.0 22.2 0.0 Rožaje 10.5 10.552.6 52.65.3 26.3 5.3 5.3 26.3 5.3 11.8 58.8 0.0 29.4 0.0 Berane 20.8 20.8 45.8 45.84.2 29.2 4.2 0.0 29.2 0.0 Organizing a Department 10.5 52.6 5.3 26.3 5.3 for General Affairs is a discretionary right used by Nikšić 12.7 40.012.7 3.640.0 41.83.6 41.81.8 1.8 20.8 45.8 4.2 29.2 0.0 virtually all centres. Herceg Novi 26.7 26.7 46.7 0.046.7 26.7 0.0 0.0 26.7 0.0 UNICEF Montenegro / Dusko Miljanic 12.7 40.0 3.6 41.8 1.8 in the CSW in Cetinje to 58.8% in the CSW in Petnjica has one case manager. Although there Bijelo Polje 9.5 9.547.6 47.64.8 23.8 4.8 14.323.8 14.3 Mojkovac. The largest number of financial / are two professional workers in BU Tuzi, there 26.7 46.7 0.0 26.7 0.0 administrative and technical workers are are no case managers63. So, 58.3% of branch Bar 18.5 18.5 51.9 51.90.0 22.2 0.07.4 22.2 7.4 employed in Danilovgrad (56.3%), and the units do not meet the prescribed standards 9.5 47.6 4.8 23.8 14.3 smallest number in Kotor (22.2%). for professional workers, which calls into 22.2 44.4 0.0 33.3 0.0 Pljevlja18.5 22.2 51.9 44.4 0.0 22.20.0 7.4 33.3 0.0 question the quality of the services they 5.6 55.6 0.0 38.9 0.0 Eight of the 13 CSWs in Montenegro have their provide. Plav22.2 5.6 44.455.6 0.0 0.033.3 38.90.0 0.0 own branch units61,62. The results of the research 6.3 31.3 0.0 56.3 6.3 indicate that the prescribed standards are not There are differences in the human resources Danilovgrad5.6 6.3 55.631.3 0.0 0.0 38.956.3 0.0 6.3 being met for all those units. According to the available to CSWs and regional units especially 7.7 53.8 3.3 28.6 6.6 existing regulations, a branch unit (BU) must when comparing centres and branch units Podgorica6.3 7.731.3 0.0 53.8 56.3 3.3 6.328.6 6.6 have two employees engaged in basic of the same size. For example, the ratio of 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% professional work, and half of them (6) do not professional workers to inhabitants in the 7.7 0% 10% 53.820% 30% 40% 3.350% 60%28.6 70% 6.680% 90% 100% meet this standard – BU Golubovci has one territory of Mojkovac is 1 to 1,437, and in the Menadzment professional worker working on cash benefits; territory of Kolašin this ratio stands at 1 to 0% 10% 20% 30%Menadzment40% 50% 60%Direktan70% stručni80% rad 90% 100% BU Gusinje also has one professional worker 2,09564. Similarly, if we observe the situation MenadzmentManagementDirektan stručni radPosloviPlanning planiranja and development i razvoja affairs dealing with cash benefits; BU Plužine does in Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Budva and Ulcinj, it DirektanDirect professional stručniPoslovi rad work planiranja i Finansijsko-administrativniFinancialrazvoja and administrative affairs i tehnički poslovi not have any employees covering basic can be concluded that the ratio of professional Poslovi planiranjaFinansijsko-administrativni i razvoja DrugoOther i tehnički poslovi professional tasks; BU Šavnik does not have workers to inhabitants is significantly more any employees covering basic professional favourable in CSWs (Cetinje and Danilovgrad) Finansijsko-administrativniDrugo i tehnički poslovi tasks; BU Žabljak does not have any employees than in branch units (Budva, Ulcinj)65. It is obvious thatDrugo there are covering basic professional tasks; and BU significant differences in

the number of professional 58.3% OF BRANCH UNITS 61 There are 12 branch units in total. 63 Branch Unit Tuzi has two workers dealing workers per capita, and that DO NOT MEET THE with basic professional jobs, but both work on cash 62 CSW Bar – Branch Unit Ulcinj; CSW Podgorica PRESCRIBED STANDARDS FOR benefits. they range from 1 professional – Branch Unit Golubovci, Branch Unit Tuzi; CSW PROFESSIONAL WORKERS, Pljevlja – Branch Unit Žabljak; CSW Nikšić – Branch 64 The population of Mojkovac is 8,662, and the worker per 591 inhabitants in WHICH CALLS INTO QUESTION Unit Plužine, Branch Unit Šavnik; CSW Mojkovac – population of Kolašin is 8,380. THE QUALITY OF THE Branch Unit Kolašin; CSW Kotor – Branch Unit Tivat, Plav to the ratio of 1 to 8,047 SERVICES THEY PROVIDE. Branch Unit Budva; CSW Berane – Branch Unit 65 The exception to this rule is Tivat, which has a in Golubovci, which is worse Andrijevica, Branch Unit Petnjica, CSW Plav – Branch significantly higher number of workers than the other Unit Gusinje. branch units. by a factor of about 13.

48 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 49 Broj stanovnika po At the same time, according to official statistical while in Ulcinj this ratio is 1 to 6,640 and Ulcinj radniku data, 3,123 fewer people live in Plav than in has 6,613 more inhabitants than Plav. Number of inhabitants per worker Golubovci (Plav – 13,108, Golubovci – 16,231). Data shows that the most favourable ratio 5000 The difference is even more drastic when between CSW workers and inhabitants is 4356 4358 4500 3924 comparing Plav and Ulcinj. In Plav there is one in the main offices of CSWs and branch units 4000 professional worker covering 591 inhabitants, covering fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. 3500 Figure 6. Overview of the number of inhabitants per professional worker in the main offices of the Centres for Social 3000 Work and branch units. 2197 2500 2022 2045 1963 2000 Podgorica 4226 1500 1031 Nikšić 3622 1000 500 Bijelo Polje 4605 0 Bar 3823 < 10.000, 10.000, - 30.000, 30.000, - 50.000, > 50.000,

Berane 4557 NumberBroj of stanovnikainhabitants Herceg Novi 4409 Pljevlja 4398 BrojNumber stanovnika of inhabitants po ukupnom per professional broju radnika worker BrojNumber stanovnika of inhabitants po stručnom per worker radniku Rožaje 2296 Kotor 3229

Ulcinj 6640 Figure 7. The ratio of the number of inhabitants and the number of workers and professional workers in CSWs Budva 4805 and BUs. ORGANIZING A DEPARTMENT Danilovgrad 3694 Based on the analysis, it can be concluded FOR GENERAL AFFAIRS IS A Cetinje 3331 that the most unfavourable situations are in DISCRETIONARY RIGHT USED Golubovci and Ulcinj, and that these centres Golubovci 8047 BY VIRTUALLY ALL CENTRES. require the employment of additional staff. Tivat 2806 This data points to significant differences in the Mojkovac 1437 resources that the CSWs have in terms of staff, Kolašin 2095 which can lead to a systemic difference in the allowed in relation to the number of employees quality of services provided to beneficiaries or is linked to the current number of professional Petnjica 2833 differences in the quality of services throughout workers, and to the prescribed conditions for Andrijevica 2536 Montenegro. the establishment of professional services. The following table shows the number of Tuzi 1583 Although the Rulebook on the Organization, professional departments in each of the CSWs Plav 591 Normatives, Standards and Manner of Work in relation to the prescribed norms, the number of CSWs clearly defines the conditions for of professional departments that the CSWs Gusinje 2014 forming professional services in relation to can have in relation to the current number of Žabljak 3569 the number and structure of staff, it does not employees and the actual situation. prescribe the criteria for the education of the Plužine 3246 staff in charge of financial and administrative The unfavourable ratio of professional workers Number of inhabitants per professional worker Šavnik 2070 services. Organizing a Department for General to those working in administrative / financial Affairs is a discretionary right used by virtually and technical affairs affects both the number 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 all centres. The number of departments and types of established departments.

Broj stanovnika po stručnom radniku

50 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 51 Table 8. Number of departments in Centres for Social Work

Current number of Number of Number of departments THIS DATA INDICATES THAT Centre for professional departments departments allowed allowed based on the Social Work according THE INTERNAL ORGANIZATION based on norms number of workers to the job systematization OF THE WORK OF THE CSWS IS Podgorica 4 4 4 IN LINE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE Danilovgrad 2 2 0 FRAMEWORK IN ONLY THREE OF THE 13 CENTRES FOR Herceg Novi 2 2 3 SOCIAL WORK (PODGORICA, Bar 3 4 3 NIKŠIĆ AND PLJEVLJA). Cetinje 2 2 266 Berane 3 3 3 A DEPARTMENT SPECIALIZING Bijelo Polje 2 2 167 IN WORK ONLY WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG Mojkovac 2 2 0

PEOPLE, AND ONE ONLY UNICEF Montenegro / Zoran Jovanović Maccak 68 Kotor 3 4 2 WITH ADULTS AND ELDERLY Rožaje 2 2 169 BENEFICIARIES WERE FORMED Plav 2 2 0 IN PODGORICA AND NIKŠIĆ, Pljevlja 2 2 2 RESPECTIVELY. Nikšić 4 4 570 Total 33 35 26

The table shows that there are significant • Two departments have been formed in the deviations from the planned and existing CSW in Cetinje, which is in accordance with professional services: 6667686970 the prescribed standards for the number of employees. Departments for Cash Benefits • The CSWs based in Danilovgrad, Mojkovac and Financial/Administrative Affairs have and Plav have not formed any departments, been established, which is understandable, although according to the current legislative given that there is only one case manager framework they have the right to establish in this centre. two; • Based on the number of employees, • The CSWs based in Bijelo Polje and Rožaje the CSW in Kotor is entitled to four have established one department each, al- departments while only two have been though they have the right to establish two. established so far. In addition, these are the department covering the “financial sector” and the Department for Cash Benefits and 66 A Department for Cash Benefits and Financial Legal Affairs, and not those in charge of the and Administrative Services has been established. protection of certain groups of beneficiaries (children and young people, and adults and 67 A Department for Cash Benefits has been established, but no other departments exist. the elderly). The CSW in Herceg Novi has established three services, although it is 68 A Department for the “Financial Sector” and allowed to form only two services based Department for Cash Benefits and Legal Affairs have on the number of employees. been established. professional workers make up only 17.3% of as separate departments. A department 69 No professional departments have been This data indicates that the internal organization the employees has influenced the fact that the specializing in work only with children and established. of the work of the CSWs is in line with the professional departments dealing with issues young people, and one only with adults and legislative framework in only three of the 13 related to for children and young people and elderly beneficiaries only, were formed in 70 A Department for Planning, Service Development and Project Management has been CSWs (Podgorica, Nikšić and Pljevlja). The fact adults and the elderly are very rarely formed Podgorica and Nikšić, respectively. established. that case managers in the overall structure of

52 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 53 6.2 ANALYSIS OF THE COMPLIANCE OF THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF EMPLOYEES IN RELATION TO THE NORMATIVES

The analysis of the compliance of the structure of employees with respect to the prescribed professional competencies has shown

that they are being respected in 95.4% of cases. UNICEF Montenegro / Duško Miljanić

ith 16 workers in the CSWs in the establishment of CSWs and the number Podgorica71, Danilovgrad72, Plav73, of inhabitants based on the 2011 census, then WBar74, Bijelo Polje75, Nikšić76 and the total number of professional workers, Cetinje, a lack of the required professional workers employed in administrative, financial competencies was determined, which primarily and technical services, as well as planning and relates to the employment of sociologists in development services, stands at 284. the position of professional workers in charge Basic Administrative Planning and 77 Municipality Legal Technical TOTAL of cash benefits. In the CSWs, there are 28% more employees professional and financial development than the normatives prescribe: Podgorica 40 8 9 3 2 62 Comparative analysis of the prescribed number of job positions and the number of 1. 32% more in financial / administrative and Danilovgrad 4 1 3 1 1 10 filled positions points to significant differences technical services78; Herceg Novi 7 1 4 1 1 14 between the number of standardized jobs 2. 19% more in charge of basic professional Bar 15 3 6 1 1 26 and the number of employees. Namely, if activities79; Cetinje 4 1 3 1 1 10 we take into account the standards that 3. 9% more in legal services; and prescribe the number of workers needed for 4. 36% fewer working in planning and Berane 12 3 6 3 1 25 development services. Bijelo Polje 10 1 4 1 1 17

71 Two sociologists are employed as professionals Mojkovac 6 2 4 2 1 15 The need to adopt new standards is additionally working on cash benefits, as well as one person Kotor 14 3 6 3 1 27 with a university degree, whereby the worker with supported by this finding, since the analysis, on a university degree is employed in the planning and the one hand, indicates that the current number Rožaje 5 1 3 1 1 11 development service. of workers is not sufficient to provide adequate Plav 6 2 4 2 1 15 support to beneficiaries, while, on the other, it 72 A sociologist is employed as a professional Pljevlja 9 2 5 2 1 19 working on cash benefits. indicates that the CSWs are employing more workers than they are supposed to do. In all Nikšić 18 4 7 3 1 33 73 A sociologist and a teacher of philosophy and Total 150 32 64 24 14 284 sociology are employed as professionals working on cash benefits. Table 9. Overview of needed workers in relation to the normatives. 78 These two sets of professional activities are 74 A sociologist is employed as a professional presented together because there is no consistency the centres, the number of employees working Rožaje employs four times as many as the working on cash benefits. in job classification in relation to these types of on basic professional activities is in line with norm, while Mojkovac and Bijelo Polje employ 75 Two sociologists are employed as professionals activities. Thus, the position of secretary in some the norms or higher, except in Pljevlja, where twice as many as the norm. The number of working on cash benefits. centres is considered and labelled “administrative”, 10% fewer workers are employed compared financial/administrative and technical workers without calling it a “financial/administrative” job, and to the prescribed number. The largest number in Danilovgrad, Podgorica, Nikšić and Cetinje 76 Three sociologists are employed as in some centres this appears to be a position related professionals working on cash benefits and a teacher to technical affairs. In some CSWs, the archivist is of professional workers exceeding the norms is twice as large as prescribed. The CSWs in of French language and literature in planning and also considered a member of the technical staff, are employed in Rožaje and Cetinje. Significant Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Bar, Mojkovac, Kotor, development. while in some centres it is seen as a financial and differences exist in relation to the number of Plav and Pljevlja do not have any professional administrative position. lawyers. While fewer lawyers are employed in workers in planning and development services. 77 Employees most often have considerable experience in social care. 79 Including managers and supervisors. Bar, Berane and Kotor in relation to the norms,

54 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 55 Figure 8. The ratio between the current number of workers and the number prescribed by normatives in % 6.3 ANALYSIS OF THE WORKLOAD OF PROFESSIONAL 23 WORKERS AND CASE CHARATERISTICS -36 23 UKUPNOTOTAL -36 32 UKUPNO 9 2332 -36 9 1923 UKUPNO -36 192332 62 UKUPNO -36 2332 100 Nikšić 9 32 62 120 UKUPNO -36 1923 100 Based on the questionnaires UKUPNONikšić -36 9 32 5062 120 9 192328 5062 UKUPNO -36 2332 100 ONE CASE MANAGER UKUPNONikšić -10 9 192832 62 120 filled out by managers, it can be Nikšić -100 -36 -10 1923 5062 100120 UKUPNOPljevljaNikšić -14 9 32 50 100120 IS ASSIGNED 44 CASES -100 -36 9 192328 5062 concluded that one case manager UKUPNOPljevljaNikšić -36 -14-10 32 62 100120 Nikšić -100 -10 9 192328 50 120 ON AVERAGE. THERE UKUPNO -100 -36 -10 1319232832 62 100 UKUPNOPljevljaNikšić --100100 -36 -14 9 32 50 100120 is assigned 44 cases on average IS NO STATISTICALLY -36 -10 9131928 5062 UKUPNOPljevljaNikšićPlav --100100 -14-10 1732 100120 PljevljaNikšićPlav -14 9 171928 5062 120 SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE -100 -10 13192833 62 100 at any one time (M=44.29, PljevljaNikšić --100100 -14 50 100120 Plav -10 13172833505862 IN THE CASELOADS OF CASE PljevljaNikšićPlav -100 -14 1317 100120 80 PljevljaRožajeNikšićPlav -14-10 172528 5058 120 SD=23.56) . It should be noted Nikšić -100 -10 132833 120 MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS. PljevljaRožajePlav -100 -14 1725 5058 200 -100 -10 132833 5860 200 PljevljaPlav -100 -14-10 1317 that 33.3% of case managers, Rožaje -10-4 172533 5860 PljevljaRožajePlav --100100 -14-4 132533 58 PljevljaRožajeKotorPlav -33-14 1725 200 in addition to basic professional --100100 -33 13 33 5860 200 RožajeKotorPlav -100 -33 -4 13172533 58 RožajePlav -100 -33 172529 60 200 Significant differences exist in terms of the Kotor --100100 -33 -4 613 2933 5860 200 tasks, also cover cash benefits. RožajeKotorPlav --100100 -33 -4 1725 burden imposed on case managers in relation MojkovacRožajeKotorPlav --3333-17 6172533 5860 200 Plav --100100 -4 172933 5860 MojkovacRožajeKotor -100 -33-17 6 25 100 200 to the unit of local self-government covered by -33 -4 6 172933 5860 100 200 There is no statistically significant RožajeKotor --100100 -33 -4 6 1725 58 the given CSWs, or the branch unit. The burden MojkovacKotor -33-17 172529 5860 200 Rožaje -100 -4 6 1729 60 100 difference in the caseloads of case BijeloMojkovacRožajeKotor Polje -100 -33-17 25 100 200 is lowest in Plužine and Petnjica, and highest -33 -4 6 1729 60 100100 200 managers and supervisors. BijeloMojkovacKotor Polje -100 -33-17 6 17 Mojkovac -33-17-10-4 171729 60 100100 in Bijelo Polje. Case managers are heavily Kotor -100 -33 -10--84 6 1729 BijeloMojkovacKotor Polje -100 -33-17 100 burdened in Cetinje, Ulcinj, Tuzi, Mojkovac, -100 -33 -8 6 1729 100100 BijeloMojkovacBeraneKotor Polje -100 -33--2217-10 17 There is no difference in relation to whether BijeloMojkovacBerane Polje --3333--2217-10 6 1729 100 Podgorica and Pljevlja. These differences cannot -100 -10-8 681729 the manager is additionally in charge of cash BijeloMojkovac Polje -100 -33-17 100 Berane -22-10-8 6817 55 100 be explained by the number of employees, BijeloMojkovacBerane Polje -100 --2217-8 benefits. Similarly, there is no difference in BijeloMojkovacBeraneCetinje Polje -33-22-17-10 17 55 100100 except in Ulcinj, or by the number of users of Mojkovac -17-10-8 817 BijeloBeraneCetinje Polje -33-22 55 100100 relation to the type of service in which the -33 -10-8 817 5055 100 cash benefits, but are due to other factors: the BijeloBerane Polje -22 -8 17 55 professional workers are employed. Although BeraneCetinje -33-22-10 817 50 100100 Bijelo Polje -100 -10-8 8 55 management and organization of work in the BijeloBeraneCetinje PoljeBar -100 -33-22-14 100 the statistical difference itself is not significant, -67 -33 -10-8 8 5055 100 given CSWs. When comparing the data on the BeraneCetinjeBar -22-14 55 100 Cetinje -100 -67 -33 -10-8 813 50 100 there is a tendency for workers with less than Berane -100 -22 -8 813 5055 number of inhabitants in certain municipalities BeraneCetinjeBar --100100 -33-22-14 100 one year of service to be less burdened with HercegBeraneCetinje NoviBar -67 -33--22-2014 8 5055 100 in Montenegro and the number of users of Berane --100100 -22 813 5055 HercegCetinje NoviBar -100 -67 -33--2014 100 cases. Thus, workers with less than two years -67 813 29 5055 cash benefits, very interesting results are CetinjeBar --100100 -14 55 100 Herceg Novi -67 --2014 13 29 455055 of service are on average assigned 34 cases HercegCetinje NoviBar --100100 -20 13 45 100 obtained. These indicate that the actual burden HercegDanilovgradCetinje NoviBar -67 -20-14 50 100 125 (M=34.07, SD=14.84), those with three to five --100100 -67 13 29 50 HercegDanilovgrad NoviBar -100 -20-14 45 125 on the case manager and the organization of Herceg Novi -100 -67 -20 1329 4550 years – 46 cases (M=46.00, SD=21.10), those Bar --100100 -14 1329 4544 professional work is not directly related to the HercegDanilovgrad NoviBar -100 -67 -20-14 50 125 with six to 10 years of service – 40 cases -100 -67 1329 4544 HercegDanilovgradPodgorica NoviBar -100 -20-14 4550 117125 number of users of cash benefits. Thus, those HercegDanilovgradPodgorica Novi -67 -20 1329 117125 (M=40.00, SD=20.78), and those with 11 or -100 131829 4544 who receive cash benefits are: HercegDanilovgrad Novi -100 -20 50 125 Podgorica -100 1829 444550 117 more years of service – 53 cases (M=52.80, HercegDanilovgradPodgorica Novi -250 -200 -150 -100-100 -50-20 0 50444550 100 117125150 200 250 HercegDanilovgradPodgorica Novi -250 -200 -150 -100 -50-20 0 2950 100 117125150 200 250 SD=29.93), F(3.63)=2.09, p=0.11, η2=0.09. -100 1829 444550 • 13.2% of the inhabitants of the Municipality DanilovgradPodgorica -100 4450 117125 Podgorica -250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 18295045 100 117150 200 250 Danilovgrad -250 -200 -150 -100-100 -50 0 18 50444550 100 125150 200 250 of Rožaje; DanilovgradPodgorica -250 -200 -150 -100-100 -50Procenti0 (%) 50 50 100 117125150 200 250 DanilovgradPodgorica Procenti (%)18 44 117125 80 The reliability of this data is indicated by the Danilovgrad -250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 18 504450 100 125150 200 250 • 5.7% of the inhabitants of the Municipality Podgorica -250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 18 504450 100 117150 200 250 fact that the average workload is calculated on the Podgorica -250 -200 -150 -100 -50Procenti0 (%) 50 100 117150 200 250 of municipality; 18 4450 basis of responses received from case managers Podgorica -250 -200 -150 -100 -50Procenti0 (%) 50 50 100 117150 200 250 • 5.2% of the inhabitants of the municipalities PodgoricaUKUPNO-250 -200 -150 -100 -50ProcentiPoslovi0 (%)18 planiranja50 100 i razvoja117150 200 250 – 48 (M=47.96, SD=32.44), in which the workload Procenti (%)18 of Mojkovac and Bijelo Polje; UKUPNO-250 -200 -150 -100 -50 Poslovi0 18 planiranja50 100 i razvoja150 200 250 ranges from seven to 199. The differences are -250 -200 -150 -100 -50Procenti0 (%) 50 100 150 200 250 • 3.6% of the inhabitants of the Municipality UKUPNO-250 -200 -150 -100 -50ProcentiPoslovi0 (%) planiranja50 100 i razvoja150 200 250 expected due to the small sample size and the fact Finansijsko-administrativniUKUPNO-250 -200 -150 i tehnički-100 poslovi-50 PravniPoslovi0 poslovi planiranja50 100 i razvoja150 200 250 UKUPNO ProcentiPoslovi(%) planiranja i razvoja that not all the cases are entered into the information of Pljevlja; Finansijsko-administrativni i tehnički posloviProcentiPravni(%) poslovi UKUPNO Poslovi planiranja i razvoja system, but also due to slight differences in the • 3.5% of the inhabitants of the Municipality TOTALUKUPNOFinansijsko-administrativni i tehnički posloviProcentiPlanningPosloviPravni (%)and development posloviplaniranja i affairsrazvoja UKUPNOOsnovniFinansijsko-administrativni stručni poslovi i tehnički posloviProcentiPosloviPravni(%) posloviplaniranja i razvoja sample. Within this research, an assessment of FinancialFinansijsko-administrativni / administrative affairs i tehnički posloviLegal affairsPravni poslovi of Cetinje; UKUPNOOsnovni stručni poslovi Poslovi planiranja i razvoja the workload will be used based on the inputs of Finansijsko-administrativniUKUPNO i tehnički poslovi PosloviPravni poslovi planiranja i razvoja • 3.3% of the inhabitants of the Municipality BasicFinansijsko-administrativniOsnovni professional stručni poslovi affairs i tehnički poslovi Pravni poslovi managers, whose task is to monitor the workload of Finansijsko-administrativniUKUPNOOsnovni stručni poslovi i tehnički poslovi PravniPoslovi poslovi planiranja i razvoja of Podgorica. Finansijsko-administrativniOsnovniUKUPNO stručni poslovi i tehnički poslovi PravniPoslovi poslovi planiranja i razvoja professional workers. OsnovniUKUPNO stručni poslovi Poslovi planiranja i razvoja OsnovniFinansijsko-administrativni stručni poslovi i tehnički poslovi Pravni poslovi OsnovniFinansijsko-administrativni stručni poslovi i tehnički poslovi Pravni poslovi OsnovniFinansijsko-administrativni stručni poslovi i tehnički poslovi Pravni poslovi 56 OsnovniFinansijsko-administrativni stručni poslovi i tehničkiANALYSIS poslovi OF THEPravni WORK poslovi OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 57 Osnovni stručni poslovi Osnovni stručni poslovi Osnovni stručni poslovi If the number of beneficiaries of material The largest proportion of cases on which case benefits were directly related to the organization SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES managers were working was recorded in 2018 of professional work or the workload of case IN TERMS OF THE BURDEN (45.6%), while when it comes to the previous WHILE FOR SOME CASE managers, then the greatest burden should IMPOSED ON CASE MANAGERS years this figure stands at 71.3%. The majority MANAGERS ONLY 3.8% OF be in the Municipality of Rožaje, which is not EXIST IN CERTAIN CSWS. of active cases were opened in the period from CASES ARE COMPLEX, FOR the case. On the contrary, Rožaje falls into the THESE DIFFERENCES CANNOT May to July. The following graph shows the category of centres with the lowest workload structure of cases in relation to the month they OTHERS THE FIGURE IS 100%, BE EXPLAINED BY THE – 33 cases per case manager. On the other were opened; when it comes to cases that WHILE ON AVERAGE 65.2% OF NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, hand, Cetinje is among the municipalities were opened in 2008 or earlier, the month of CASE MANAGERS WORK ON EXCEPT IN ULCINJ, OR BY with the lowest percentage of beneficiaries opening is not known. CASES WITH ONE OF THE FOUR THE NUMBER OF USERS OF of material benefits (3.5%), while the average LISTED COMPONENTS. burden of case managers is 95 cases. In this CASH BENEFITS, BUT ARE The number of new cases on average amounts sense, this analysis indisputably indicates DUE TO OTHER FACTORS: to nine cases per case manager per month that the uneven burden on professional THE MANAGEMENT AND (N=9.32, SD=8.76). workers is primarily conditioned by inadequate ORGANIZATION OF WORK IN workload management and an inadequate THE GIVEN CSWS. The largest proportion of cases, at the time of the procedures. The phase involving evaluation and structure of staff. Namely, the Rulebook on research, were in the phase of monitoring and closure of the case is less demanding, since it the Organization, Normatives, Standards implementation of the plan (68.5%), followed is usually related to subsequent assessment, and Manner of Work of CSWs prescribes by the initial assessment stage (13.5%), However, it does imply the implementation the number of professional workers, but the way the management organizes the work evaluation and closure (12%), the development of certain professional procedures. From not explicitly the number of case managers. process. These views are best illustrated by of the plan (4.7%) and targeted assessment the point of view of the complexity and Bearing in mind the above-mentioned results the following chart. (3%). In relation to the case management direct involvement of the case manager, the that indicate that the services are not generally process, the most demanding phases are those monitoring and implementation of the plan is Figure 9. The average workload of case managers established in accordance with the norms, it by headquarters of the Centre for Social Work/ of assessment and development of the plan usually the least demanding phase, assuming is clear that the differences in the workload branch unit because they require frequent contact and the that the plan is well designed and adjusted of case managers are, above all, a product of implementation of expert and methodological in terms of the timeframe and assuming that

Figure 10. Structure of beneficiaries in relation to their age 140 132 65+ 120 65 I VIŠE 10.1 95 2626 -- 6464 100 90 27.3 1818 -- 2525 Average caseload 12.8 80 71 65 56 1515 -- 17 20.7 60 54 39 13 - 14 35 36 38 13 - 14 6.6 40 31 33 34 35 35 26 30

PROSJEČNO OPTEREĆENJE PROSJEČNO 21 66 -- 12 15 20 10 33 -- 5 5.2 0 00 -- 2 2.4 Bar Tuzi Tivat Kotor Ulcinj Nikšić Budva Rožaje Cetinje Berane Žabljak Plužine Pljevlja

Petnjica 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Mojkovac Podgorica Golubovci

Bijelo Polje Procenat (%) Danilovgrad Herceg Novi Herceg Percentages (%)

58 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 59 the specific activities and responsible actors complexity. While for some case managers are listed. In these circumstances, the tasks only 3.8% of their cases are complex, for of the case manager are mostly reduced to others the figure is 100%, while on average coordination, periodic contact with beneficiaries 65.2% of case managers work on cases with and stakeholders, as well as monitoring and one of the four listed components. evaluation. Although it is difficult to precisely determine the complexity of the case in this Of the total number of users involved in case way, based on the actual stages they are management, 43.0% are women, 57.0% are in, it can be said that about one-third of the male and half of them are minors under the current cases were in stages that require age of 18. the undertaking of continuous and complex professional procedures. This means that if the If we analyse the concrete tasks performed average number of cases per case manager is by case managers, it can be concluded that 44, about 15 current cases are in the stages the most frequent tasks are monitoring with the highest degree of complexity, i.e. the and evaluation of the work on the case, greatest burden for professional workers. activities involving provision of support to beneficiaries, the performance of tasks related We closely analysed the workload of to the guardianship mandate, assessment professional workers related to cases of of the situation, needs, strengths and risks, placement, violence, guardianship and work and cooperation with state-level and local UNICEF Montenegro / Duško Miljanić with children and adults with disabilities. The administration bodies and other organizations. measure of placement was either initiated or in procedure in 35.2% of beneficiaries81, When asked about the amount of time they we detected irregularities in the carrying out such decisions issued varies from 200 to 40,000 guardianship was initiated in 24.2% of cases spend working on guardianship issues and the of foster-care activities. In this regard, there per year. Similarly, the size of the workloads of (N=719), violence was present in 614 cases time spent on child protection, professional was a case in which a child was placed in a lawyers is indicated by the fact that, from the (20.7%) and disabilites were present with workers answered that on average they spend family although the family had not undergone beginning of 2015 to date, 464,527 decisions 17.8% of beneficiaries (N=527). If we depart slightly more time working on guardianship formal training. There was alsoDječja a casezaštita where have been issued, that is, 14,076 decisions per from the assumption that the complex cases issues (56.6%) than on protection from abuse the child was placed in a “foster care” family lawyer. are those with at least one of these four and neglect (43.4%). which had not undergone training3.8 3.6because the family had been rejected as an adoption Figure 11. Analysis of the distribution of human elements (placement, guardianship, violence, Dječja zaštita resources in relation to the fields of work of CSWs and providing support to persons with The largest number of case managers did family. In this particular case, adoption took 14.5 Dječja zaštita disabilities), we can conclude that the cases not organize any training for foster parents place a little later. During the visits, some 3.8 3.6 are not evenly distributed among the case in 2017 (62.5%), one or two training sessions good practices were identified as well. The managers in relation to the degree of their were organized by 26.8% of case managers, foster families which participated in the survey 3.8 3.6 while more than two training sessions estimate14.5 the support33.9 of the CSW as very good 8.1 were organized by 10.7% of case managers. – they state that the professional workers have 14.5 81 The largest number of cases that require more However, no training for adult foster care always been available and helpful. Similarly, the foster families we interviewed are providing than 2 years relate to work with beneficiaries who has ever taken place. During our field visits, 33.9 8.1 are placed in institutions. the children with all the support for growth and development in a culturally competent way. 33.9 8.1 36.1 Analysis of the number of decisions issued in three CSWs points to significant deviations in his analysis indicates that the work of CSWs is of professional workers are engaged in cash- the36.1 workloads of lawyers, where the number of Tlargely focused on cash benefits, which results benefit-related tasks. Child care takes up 2.5 times in the fact that professional workers in charge of fewer resources than material benefits, and adult DirektoriDirectors Dečja zaštita cash benefits dominate the structure of professional protection takes up 4.5 times fewer resources than 36.1 workers, with about one-third of all case managers cash benefits. This indicates that the CSWs are not ZaštitaChild protection odraslih Materijalna davanja i pravni poslovi dealing with this type of work. Namely, as many primarily social and child protection agencies, but Administrativno-finansijskiAdult and elderly protection i tehnički Drugo as 36.1% of the resources of the centres are rather agencies that deal with the distribution of spent on cash benefit services, excluding financial/ cash benefits. Direktori DečjaCash benefits zaštita and legal affairs administrative and technical workers, and 61.5% Zaštita odraslih MaterijalnaAdministrative, financialdavanja and i logistics pravni affairs poslovi

Other Administrativno-finansijski i tehnički Drugo Direktori Dečja zaštita Zaštita odraslih Materijalna davanja i pravni poslovi 60 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 61 Administrativno-finansijski i tehnički Drugo 6.4 MANAGEMENT AND BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS IN 6.5 ANALYSIS OF THE COMPLIANCE OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONAL WORKERS WITH THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS

The compliance of professional work with the procedures The analysis points to numerous shortcomings in the organization envisaged by the legislative framework is presented in relation to of the work of the CSWs. the “pathways” that beneficiaries take through the CSWs and in relation to the various tasks that the CSWs perform. nly 13.0% of workers fully agree with the claim that inadequate job performance Ois being sanctioned, while 11.1% believe that the quality of work with beneficiaries is 6.5.1 Admission recognized and adequately valued. THE ADMISSION ITSELF, BEING The admission procedure is not being THE FIRST CONTACT OF A Based on this, it can be concluded that the carried out in accordance with the PROFESSIONAL WORKER WITH climate in the CSWs is such that it does not prescribed procedure in all CSWs. The THE BENEFICIARY, DOES NOT encourage the personal development of biggest differences in terms of the organization ALLOW FOR A PROACTIVE AND professional workers, nor the development of of admission appears to be between those PREVENTIVE APPROACH IN good practices. centres that are headquarters and those THE WORK OF THE CSWS. that are branch units. When it comes to the At the level of case managers, the analysis main offices, admission is performed by experts with adequate professional profiles, points to an unequal workload for case The admission assessment procedure, as managers. Thus, 5.6% of respondents fully and the branch units mainly rely on financial and administrative workers in this regard. well as methods for identifying risks and agree with the claim that all case managers determining the level of procedural priority, are equally burdened with their workload, During the field visits, the following models of organization of admission were identified: have not taken off in the CSWs. Thus, at one as well as with the claim that their workload of the centres, the priority of the procedure allows quality work with beneficiaries. In was not determined at the time of admission accordance with the previous findings, 13.0% 1. The admissions office has been established – urgent interventions are usually arranged by of case managers fully agree with the claim and is managed by professional workers the director or the manager in cases of violence that the distribution of cases is being carried performing their basic professional activities, or in cases of a high degree of vulnerability of out in accordance with the competencies or financial/administrative workers if required, children, and not by the worker in charge of of professional workers. Likewise, only one- which is in line with the legislative framework; admission. fifth (18.5%) of all case managers agree that 2. A professional worker in charge of cash supervision is fully operational in practice. UNICEF Montenegro / Duško Miljanić benefits works as an admissions officer, Admission for the purpose of cash benefits is of which is in line with the legislative framework; a technical nature and takes place in all centres As far as spatial working conditions are beneficiaries when they need privacy. The 3. Admission is performed by all professional without any major problems. Depending on the concerned, only 19.0% of case managers majority of professional workers in Budva, workers, while there is an admissions practice of the CSWs, the admissions officer believe that the conditions for working with Podgorica, Cetinje, Mojkovac and Pljevlja officer in charge of entering the data into or professional worker informs the beneficiary the beneficiaries are very good, while 31% believe that they work in poor conditions. This the information system, which is not in line about the documents which must be presented think they are good. Fifty percent of professional is in line with the findings from field visits, with the legislative framework; and for the exercising of that right and provides the workers think that working conditions are bad when particularly poor working conditions 4. Admission for beneficiaries seeking the right beneficiary with information on further steps. or very bad. Fifty-nine percent of employees were identified in Budva and Podgorica. to cash benefits is performed by a financial/ When it comes to cash benefits, a professional share their offices with another colleague Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to administrative worker, while admission worker always refers the case to the manager, or work alone, 26% share their offices with expand these CSWs as soon as possible. Two- matters related to case management are which is not always the case with the case two colleagues, and 15% with three or thirds of professional workers think that the dealt with by a case manager who opens management procedures. Namely, not every more colleagues. Thus, as many as 46% of CSWs do not have enough cars and drivers, the case later and works on it, which is not centre has the practice of managers assigning employees say that they cannot provide while 37% think they have sufficient resources in line with the legislative framework; the cases. In smaller centres or branch units, adequate conditions for conversations with in this regard. professional workers themselves organize and

62 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 63 distribute cases, or else it happens that the late, especially when violence is involved. Even number of case managers is small, so there is if they have been in contact with the centre for only one case manager and there is practically a long time, they often endure violence long IN THIS REGARD, IT CAN no possibility of distributing the caseload. THE ABSENCE OF A PROACTIVE before a case is initiated. BE CONCLUDED THAT, When it comes to case management where AND PREVENTIVE APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO THE an admission office is in place, a professional This finding was confirmed in the context of MEANS THAT CSWS DO NOT INITIAL ASSESSMENT, LESS worker performs the admission and refers interviews with children and families. Parents PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO the case to the manager. If a case manager of children most often state that they were THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE THE ACTUAL INVOLVEMENT performs the admission him/herself, he/she not familiar with the role of the centre and the OF BENEFICIARIES IN THE is not supported by workers dealing with MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS, manner of work of the CSW, in particular its COMMUNITY AND THE administrative and financial affairs. WHICH CALLS INTO QUESTION case management services. Specifically, the RESOURCES AT THEIR THE AVAILABILITY OF THE CSWs are primarily perceived as an institution DISPOSAL, ON THE BASIS OF Inconsistencies with regard to the distribution SERVICES OF THE CENTRE TO in charge of providing cash benefits, which to of cases are also indicated by the results ALL GROUPS OF CITIZENS. a significant extent corresponds to the truth, WHICH PROTECTION COULD BE of quantitative research with professional bearing in mind the aforementioned findings. PLANNED. IN THIS WAY, THE workers, in which 46.4% of case managers Two women who took part in the focus groups ASSESSMENT IS PRIMARILY consider that there should be some criteria were long-standing victims of violence. They FOCUSED ON RISKS, BUT NOT for assigning new cases. Of the professional that case managers mentioned during the did not turn to the CSW promptly because they ON STRENGTHS. workers, 28.6% think that such criteria do not interviews were that they were “waiting” to were not sure whether it provides protection exist, while 25.0% claim that they do not know see if something more extensive needed to be and support in such cases. if such criteria exist. The centres in which the done in relation to the case, so where there the lack of application of case management majority of professional workers think that was no need for more significant support the as a procedure, this has led to more timely there are no clear criteria for assigning new case itself would not would not be entered at 6.5.2 Case management work with beneficiaries, greater visibility of the cases are: Podgorica, Golubovci, Ulcinj, Tivat, all. In some centres, even complex cases that beneficiaries, more frequent contact with users Rožaje, Plav and Žabljak. require case management procedure are not procedure and a general improvement of the relationship entered, although all the necessary activities between users and professional workers. When they say that there are criteria in place, are undertaken, which the managers and The research indicates that the they most often respond that the only criterion directors are duly informed about. No centres have recorded the practice of is the caseload (50.0%), or the competencies case management procedure is planning an initial assessment, consulting and the caseload (11.5%), or the competencies The admission itself, being the first contact not being applied in all centres in with a supervisor or a manager, creating a of the professional worker (3.8%). It was of a professional worker with the beneficiary, contact plan or data collection procedures. reported by 15.4% of the case managers that does not allow for a proactive and preventive the planned manner. In this sense, the initial assessment is most the distribution is based on “special expertise” approach in the work of the CSWs. CSWs are There are deviations in relation to the often performed spontaneously by the case or the type of cases, while 19.2% of the case not being active in identifying users at risk, organization of the process, where in some manager or an informal team. During our visits, managers who believe that such criteria exist and thus the admission itself does not depend centres a number of professional workers we identified the following practices related to state that there is currently no possibility much on their work. still work with a single beneficiary. In a small the initial assessment: of assigning the cases to a larger number of number of centres, the process of case professional workers because they are the only Based on the analysis of cases, it was discovered management is not being applied either at the • The initial assessment is carried out case managers in their institutions. that CSWs did not identify the needs of level of work with beneficiaries or in relation to independently by the case manager, after beneficiaries in a single case through a proactive the use of the prescribed documentation. the case is referred to the manager; A number of centres report problems during approach, but: 1) the beneficiaries themselves • Both the admission and the initial admission in terms of postponing the entry came to the centre and asked for help, or parents Case management has not significantly ensured assessment are carried out by the case of cases into the system, while certain or relatives reported the case; 2) there was a the participation of beneficiaries in the process. manager, without distinguishing the cases are not entered into the system at telephone report about the need for support for Similarly, although one of the objectives of case admission from the initial assessment; and all. This delay may take several days, weeks the beneficiary; 3) there was a referral by other management is to ensure the involvement • An initial assessment is carried out by an or months, during which professional workers services – most often the police, judiciary or of a larger number of actors in the protection informally formed team, consisting of two provide services to the beneficiary. In several civil society organizations; or 4) the beneficiary process in order to build a community- or three professional workers, whereby centres, there is a practice of avoiding entering was referred by a professional worker in charge support network for beneficiaries, this is not one of the employees is assigned the role the cases into the information system at the of cash benefits. However, beneficiaries often happening in practice. Nevertheless, despite of case manager. moment of admission. The reasons for this decide to report that they need support only very

64 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 65 The desk review and interviews with is difficult to precisely determine whether the professional workers indicate that professionals deadlines are being met in working withthe do not collect information during the initial beneficiary during the initial assessment82. IN ALL THE ANALYSED assessment using different methods and Bearing in mind that the documentation CASES, CASE MANAGERS sources. The initial assessment is primarily THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT sometimes does not reflect the real situation, HAD REGULAR CONTACT based on observations and interviews with the WAS CARRIED OUT IN ONLY the initial assessment, based on this alone, WITH BENEFICIARIES, BOTH beneficiary and, if the beneficiary is a child, on ONE-THIRD OF CASES. was realized in 33.3% of the cases. In CHILDREN AND ADULTS. home visits primarily with family members and accordance with this finding, 25.9% of case the child, whereas in only every fourth case did managers state that the initial assessment a professional worker talk to relatives (23.1%). is always carried out within the prescribed In fewer than a third of the cases they contacted beneficiaries participated in the assessment deadline, while an additional 38.9% believe that other community-based organizations (30.7%). to a great extent. No examples of the use of it is very often carried out within the deadline. The production of findings and opinions is In half of the analysed cases, home visits were a case conference were recorded during the closely related to the assessment process. organized as announced, and in the other half as survey. Extending the duration of the initial Specifically, the findings and opinions of the unannounced. During home visits, professional assessment does not mean that CSW centres are usually submitted on the basis workers often organized visits in pairs for safety In this regard, it can be concluded that, when it employees do not carry out beneficiary- of court requests and are a process that reasons, although this is not stipulated in the comes to the initial assessment, less attention is support measures. The completion of such is usually completed within the deadline legislative framework. Case managers believe given to the actual involvement of beneficiaries an assessment is postponed because the (72%). that it would take another three to four days in the community and the resources at their professional worker cannot collect all the for a quality initial assessment, which would disposal, on the basis of which protection could information needed within the given timeframe During the qualitative part of our research with include the involvement of other people close be planned. In this way, the assessment is in order to make a final conclusion about the professional workers, they presented various to the beneficiary and community, and stated primarily focused on risks, but not on strengths. further protection process or because they do ways in which they “modify” the process that they did not have that amount of time In line with this, professional workers look at not always have enough time to carry out an of starting the work with the beneficiary in at their disposal. When it comes to the initial the best interests of the beneficiaries in the initial assessment within the given time due order to adjust it. In particular, professional assessment, they spend about one day working narrow sense – ensuring their security and the to a high caseload. In all the cases analysed workers think that the process of case on it. If we take into account the fact that, on preservation of their health. This is especially by professional workers, they had undertaken management is not always applicable or average, case managers are assigned about important in children, because the role of the certain protection measures in accordance necessary, especially its steps involving nine new cases per month, it is understandable centre is not perceived as that of a provider with their understanding of the situation. the development of a plan and monitoring. that they cannot spend three days working on of the conditions for full development, but Thus, in some centres, as will be seen later, in an initial assessment. above all as a “remedy” for the situation. At the same time, professional workers do not some cases professional workers do not apply formally distinguish the process of the initial the case management method. However, they Depending on the case, the content of the The results of the initial assessment are assessment and the process of the targeted do not dismiss the case, but rather provide assessment encompasses most of the communicated to the beneficiary alone. If the assessment. In 36.4% of the analysed counselling services, and after a certain period areas listed in the legislative framework: beneficiary happens to be a child, the parents cases, case managers indicated that such a of time they contact the beneficiary to check assessment of the situation and needs of are informed and not the child him/herself. The targeted assessment was not needed, while their situation. In this way, workers monitor beneficiaries; safety; risks; social history; research and the sample of cases indicate that in two-thirds of cases (63.6%) the targeted the situation of beneficiaries at a lower level of personal characteristics and developmental adult beneficiaries – or parents, if the case assessment was planned but not started83. risk, but do not go through the whole process 84 needs; health; emotional development and relates to a child – are informed of the findings of case management . Work with low-risk behaviour; housing; and economic situation. of the initial assessment, while in cases of child beneficiaries or with those who are not facing The areas that are present in 20%–50% of initial significant risks involves producing findings protection, the children learn about the results 82 For example, a professional worker could have and opinions, but some workers put as little estimates are environmental factors and social of such an initial assessment in 50% of cases. met with a beneficiary in October 2017 and entered and family relationships. In fewer than 20% Although the legal framework stipulates that the case into the information system in February information as possible into the assessment of the cases examined, the initial assessment it is necessary for a supervisor or manager to 2018, entering the initial assessment on the same and planning templates, while undertaking contained information related to: the identity approve the method and manner of reporting day that he opened the case or a few days later. The measures they consider to be adequate. Less dates in the documentation do not indicate the real of the beneficiary; the degree of community on the initial assessment, this does not occur often, they produce an initial assessment report working days with the user and the implementation involvement and community characteristics; claiming that initial assessment is not necessary in practice. of the initial assessment. and a summary assessment of the strengths, and then, without further elaboration, close the personal, family and community resources. Since professional workers do not enter the 83 This is in line with an analysis of the complexity case. of cases, which indicates that about two-thirds of the From the evaluation itself, it could not be data into the information system at the same concluded from the documents that the cases where the case manager is involved require a moment that they carry out the procedures, it targeted assessment. 84 This is characteristic mainly of smaller centres.

66 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 67 Development of the plan is the most continuity85, i.e. the plan of contact with the important step in terms of involving different family. One of the reasons is that there are no actors in the process of protection and of specific guidelines for the development of these IN ADDITION TO THE SUPERVISORY MEETINGS establishing a system of holistic support. types of plans, and most often case managers – GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL Involving different institutions and people BENEFICIARY AND HIS/HER do not distinguish them from the initial plan ONES – ARE RARELY HELD. from the person’s environment in the creation FAMILY OR FOSTER CARERS, or planning process. In all the analysed cases, of such a plan, assigning responsibilities to THE REPRESENTATIVES case managers had regular contact with the TWO-THIRDS OF THE CASE each of the identified actors and formalizing OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS beneficiaries, both children and adults. MANAGERS (64.8%) SAID THAT cooperation are the basis for establishing a AND ORGANIZATIONS THEY HAD NOT PARTICIPATED comprehensive community-support system PARTICIPATED IN THE During our visits to a number of centres, it IN A SINGLE GROUP and for coordinating community organizations DEVELOPMENT OF THE was identified that Centres for Social Work SUPERVISION IN 2017, 22.2% for the purpose of support. AFOREMENTIONED PLANS do not initiate a procedure for protecting OF THEM REPORTED THEY IN ONLY 12.5% OF THE CASES a victim of violence before a court of law HAD PARTICIPATED ONCE OR Compared to the analysed cases, the initial THAT WERE ANALYSED. when they find out that violence has taken TWICE, WHILE 13.0% OF CASE plan of services and measures has been place. They rather wait for the victim to do so, MANAGERS PARTICIPATED IN completed in only 25.0% of cases, which neglecting the previous history of contacts and GROUP SUPERVISION MORE is in line with the findings of the survey, in the knowledge that they have been suffering THAN TWICE. which 25.9% of case managers state that the In accordance with the stated low level of violence for a long period of time. The desk initial plan of services and measures is being involvement of other actors in the planning of review showed that in two centres cases were produced on time. work with beneficiaries, we discovered that not opened and that no measures were taken only 4% of the case managers considered to protect against violence. The research also identified the practice of the In addition to the beneficiary and his/her family, that other community-based institutions were formal establishment of teams without a joint or foster carers, representatives of other very involved in the process of protecting Apart from the fact that the resources at the decision-making process and support among institutions and organizations participated beneficiaries. Forty-four percent of them believe community level are not being sufficiently used colleagues. This is primarily characteristic of in the development of the aforementioned that they are mostly involved, and 52% of case during the work on a case, both during the centres where the caseload per case manager plans in only 12.5% of the cases that were managers believe that other institutions assessment and in the preparation of the plan, remains high and where case managers do not analysed. When it comes to the prescribed and organizations are generally or not at all the CSWs also have problems in organizing have time to deal with “other” cases. methods of work related to the development of involved in the protection of beneficiaries. team work at the level of the centres. The plans, joint meetings at the level of CSWs would Case managers have a shared view of the collected data indicates that teamwork does In some CSWs and branch units, it is not regularly take place, while a case conference quality of cooperation with other organizations not take place in the planned way. During the possible to form a team because of the small was not organized in any of the analysed cases. and community-based institutions. However, visits to the centres, the following practices number of professional workers working on When it comes to child protection, the plan was when it comes to those institutions with of teamwork were identified, which can be case management. signed by 33.3% of the children. However, the which they have the best cooperation, they informal or formal in nature. plan itself was submitted to the parent – not single out the police, with which 88% of case Within the qualitative part of the research, the child. The survey’s findings, whereby only managers report good cooperation. The worst In some centres, although the method of case professional workers state that teamwork 7% of case managers state that people other cooperation is reported in the case of the health management is formally present, compulsory still does not exist, because the majority of than the professional team, the beneficiary or system, with only 40% of case managers teamwork is still a dominant approach, the workload falls on the shoulders of one or his/her family participate in the development saying that this cooperation could be called especially in small centres. The reason for this two team members, while the other team of plans, are consistent with this data. Thirty- ‘very good’ or ‘good’. Case managers list the type of “team” work is the inadequate number members do not contribute, due to their seven percent of case managers often involve courts, prosecutors’ offices, day-care centres of case managers in individual centres, as well lack of experience or confidence, or for other other people, while the rest report that such and the education system as institutions with as their insufficient autonomy, assurance and reasons. One of the reasons why teamwork involvement takes place very rarely or almost which they also have good cooperation, while belief in their own competencies, which is also has not got going properly is that there is no never. Not one case manager answered that a somewhat poorer level of cooperation is affected by the fact that only a small number of appointment of a responsible person to lead the production of the plan always included a present with civil society organizations and supervisors are employed, and it is clear that the team when it is formed, nor teamwork representative of another community-based local self-government units. educational and supporting functions are not guidelines. Professional workers believe that institution, and 31% said that representatives sufficiently present. it would be good to develop clear guidelines of other institutions are often involved, while During the analysis of the cases, it was for establishing such teams, to define the the rest consider other institutions to be discovered that family plans of services roles of different team members in each 85 In two cases, the plan of continuity was included in the work rarely or very rarely. and measures were not made in a single of the procedures involving work and team identified – in one case of adoption and in one case management. case, and the same goes for the plan of of placement with a foster family.

68 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 69 CHALLENGES IN CASE The view voiced by case managers that they of case managers find supervision significant often cannot control their time during their for working with beneficiaries, 31.5% find it MANAGEMENT working day corresponds with the above significant in general, while 27.8% do not find SUPERVISORY MEETINGS – findings. Thus, only 1.9% of case managers it beneficial for working with beneficiaries. Professional workers usually do not follow the GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL ONES – state that they can fully control their time While 59.3% of case managers state that ARE RARELY HELD. TWO-THIRDS prescribed procedures within the set deadlines. during a typical working day, with another supervision completely or largely helps them OF THE CASE MANAGERS (64.8%) They list the main reasons for this as follows: 16.7% reporting they can control their time overcome work-related stress, 40.7% of them SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT in general. Most often, case managers say believe this is not the case. Similarly, 64.8% PARTICIPATED IN A SINGLE 1. Difficulties in gathering data, since it that sometimes they can and sometimes of professional workers think that working happens that it is not possible to establish they cannot control their time (55.6%), while with a supervisor helps them develop their GROUP SUPERVISION IN 2017, contact with the beneficiary or to organize 25.9% say that they cannot control their time competencies, while 35.2% do not see this 22.2% OF THEM REPORTED THEY a home visit within the prescribed time in general or at all. happening. Annual progress reports indicate HAD PARTICIPATED ONCE OR frame; that supervision was provided to only 16.7% of TWICE, WHILE 13.0% OF CASE 2. Job prioritization, whereby case managers case managers. Professional workers see the MANAGERS PARTICIPATED IN state that in some cases it is more SUPERVISION importance of supervision primarily in terms of: GROUP SUPERVISION MORE important to immediately work on THAN TWICE. providing services and support, rather The results of the analysis indicate that • Support for planning the development of than making an initial assessment; supervision did not happen in the way it was competencies; 3. The interweaving of various jobs, because planned, for which there are many reasons. • Direct support and participation of it often happens that, during the initial supervisors in complex cases; assessment of one case, an emergency Supervisory meetings – group and individual • Opportunities for reflection and the ISCP, consider that it would be good to response is necessary for another case, ones – are rarely held. Two-thirds of the exchanging of views and opinions; and have a supervisor at the level of the CSWs, which interrupts the work on the initial case managers (64.8%) said that they did not • Stress reduction due to responsibility being which would foster easier and faster assessment and leads to a failure to respect participate in a single group supervision in 2017, shared between the supervisor and case communication. deadlines. This leads to cases that require 22.2% of them reported they had participated manager. an urgent response and that are “alarming” once or twice, while 13.0% of case managers While a number of case managers believe being dealt with particularly when there is participated in group supervision more than When it comes to problems in the application that supervision contributes to their sense of a need to produce findings and opinions twice. More than a third of professional workers of supervision, professional workers identified: responsibility by improving their competencies required by the courts, which eventually (38.9%) said that they had not participated in and self-confidence in work, others believe leads to a failure to meet deadlines in cases individual supervision even once in 2017, except • Inadequate criteria for the selection of that supervision reduces the responsibility of which are not deemed urgent or high- through consultations during work on the case; supervisors, that is, a lack of guarantees the case manager, because the supervisor priority on some other grounds; 27.8% of them said that they had participated that the supervisors are professionals with oversees the job of the case manager and can 4. Poor organization of work at centres and in individual supervision once or twice, while the knowledge, competencies and skills draw attention if he/she makes a mistake. a high workload due to the large number 33.3% of professional workers participated necessary for performing such a job and of various obligations taking place at the in individual supervision more than twice. for providing support to other professional The obtained data corresponds to the views of same time (admission, technical work, Individual supervision was organized once a workers; professional workers that the supervision itself cash benefits, and courier activities), which month only for 18.5% of case managers. • The supervisor’s heavy workload related to mostly consists of administrative supervision, makes it difficult to focus on working with case management, which is the reason why while its educational and supportive compo- the beneficiary; However, supervisors are generally available the supervisor cannot really be dedicated nents are less represented. A non-systematic 5. Difficulties in organizing the team in to case managers for consultation while to the cases of the case manager that he/ approach to the development of workers’ com- cases where teamwork is required due to working on a particular case. Most case she is supposed to supervise; petencies is a particular challenge in terms of the obligations of each team member; managers claim that supervisors are always • Case managers working in branch units the professional development of young workers. 6. Experiencing difficulties when entering (46.3%) or almost always (31.5%) available to state that communication with supervisors cases into the information system when them for consultation regarding their work with from the main office of the CSW is reduced The largest proportion of case managers beneficiaries do not have a unique citizen’s beneficiaries, either in person or by telephone, to “communication” through the SWIS, did not participate in any form of external number or do not know the number; while 22.2% of them state that supervisors are that is, signing the necessary case files, supervision (77.8%), 11.1% participated in one 7� A high case load; and rarely available or almost never available. which is a problem due to the distance or two external supervisions, 9.3% participated 8. A lack of available vehicles, with which between the two; and in three to five such endeavours, while 1.8% professional workers can make field visits The attitudes of the workers regarding the • Although they praise good cooperation, of case managers participated in 11 or more within the required timeframe. importance of supervision are mixed: 40.7% case managers who are supervised by the supervisions.

70 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 71 6.5.3 Cash benefits 6.6 USE OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEM Cash benefits and the work of professional CASH BENEFITS AND THE WORK The research suggests that professional workers face challenges workers on cash benefits are primarily of an OF PROFESSIONAL WORKERS ON administrative nature, and are reflected in the CASH BENEFITS ARE PRIMARILY during their use of the information system, but most provision of documentation for the purpose OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE professional workers (75%) believe that the information system of obtaining the right to certain cash benefits AND ARE REFLECTED IN THE is fully or largely adapted to the needs of their work, while 25% and the adoption of a decision based on PROVISION OF DOCUMENTATION professional findings and opinions describing FOR OBTAINING THE RIGHT TO believe it has not been sufficiently adapted to such needs. the actual economic situation, which leads to CERTAIN CASH BENEFITS AND a neglecting of the work on the social inclusion THE ADOPTION OF A DECISION ased on our visits to the CSWs, it can be Depending on the CSW, professional workers of the beneficiaries, as well as of the work on BASED ON PROFESSIONAL concluded that this attitude toward the use the information system in the context of motivating them towards social inclusion and FINDINGS AND OPINIONS use of the information system is related case management in different ways and to work activation. B DESCRIBING THE ACTUAL to the information literacy of the employees, varying degrees. The following practices of using their attitude toward the work and innovations. the information system have been recorded: Currently, in each centre, professional ECONOMIC SITUATION, WHICH Furthermore, the monitoring and inspection workers in charge of cash benefits do the LEADS TO A NEGLECTING systems do not currently monitor the use of 1. The information system is used entirely in administrative work for lawyers. Since the Law OF THE WORK ON THE the system itself. Namely, case managers the planned way, whereby the admissions on Administrative Procedure regulates the SOCIAL INCLUSION OF THE who were recruited after the introduction of officer opens a case during the admission field of cash benefits, there are clearly defined BENEFICIARIES. the information system and who were not phase, after which the work on the case deadlines for certain stages of the process, employees of the CSWs before it was introduced is continued by the professional worker and the procedures related to cash benefits believe that the information system is excellent in accordance with the assignment of the are fully in line with the aforementioned law. and do not see any alternative to it. Similarly, case by the manager86; and the largest proportion of employees who 2. Some cases are not entered into the The common view of all the lawyers we does not leave enough time for professional were employed before the introduction of the information system, while some are87. interviewed is that the Law on Administrative work and the provision of support to the family. information system report that the information Depending on the CSW, professional Procedure significantly complicates the system itself helps in the management of the workers make different decisions regarding implementation of the process of exercising Similarly, professional workers are not cases, especially in terms of improved access to which cases should be entered, so the different rights before the CSWs. Given the carrying out the activation activities in the data of all users and increasing the accuracy following practices are present: fact that they cannot influence any of these the planned manner, nor do they consider in work. When it comes to disadvantages, they a. Based on initial admission assessment, solutions, lawyers are adapting to the changes. this activity meaningful, since this kind point to the slowness of the programme itself. professional workers decide whether the Similarly, the large number of entitlements of responsibility falls to the national All respondents who reported technical errors beneficiary appears to be at significant risk to maternity benefits being handled by the employment service rather than to the in the functioning of the information system or not. If not, the beneficiary is provided CSWs is considerably increasing the number CSWs. or sent suggestions for its improvement were with counselling services, but the case file of decisions that lawyers have to issue, so it visited during our visits to the CSWs and is not opened, nor are the beneficiaries’ is necessary to consider the appropriateness Although the plan is to have such plans created reported that the modifications were made documents kept; of the number of cash benefits and, possibly, through cooperation between the CSWs and quickly and that support for the work on the b. Professional workers do not systematically the combination of some benefits on the same the Employment Agency of Montenegro, the information system is very good. A smaller enter a particular group of cases, e.g. cases basis. professionals with whom we discussed this proportion of employees see the information related to violence. For this type of cases, issue stated that this cooperation is not taking system as an obstacle because it takes a the prescribed documentation is being not Based on our visits to the centres, it was place in their work with the beneficiaries. large amount of time to enter the necessary filled in either in paper or in electronic form, found that a significant challenge for the Similarly, in the documentation itself, the person information. However, the information system and such cases are not being recorded in accomplishment of the tasks of professional listed as being responsible for the development itself contains only the documentation the information system in general; and workers in charge of cash benefits is that they of such a plan is the professional worker of the prescribed by the legislative framework and, in often do not have a vehicle available in order CSW, so the practical implementation of work that sense, it requires professional workers to to make field visits, so most often they make activation activities falls to the CSW. enter data that they would otherwise have to 86 Adequate use of the information system was such visits two to four times a month. In the fill in themselves, so it is not possible to talk recorded in Podgorica, Niksicšić, Ulcinj and Berane. course of one day, professional workers usually about the impact of the information system on visit about eight families, which, along with the 87 Such practice was noticed in the CSW in Kotor the volume of the documentation. and its branch units, but also in the CSW in Bar, the time they spend in the centre and in transport, CSW in Bijelo Polje and the CSW in Rozžaje.

72 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 73 c. Professional workers decide not to enter reduces their benefits88. As the information cases into the system, without any special system greatly facilitates the work of 6.7 PERCEPTION OF SUPPORT OF THE INSTITUTE rules, but do keep them in paper form. professionals who deal with cash benefits, it is FOR SOCIAL AND CHILD PROTECTION their unanimous attitude that the information In some centres, cases are being entered system is very useful. into the system, but not in the way they are All case managers attended one of the training programmes originally assigned to professional workers Since these deviations from the prescribed in practice. Thus, in some CSWs, all cases mode of operation represent flaws that organized by the ISCP. are assigned to one particular case manager, are not difficult to perceive and that could while the cases themselves are then informally be easily identified through professional shared between the employees within the supervision, the absence of a reaction to service. such practices indicates a poor level of control over the work of employees. In centres where there are no designated admissions officers, this procedure is run by In accordance with these findings, only 15% of case managers and those in charge of cash the case managers from the survey responded benefits. In some centres, while working that the data they enter into the information with beneficiaries, case managers create system fully describes what they do with the official records and then, at some point, beneficiaries, while as many as 35% of them they open a case in the information system answered that the data they entered into and enter the data in accordance with the the system describes what they do with the rulebook. Where the admission is not clearly users “to a small extent” or “hardly at all”. regulated, the professional workers dealing Thus, when it comes to the question of how with cash benefits enter the relevant data only many cases they are entering into the system, when the beneficiaries have collected all the only 16.7% of case managers report entering documentation, and not when they make their 100% of them, while 29.6% of case managers first contact with the Centre for Social Work. report that they enter over 90% of the cases While these irregularities in relation to cash in the system. If we observe the data on the UNICEF Montenegro / Dusko Miljanic benefits do not call into question the validity average number of cases that are entered in of the data within the information system for the system, case managers enter 77% of the f them, 42.6% attended at least one or feel any support from the ISCP in terms of cash benefits, since final decisions cannot cases into the information system (M=77.13, two training sessions organized by the solving the problems they experience at work. be made outside of the system, this practice SD=21.40). OInstitute for Social and Child Protection, significantly undermines the quality of case three to five training sessions were attended In terms of expectations related to the support management data that can be obtained from We asked the case managers how much time by 42.3%, and more than five training sessions of the ISCP, professional workers agree that the analysis of the information system. they spend in direct work with beneficiaries, were attended by 14.8%. The majority of they need external supervision related to as well as how much time they spend filling in professional workers see training as ‘very solving specific cases that are complex, or for Namely, when it comes to cash benefits, documents. On average, professional workers relevant’ (57.4%) or ‘mostly relevant’ (35.2%), which there are currently no support systems the information system has eased the report that 51% of their time is spent in direct while 7.4% of them believe that the training in their local communities. In that sense, they work of professional workers in many ways work with beneficiaries and 49% in work on the programmes organized by the ISCP are not report they would benefit from regular visits because of its interconnectedness with the system (M=50.69, SD=15.24). Nevertheless, relevant. In line with these findings, as well as by the Institute, during which they could try to databases of other systems for the purpose as noted above, insight into the documentation the findings related to internal supervision, the jointly resolve these issues. of obtaining necessary documentation. In in most cases proves that the documentation largest proportion of case managers assess addition, the process of obtaining the right is very scarce, i.e. that it contains little the impact of the ISCP on the development of Professional workers also report that they to cash benefits has been improved, which information, which is not in accordance with professional practice as ‘very positive’ (14.8%) are required to perform tasks for which, on has reduced the burden on users in terms the reported amount of time. or ‘positive’ (42.6%). However, a large number the one hand, they do not have sufficient of collecting the necessary documents. of them believe that the ISCP has no influence competencies, which presents a special However, although most of the documentation over professional practice (35.2%), and that it challenge. On the other hand, they cannot is available electronically, some CSWs 88 The reason for this is because professionals has a negative impact (7.3%). make use of the competences they have in continue to require beneficiaries to collect all want to “make sure” that they have not made their work, especially those that they have a mistake because the inspection is very harsh the necessary documents themselves, which When it comes to the findings from the been developing for a long time, due to the on them if the documents received through the interviews, professional workers still do not equalization of all jobs in case management. information system from other databases prove to be incorrect, or if they are not up-to-date.

74 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 75 Figure 12. The attitudes of case managers toward the reform of the Centres for Social Work PERCEPTION OF THE KvalitetQuality usuga of kojeservices se provided pružaju to korisnicima beneficiaries 16.7 29.6 53.7 REFORM OF CENTRES IndividualizacijaIndividualization of podrške support to za beneficiaries korisnike 5.6 29.6 64.8 FOR SOCIAL WORK 7 Participacija korisnikaParticipation u procesu of beneficiaries zaštite 3.7 31.5 64.8 Vrijeme koje stručni radnik može da posveti The perception of the work of the CSWs by professionals and the general Time that professional worker can devote to beneficiaries 33.3 42.6 24.1 korisniku attitude toward the reform of the centres were examined by means of Vrijeme koje stručni radnik može da provede na Time that professional worker can devote to fieldwork 38.9 40.7 20.4 survey questionnaires and focus group discussions. terenu

lthough case managers generally hold Insufficient cooperation with other systems and OdgovornostResponsibilities ofzaposlenih workers intheir u radu work withsa korisnikom beneficiaries 7.4 25.9 66.7 a positive attitude regarding the reform a general lack of interest from other systems in of the CSWs, with 13.0% having a very getting involved in protecting users to a greater Proaktivnost rada centara za socijalni rad prilikom A Proactive work of CSW 13 44.4 42.6 positive attitude and 51.2% having a moderately extent, as well as insufficient development of identifikovanja porodica i djece u riziku positive attitude regarding reforms, only 7.4% community-based services, are perceived as Usklađenost kompetencija stručnih radnika i of them think that the current organization and barriers to improving the quality of service. Compliance of professional worker competencies with jobs 14.8 29.6 55.6 poslova koje obavljaju resources of the CSWs come close to ideal, while 64.8% think that at the same time it both Professional workers also report the KompetencijeCompetencies of professional stručnih radnikaworkers 5.6 33.3 61.1 is and is not ideal, and 27.8% of case managers introduction of an information system that think that the organization of the centres is far is slow as being a barrier to the quality of Saradnja sa drugim organizacijama u zajednici i from ideal. work of the employees in the CSWs. While Cooperation with community-based 1.9 46.3 51.9 koordinacijuorganization zaštite and coordination problems arise in terms of the speed of the When it comes to the negative aspects of information system, the system itself reflects 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% the reform, employees list the following: the documentation envisaged by the existing • An increase in administrative work bylaws, which means that the filling in of the NegativanNegative NeutralanNeutral PozitivanPositive compared to the period prior to the reform; documentation has to do with the regulations • The application of the case management governing the process of documentation, and method to cases that do not require such a not with the information system itself. Similarly, the attitude of professional workers is expressed their dissatisfaction with: level of engagement of professionals (such that any errors in the information system after the • Insufficiently developed services and as violations related to traffic safety); Positive aspects of the reform are as follows: entering of such data are being quickly corrected, resources, that is, assistance opportunities, • Too many rights and services of the CSWs • Improved individualization of work with while new options are easily introduced in especially in cases of people with mental are hindering the efficiency of their work beneficiaries and focusing on their needs; accordance with the needs of the practical work. disorders; and increasing the volume of their workload • Improved beneficiary participation; and As part of the questionnaire, professional • A workload that negatively affects the in general; • The introduction of an information system workers also state that they are primarily quality of work with beneficiaries; • A reduction of cross-sector cooperation has contributed to an improvement in the satisfied with: • The inability to pay the same level of attention to the level of the obligations of CSWs, work of the CSWs, through: • Relationships marked by trust and to all beneficiaries in the same way; neglecting the obligations related to other a. Enhanced insight into procedures with closeness established with beneficiaries, • The inability to be sufficiently present in systems, above all health, education, the beneficiaries assigned to the professional or the participation of beneficiaries in the the field; and police and the judiciary; and worker; and work of CSWs; • Working conditions, valuation and reward • The excessive heterogeneity of the jobs b. Improved accuracy and more frequent • Their work and the dedication they systems. performed by professional workers, contact with beneficiaries. invest in their work, as well as with their Both beneficiaries and professionals perceive especially in branch units (e.g. one worker Additional positive effects that professional commitment to solving the problems of the relationship with their case managers works as an admissions officer, a case workers recognize are that there have been beneficiaries; and as helpful and positive and recognize the manager and also a professional in charge an improvement in the accountability of • Outcomes achieved with beneficiaries. commitment of case managers to addressing of cash benefits, guardianship issues, employees in working with beneficiaries the challenges they face. However, at the same fostering, mediation and the like, as needs and an improvement in the competencies of In the context of the aforementioned ques- time, beneficiaries are not fully aware of their dictate). professional workers. tionnaire, professional workers additionally rights and the procedures in the CSWs.

76 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 77 Proactive identification identified as critical barriers to delivering quality CONCLUSIONS AND and prevention and holistic support by the CSWs: RECOMMENDATIONS The legal framework designates CSWs as the • Due to a high workload and complex docu- institutions responsible for the coordination of mentation and record-keeping procedures, all the local community actors in the processes professional workers cannot dedicate sufficient time to beneficiaries in order to fully 8.1 CONCLUSIONS of providing services, assistance and support. However, the legal framework does not provide individualize their work with them; 8 • When protecting beneficiaries, professional systemic mechanisms for coordination, nor The analysis indicates that Montenegro has invested the responsibilities of representatives of other workers make limited use of the existing significant efforts and resources in improving the work systems to respond to the invitations of the mechanisms of involving the representatives CSWs. In such a context, the expectations of other institutions and community-based of the CSWs in the past 10 years. from the CSWs are significantly higher organisations, which leads to the support especially in terms of coordination and offered being limited to the resources providing immediate protection at the local available from the social and child protection n the period 2011–2018, the number of beneficiaries usually remain isolated from the level than their real possibilities allow. The system only, without further development employees increased by 53% (professional community, without the support they need lack of clear provisions for the participation of of community-based support networks; Istaff by 58.3%), while the network of in order to engage in social life on an equal other institutions in the process of protection • The managers of professional services with CSWs was additionally developed and saw footing with other citizens, despite the efforts can be a barrier to organizing effective social the CSWs are primarily concerned with the the establishment of new centres. Significant of professional workers to provide them with and child care in Montenegro. distribution of cases, and only to a much resources were also invested in improving the the highest-quality service. lesser extent with working on establishing competencies of professional workers, while The analysis indicates that effective mechanisms the means of cooperation with the local reform of the legislative framework protection The present analysis identified some of the of proactive identification and prevention have community; and led to the introduction of the individualization of basic factors that have led to this situation, not been established at the local community • Community-based support resources re- work, participation, prohibition of discrimination as follows: level, which leads to an absence of systemic main underdeveloped, at the levels of both and respect for the human rights of beneficiaries, guarantees that a person who may need the the social and child protection system and including the right to life in the community 1. Insufficient networking with other actors support of the social and child protection other systems. and involvement in the life of the community, in the community in regard to proactive system will be provided with the support of as key principles of work. This has led to identification and prevention; the CSWs. The following factors have been an improvement in the quality of work with recognized as the main barriers to identification 2. Limited community-based support and a Participation and realization beneficiaries in terms of both the promptness and prevention: a) CSWs are not sufficiently lack of a holistic approach to work; of the right to protection of work with them and the individualization of present in the community; b) there is no strong the work. In this sense, the reform of the CSWs 3. Insufficient participation and realization of interconnectedness between institutions and The findings indicate that CSWs are not represents a major step forward in improving the right to protection; organizations in the community; and c) the empowering their beneficiaries, that they do the quality of services for beneficiaries of the capacity of service providers to identify persons not provide enough information necessary for 4. A lack of resources for implementing the social and child protection system. in need of support remains low. the protection of rights, nor do they provide the legally envisaged model of work of the beneficiaries with the possibility to participate CSWs and rather inefficient use of the However, not all citizens have meaningfully in the process of protection, existing resources; Community-based support enjoyed the same benefits which is essentially incompatible with the 5. Challenges in the organization of work; and a holistic approach application of the principle of ‘best interest’. from the reform. Such an approach in the work of professional 6. Challenges in the implementation of the The analysis indicates that there are no workers is related to insufficiently developed supervision model; The availability of the services that the CSWs resources in the local community for the competencies, but also to the time constraints provide to citizens remains a substantial 7. An unclearly defined structure of supervi- effective inclusion of beneficiaries into characterizing their work. The imbalance of challenge and the analysis indicates that sion of professional work and inefficient su- society, and it also indicates that centres are power between professional workers and support is most often offered in situations pervision of the work of CSWs; and not sufficiently encouraging the inclusion of beneficiaries is further contributed to by the characterized by high or moderate risk, that different community stakeholders through fact that there are no complaint and grievance is, when the beneficiary has already suffered 8. A mismatch between the job descriptions their work, which inevitably leads to the mechanisms established at the level of CSWs, a significant degree of damage. Even when and assigned responsibilities with the fragmentation of support. When it comes to nor are there mechanisms for protecting the they come into contact with CSWs, such organization of the CSW and a lack of clear direct work, the following factors have been rights of beneficiaries. operational procedures.

78 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 79 Availability and efficiency specific competencies to work with The research also points to deficiencies existing of resource use at the level different groups of beneficiaries, they at the management level. Management also lack general competencies related to practices in the CSWs are such that they do not of Centres for Social Work OVERALL, THE STRUCTURE OF the understanding of the best interests of allow for an equal distribution of the caseload STAFF IN CSWS IS DOMINATED beneficiaries and their rights, as well as to professional workers, nor do they guarantee The analysis suggests that the limitations in the BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT quality of services provided to beneficiaries by those related to the legislative framework, that the professional worker to whom the ENGAGED IN DIRECT WORK which is especially prominent among case is assigned is adequately trained to work the CSWs are the result of a lack of resources WITH BENEFICIARIES (51.5%). for implementing the present model and the young workers. One of the reasons for this with the specific beneficiary in question. The inefficient use of the existing resources. In is the fact that the system of licensing and essential factor that leads to such an unequal WHEN IT COMES TO this sense, the following barriers have been in-service professional development is not overloading of professional workers is the CASE-MANAGEMENT- identified in the work of the CSWs: aligned with the competencies required for lack of sufficiently developed criteria for the RELATED WORK, ONLY 17.3% performing professional tasks. distribution of cases, with slightly more than • The number of employees, especially OF WORKERS DEAL WITH THIS half of the professional workers believing that those in direct work with beneficiaries, is TYPE OF WORK, WHILE 19.7% The results of the research indicate the there are no criteria for the distribution of cases not sufficient to provide quality services to OF PROFESSIONAL WORKERS existence of a strong negative impact of an or, at least, that they are not familiar with them. beneficiaries, although there are 23% more DEAL WITH CASH BENEFITS insufficient number of professional workers employees than the applicable standards AND 9.0% WITH LEGAL and financial resources on the work with In addition to the aforementioned lack of beneficiaries, in terms of the individualization criteria, adequate distribution of cases is envisage. MATTERS. • In the overall structure of employees, the of work, participation and the involvement of unmanageable due to differences in the highest number of employees (117) work the community in protecting and respecting admission procedures. The initial assessment on financial, administrative and technical the rights of beneficiaries. Nevertheless, it procedure does not lead to the collection of jobs with a share of 32%. protection agencies. The analysis indicates is equally important to emphasize that the sufficient information for the manager to be • There is a significant percentage (13.1%) that child protection consumes 2.5 times mere reduction of the burden of caseload per able to decide which case manager could be of managerial staff, 2.5% of employees fewer resources than cash benefits, while professional worker itself will not yield the the most suitable for the given beneficiary, are involved in planning and development 4.5 times fewer resources are being spent desired effects without proper investment nor does it allow for the level of priority of the work, with 3.8% working on so-called other on adult protection than on cash benefits. in their professional competencies and treatment to be determined. Employment of (non-systematized) jobs. In other words, 14.5% of all the human monitoring of their work. insufficiently experienced admission workers • Although the professional procedure in the resources of the centre are spent on child and the fact that admission office workers are CSWs is based on the case management protection, 8.1% on adult protection, and not entitled to carry out fact-checking field visits, method, only 17.3% of workers deal with this 36.1% on cash benefits, which is 61.5% of Organization of work as well as the generally inadequate organization type of work, while 19.7% of professional the professional workforce. The remaining of the admission office, significantly impede workers deal with cash benefits, and 9.0% resources are spent on management, The analysis points to significant challenges in the further work of the CSWs. with legal matters. administrative, financial, technical and the organization of the work of CSWs, both at • Overall, the structure of staff in CSWs is other tasks. Professional workers spend the level of internal organization of professional Challenges have also been identified at the case dominated by those who are not engaged a significant amount of time on keeping services and at the levels of the organization of management level. Deadlines are not being in direct work with beneficiaries (51.5%). records and documentation (49%). professional procedures and human resource respected in a large number of case management Also, the majority of professional workers • There are notable disproportions in terms management. procedures. Analysis shows that deadlines are are less than 35 years old (60.1%) in the of work organization, as well as in terms being respected only in one-third of cases, with high need of continuous capacity building. of the available human and cash resources The internal organization of professional the exception of those procedures that involve • The degree of workload in professional between different CSWs, as well as services is fully in line with the existing legal the provision of findings and opinions, when the workers is relatively high, especially when between the CSWs and branch units. Thus, framework in only three out of the 13 CSWs, deadline is respected in almost four-fifths of all it comes to the assignment of new cases the number of employees in relation to the with two-thirds of the units failing to meet cases. However, in smaller CSWs and branch – on average, professional workers work on number of beneficiaries varies from 591 to the prescribed standards (58.3%). Significant units we identified deviations from the regular 44 cases at the same time, with a caseload 8,047, while the percentage of employees progress has been made in regard to the case management procedures, whereby most ranging from 10 to 132, including an average involved in direct work varies from 29.4% harmonization of the structure of employees procedures are being carried out by professional of nine new cases on a monthly level. to 58.8%. with the legislative framework, meaning that workers who are acting as members of informal • The CSWs use disproportionately more • The competencies of professional workers only 3.8% of jobs are not fully in line with teams, with one of them in charge of managing resources on cash-benefit-related affairs do not correspond to the job requirements the existing regulations, compared to 95.4% the case in the information system. Having in than on case management, which weakens to a sufficient measure. Apart from the of cases in which employees fully meet the mind the envisaged job description of a case the role of the centres as social and child fact that professional workers lack the criteria prescribed by the law. manager, the tasks in which we notice the

80 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 81 greatest gaps in regard to performance are as Challenges in applying the prescribed operational models, which can However, the foster families that we follows: providing support to and training foster the supervision model be easily identified in the domain of supervision interviewed provide their children with all the parents; carrying out guardianship-related tasks; of the work. conditions for proper growth and development keeping records of children with disabilities and ensuring an individualized type of care. The research indicates that the envisaged adults with disabilities, and reporting on their supervision model is not adequate, and that The design of Centres for Social situation. These tasks are not being performed supervision is being implemented to a very Work and job standardization Unexpected findings by professional workers, or else they do not limited extent. Two-thirds of case managers have the necessary competencies to perform (64.8%) did not participate in any group The analysis indicates that reforms at the The majority of the findings are in line with them. supervisions during 2017, while 38.9% did level of the organization of CSWs were not expectations and findings from other research not participate in individual case supervisions. sufficiently followed up by changes in the conducted in the broader area of social and No procedures related to stimulating good Supervision is mainly carried out through organization of the work of the CSWs. During child protection, except two findings which work or to sanctioning bad work, have been consultations during work on a concrete the reform of the CSWs, the CSWs have been came up quite unexpectedly. They relate to: identified at the level of CSWs, which creates case, without any organized educational and assigned a large number of public authorities 1) the structure of the professional workforce a bad working culture. supportive aspects. One of the reasons for this and other tasks. Therefore, CSWs are expected in centres; and 2) the level of fulfilment of the is that supervisors are also burdened with a to carry out the activities of the social and child prescribed standards. The research pointed When it comes to the impact of the information caseload in the same manner as case managers, protection agency, the guardianship authority, out an unexpectedly lower engagement of system on work with beneficiaries, the although this is contrary to the legislative the authority responsible for cash benefits and CSWs in the area of child protection than was analysis indicates that the introduction of the framework. An additional challenge, when it the authority responsible for keeping various expected. While the centres are seen as a information system has led to an improvement comes to internal supervision by the ISCP, is records, reporting on the social situation of major agency of child protection in the country, in the quality of work with beneficiaries, in terms that supervisors are not present in the field. citizens and the development of systems at the only 14.5% of the professional resources of the of both cash benefits and case management. There are no individual or group supervisions local level. Changes in the work and mandate of centres are allocated to child protection issues. In the context of the present analysis, we taking place, meaning that supervision is done the CSWs have not been accompanied by the It means that around 10 case managers, out of have identified certain inconsistencies in primarily over the telephone. In this regard, assessment of the capacities of CSWs to carry the total number of 72 case managers covering the use of the information system in case supervisors are supposed to have insight into out these tasks. Work on job standardization the territory of the whole Montenegro, are management. Only 15% of case managers the case file of beneficiaries. Such a manner has never taken place, either, which has led engaged on child protection cases. On the other think the information system gives a full of supervisory work does not provide adequate to a mismatch between the resources of the hand, the analysis points out the inadequacy of description of what they do with beneficiaries, conditions for more extensive support for case centres, the organization of the centres and predefined standards for the recruitment of a while as many as 35% think it describes their managers when they need it, nor does it provide the demands put before them. The analysis professional workforce. Despite the very low work to a small extent or hardly describes at insight into the competencies and knowledge suggests that it is very difficult to organize number of professional workers engaged, still all what they do with beneficiaries. In certain of case managers for the purpose of guidance work with the professional services set up in the number of professional workers extends centres, professional workers enter the case for their further professional development. As the current manner, that professionals cannot the legally prescribed norms. These findings information into the system with a significant for the other challenges related to supervision, monitor the work, and that adequate job imply the need for urgent measures towards delay or else do not enter it at all, with only professional workers also report inadequate performance requires too broad a range of improvement of the standards of organization 46.3% of the case managers entering 90% or criteria for the selection of supervisors and the knowledge. Additionally, no expert instructions of the work of the centres and the number more of the cases on which they are working unavailability of supervisors in branch units. for performing individual tasks have been of professional staff in direct work with into the information system. developed so far, which leads to a significant beneficiaries. difference in work practices between the Implementation of the Law on Social Supervision of the work of Centres for Social Work centres. Even though the territorial differences are Protection’s provision related to the lifetime correlated with the level of engagement of case allowance for mothers of three or more There are specific challenges in the work of managers and other professionals, still, this Our analysis of the legislative framework children was one of the greatest challenges the centres related to the organization of foster research pointed to significant differences in this and of data from the field indicates that the for the organization of the work of the CSWs, care. The research points to the following domain. That is to say, the ratio of professional supervision of the work of CSWs is neither consuming a significant amount of resources weaknesses in the functioning of fostering: workers with regard to the population varies efficient nor clearly defined. When it comes of the centres. Payment of these allowances • Case managers are not working sufficiently from one professional worker per 591 people to the level of the social and child protection began in 2016 and ran until the provision itself on the development of foster care. Thus, to one in 8,047. This finding requires urgent system, sufficient resources are not allocated, was declared unconstitutional in 2017. The as many as two-thirds of case managers measures towards the reorganization of the nor are the supervision procedures developed, complex procedures related to the work on (62.5%) did not organize a single training work of the centres and the equalizing of the which significantly limits the implementation these cases demanded significant resources session for foster parents during 2017. engagement of professional workforce across of the legislative framework in practice. This is from the centres, which additionally hindered • There have been cases of placing children the centres. their regular operation. indicated by a number of listed deviations from in families that are not adequately trained.

82 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 83 8.2 RECOMMENDATIONS their work with beneficiaries, which Government of Montenegro should is a prerequisite for providing quality increase its efforts to develop community- work and a holistic type of support, the based social services, especially in Based on the research, and in close consultation with the MLSW, MLSW should increase the number regard to the sustainability of funds for the ISCP, UNICEF and UNDP, a set of recommendations for systemic of employees working directly with such services. beneficiaries as soon as possible. improvements at both the legislative and strategic levels were created, R10: The MLSW should pay special attention as well as at the levels of the Government of Montenegro, the MLSW, R4: The time that professionals can dedicate to the development of services that to beneficiaries can be increased are important for the individual lives the ISCP, the local self-governments and the CSWs. by reducing the time they spend on of beneficiaries who are at risk of administrative work. Therefore, the being removed from their families, The recommendations are that are in contact with citizens, in order ISCP should approach the revision of that is, being institutionalized, as well to be capacitated to recognize those both documents and records so that as beneficiaries who are leaving social grouped according to the citizens who need support from the the percentage of the workload of welfare institutions. structure of the findings89. social protection system and to be able to professional workers that is related to refer them to such support, through the administration can be reduced from 49% development of multi-sector indicators to a maximum of 25%. 3 Recommendations regarding for the identification of children at risk. improvement of the level of 1 Recommendations regarding R5: The Government of Montenegro should participation and respect for the improvement of the proactive R2: The MLSW should strengthen the work on establishing a responsibility rights of beneficiaries identification and prevention prevention function of the CSWs. This mechanism for the social inclusion mechanism implies: a) introducing activities related of vulnerable citizens at the level of to proactive work with the community all institutions and organizations and R11: The ISCP should provide support for into the systematization of the job introduce a mechanism of obligatory CSWs regarding the development of R1: The Government of Montenegro, acting descriptions of professional workers, participation by representatives of other practices that enable beneficiaries to at the national level, and local self- primarily those related to informing relevant organizations and institutions participate in assessing and planning government units, acting at the local level, citizens about the available rights and in the processes of assessment and protection or regarding the empower- should work on enhancing the existing services, fostering cooperation with planning of protection. ment of beneficiaries. prevention and proactive identification community-based organizations and mechanism by strengthening inter-sector institutions, and strengthening informal R6: Managers at the CSWs should R12: Professional supervision of the work cooperation and developing the capacity networks in the community, as well devote more attention to establishing of the CSWs, as one of the aspects of of service providers to recognize citizens as creating stronger links between community-based support networks for supervision, should certainly define the at risk. This implies: a) improving the the CSWs and the community; and beneficiaries and, more generally, to application of participatory procedures coordination between institutions and b) introducing formal procedures for interlinking CSWs with institutions and related to the beneficiary who is organizations at the community level informing beneficiaries, along with organizations acting at the level of the undergoing protection. regarding the prevention and proactive indicators for identifying beneficiaries local community. identification of citizens at risk90; and b) who are at risk. The ISCP should develop R13: The ISCP should work on the the development of the competencies of recommendations for the Ministry of R7: All professionals should pay more attention development of a formal mechanism professionals working in all institutions Labour and Social Affairs regarding those to the involvement of other institutions for protecting the rights of beneficiaries issues. and organizations, as well as experts at the level of the CSWs. This could be 89 The most important recommendations are from the community, in assessment, achieved by means of introducing the marked with a rectangle. planning and providing support. institution of the Protector of the Rights 2 Recommendations regarding of Beneficiaries, who would be in charge 90 This can be accomplished through changes at R8: The ISCP should introduce a component of informing the beneficiaries about the level of the legislative framework, whereby all improvement of the quality of institutions and organizations working with children work with beneficiaries and the related to the monitoring of links their rights and the available grievance should be responsible for identifying and referring development of a holistic type of established between CSWs and the and complaint mechanism. When it children at risk to CSWs, and follow-up support support community in their Annual Reports. comes to the complaints, the Protector for institutions and organizations to implement would report directly to the ministry in mechanisms for identification should be provided, or R3: In order to increase the amount of time R9: In order to develop the necessary charge of social welfare affairs. else this obligation can be introduced by a protocol of community - based resources, the cooperation at the local level. professional workers can dedicate to

84 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 85 4 Recommendations regarding which would involve the redeployment levels and the need for support in the as well as the practices of targeted improvement of the resources of of 72 professional workers, who are territory of the local self-government assessment, establishment of an CSWs currently in charge of working on unit. appropriate team when necessary, and cash benefits, to the management of regular use of the information system cases. This would be a response to the R24: In order to improve the quality of work in all procedures related to professional R14: The MLSW should make changes to demand for an increase in the number with beneficiaries and the presence of work. the legislative framework as soon of case managers, and at the same time professional workers in the communities, as possible, in order to change the it would create conditions for financial the MLSW should procure additional R30: Case management should be made standards determining the number of and administrative tasks, which have vehicles and provide better working more flexible, but also should allow professional workers in the centres. been performed by professional conditions for the CSWs. for a higher level of control over the Apart from the number of citizens, the workers dealing with cash benefits, to respecting of deadlines. In this sense, criteria for determining the number be taken over by financial/administrative it is necessary to extend the period for of professional workers should be workers. 5 Recommendations regarding completion of the initial assessment to the number of beneficiaries and the improvement of the organization a minimum of one month. During this inherent characteristics of the territory R20: The ISCP should improve the work of the work of Centres for Social period, the centre should carry out the covered by the given CSW. of professional workers dealing with Work necessary protection measures. cash benefits. In this way, the task R15: The ISCP should design a Social Service of professional workers related to R25: The MLSW should revise the Statutes R31: In order to ensure the functionality of Workforce Development Plan with a cash benefits would be to provide and Job Systematization Plans of CSWs the assessment taking place during competency framework in cooperation professional findings and opinions when in order to harmonize the structure and admission, that is, to strengthen the with academia and other interested necessary, with the support of financial/ number of professional services with CSW entry “control” mechanism parties for development of social service administrative workers. In addition, the legislative framework. and provide basic support in terms workforce in social and child protection they would assume a proactive role of assessment and referral to other (with long-term and short-term goals in identifying citizens with vulnerable R26: Clear criteria and guarantees should institutions and organizations for and indicators for the measurement of factors and in connecting beneficiaries be established during the process of children and families who are at low progress). to the resources available in their distribution of cases to ensure that the risk, the MLSW should more precisely communities. professional workers possess adequate define the process of admission and R16: The MLSW should increase the number competencies to work with the specific should establish admissions offices of case managers at the system level R21: The ISCP should encourage the beneficiary they are assigned to. in all the CSWs that have a larger by 80%, so that the number of new development of training programmes number of employees. The admission cases is reduced to five per month. This in relation to the aforementioned R27: The ISCP should increase the level assessment proces should be revised requires the hiring of an additional 50 competency development framework. of support to the CSWs in terms of in order to allow field visits for the professional workers. developing social and child protection purpose of carrying out such an initial R22: The ISCP should strengthen the management practices and working assessment. R17: The MLSW should limit the number practices related to the organizational on the development of a culture of beneficiaries per case manager to a socialization of new workers, in the that encourages the development of maximum of 50. process of their introduction to the professional workers, innovation and 6 Recommendations regarding work as new employees. learning. the improvement of supervision R18: The ISCP should develop a jobs distribution plan so that the workloads R23: In terms of improving the organization R28: The CSWs should come up with a R32: The Institute for Social and Child of professional workers in all CSWs of work, the MLSW should, in system of rewarding workers who Protection should work on the further can be distributed more evenly, and particular, review the standards demonstrate excellence in their work, development of a supervision model, the MLSW should carry out a revision and tasks performed by the branch while the directors of the CSWs should which implies the following: a) of the jobs systematization plan, taking units. In the coming period it is promote quality work and sanction establishing internal supervision work care that at least 50% of professional necessary to strengthen the functional irresponsible behaviour. positions in all centres or on a regional workers in each centre work directly connectedness between the branch basis, whereby the ISCP would not with beneficiaries. units and the headquarters of the R29: Managers from the CSWs should devote be performing tasks related to internal CSWs and come up with clear criteria more attention to respecting deadlines. supervision; and b) the development R19: The MLSW should redistribute the for the establishment of branch units The CSWs should establish the practice of a model of external supervision professional workers within the centre, and CSWs in relation to the population of prioritization upon initial assessment, provided by the ISCP, which would

86 ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO ANALYSIS OF THE WORK OF CENTRES FOR SOCIAL WORK IN MONTENEGRO 87 include other social welfare institutions, R38: The MLSW should develop guidelines 8.3. LESSONS LEARNED as well as social and child protection and standards for the supervision and service providers. control of professional work. Several key lessons were learned while undertaking this research: R33: The ISCP should develop additional criteria for the appointment of 8 Recommendations regarding Prior to the implementation of the can produce only limited effects and benefits supervisors to ensure that the improvement of the design of reforms at the CSWs, it is necessary for citizens, even when they are implemented supervisor has the competencies Centres for Social Work and job to standardize the work and to draft successfully. Although the system of social necessary for supervision within the standardization and child protection can create the grounds professional worker’s service. professional guidelines for every for social inclusion, in order to achieve the R39: The MLSW and the Institute for Social and individual task inclusion of citizens into society it is important R34: Supervision in CSWs needs to be Child Protection should work to improve that the other systems are involved in support additionally regulated and should clearly the functionality of work organization and provide services that are tailored to the indicate the difference between internal within complex institutions, such as the A number of reforms in the social and child needs of vulnerable groups. and external supervision, the obligations CSWs, and make clearer arrangements protection system depart from the changes of the supervisor, as well the criteria for related to the organizational structure to the legislative framework, without clearly their appointment and dismissal. and job descriptions with the assigned developed professional guidelines for the responsibilities. In this respect, it is envisaged individual tasks and norms for job In the course of the reform of the R35: Supervisors must not be burdened necessary to: performance, or without sufficient instructions system, it is necessary to establish with a high caseload as case managers. for the professional staff on how to implement However, due to the high caseload • Draft a set of norms related to the new tasks. Often decision makers believe effective methods of participation of case managers, exclusion of the performing each of the tasks within the this to be the task of professionals and very by the professionals working in the supervisor from direct work would mandate of the CSWs. often institutions, such as the ISCP, are being systems. lead to a further burden being put on • Develop professional guidelines and created in the context of reform, to support case managers, which could have a instructions for performing each of the the process of changing professional practice. The analysis indicates that the reform has negative impact on the quality of the tasks within the mandate of the CSWs. Nevertheless, the implementation of any legal not ensured permanent and continuous input work of case managers. In this regard, • Harmonize the organization of framework without practical guidelines and by professionals at all its stages. Had such a the development of supervision is professional services and job descriptions norms leads to uncontrolled innovation, that is, system been in place, the risk of discrepancies inextricably linked with a reduction with the tasks delegated to the centres. discrepancies in practice at the system level, in the field of work and organization could have of the caseload put on professional In this regard, it is important to perform a without any guarantees that the envisaged been lower. workers. minimal separation of guardianship affairs norms will be implemented. from the tasks related to social and child R36: Supervisors should work to strengthen the protection in the narrower sense, i.e. the educational component of supervisory assessment and provision of support to Major system reforms should be The reform of the social and child work by supporting professional beneficiaries who are victims of violence phased to avoid any potential protection system requires partial workers to develop the specific and neglect. destructive innovation. competencies and skills required to • Revise the competencies and obligations reform of the responsibilities of other overcome the multitude of challenges assigned to the CSWs by other systems, community-based systems and broad Implementation of many changes, without that beneficiaries experience. especially those stemming from the Law support from the government of the adequate support for adopting new methods on Protection against Domestic Violence. country in which the reform is being of operation, changes in the education system, It is necessary to abolish the obligation carried out. that is, acquiring competencies, can lead to 7 Recommendations regarding of the Centres for Social Work to conduct major changes that can be destructive to the improvement of the supervision regular visits to all families whose Unlike the reform of other systems and system and can lead to a feeling of loss of of professional work members are persons with disabilities having in mind that the goal of social and child control over the work. In this regard, the pace and to report on their situation. protection is the inclusion of citizens, the of reform should follow the readiness of the R37: The MLSW should allocate more implementation of reform inevitably depends system, while the reforms themselves must resources for the supervision and R40: The MLSW must introduce the position on other community-based systems – above be planned carefully, not only in relation to the control of professional work and should of Foster Care Counsellor at the level of all education, health, justice and the police. In public-policy objectives, but also in relation to establish a special organizational unit the CSWs or establish an independent other words, the reforms which take place at the the available resources. with the relevant responsibilities. institution that would employ Foster level of the social and child protection system Care Counsellors.

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1. UN General Assembly 11. Žegarac, N.,Izvještaj o kapacitetima centara za UNICEF Montenegro / Zoran Jovanovic Maccak Convention on the Rights of the Child, socijalni rad u Crnoj Gori. Izazovi i mogućnosti United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, 1989. reorganizacije, standardizacije i unapređenja stručne prakse, 2011. 2. UN General Assembly International Covenant on Economic, 12. Milanović, M., Analiza reforme sistema dječje Social and Cultural Rights, 1966. zaštite iz perspektive korisnika u Crnoj Gori u periodu od 2010−2015. godina, UNICEF, 2016. 3. UN General Assembly International Covenant on Civil and Political 13. Milanović, M., Zaključci sa diskusionih grupa − Rights, United Nations, 1966. planirani ishodi za 2017. godinu, 2016.

4. European Union 14. Jovanović, V., Podsticanje rasta socijalne Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European odgovornosti. Analiza primjene Strategije Union, 2012/C 326/02, 2012. razvoja sistema socijalne i dječje zaštite u Crnoj Gori za period 2013−2017. godine, 2017. 5. Council of Europe European Social Charter (Revised), ETS 163, 15. Porodični zakon 1996. „Sl. list CG”, br. 1/2007, 53/2016, 2007.

6. Council of Europe 16. Zakon o zaštiti od nasilja u porodici Additional Protocol to the „Sl. list CG” br.46/2010, 2010. European Social Charter, ETS 128, 1998. 1 7. Zakon o postupanju prema 7. UN General Assembly maloljetnicima u krivičnom postupku International Convention on the Elimination of „Sl. list CG”, br. 64/2011, 2011. All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1965. 18. Pravilnik o organizaciji, normativima, 8. Crna Gora, Ministarstvo zdravlja, rada i standardima i načinu rada centra za socijalnog staranja, Strategija razvoja socijalne i socijalni rad, „Sl. list CG”, br. 58/2013, 2013. dječje zaštite za period 2008-2012. godine, 2008. 19. Zakon o socijalnoj i dječjoj zaštiti, „Sl. list CG”, 9. UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) br. 27/2013, 1/2015, 42/2015, 47/2015, 56/2016, Integrated Social Protection Systems: 66/2016, 1/2017, 31/2017 - odluka US, 42/2017 i Enhancing equity for children, 2012. 50/2017, 2013. https://www.unicef.org/socialprotection/framework/ files/Full_Social_Protection_Strategic_Framework_ 20. Crna Gora, Zavod za socijalnu i dječju zaštitu, low_res(1).pdf Izvještaj o radu centara za socijalni rad za 2017. godinu, 2018. http://www.zsdzcg.me/images/ 10. Crna Gora, Ministarstvo rada i socijalnog dokumenta/Izvjestaj%20o%20radu%20centara%20 staranja, za%20socijalni%20rad.pdf Strategija razvoja sistema socijalne i dječje zaštite za period 2018–2022. godine, 2017. 21. Ministarstvo rada i socijalnog staranja, Direktorat za informatiku i analitičko-statističke poslove, 2018.

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