Social support for balancing the situation of high-risk families during the COVID-19 pandemic

To assess the material and psycho-emotional situation of high-risk families during the Covid-19 pandemic, to analyse whether and how the restriction affected the social needs of high-risk families. Semi-structured interviews, survey, statistical data analyses, client’s case analyses, focus group discussions. The requests for material, financial and psycho-emotional assistance from high-risk families had increased during the pandemic. Social distancing is one of the reasons. Research data prove that the number of calls to the “crisis telephone” increased. Data analyses demonstrate that number of calls increased in those municipalities where the preventive action of the inter-professional cooperation team was coordinated to prevent family conflicts and the risks of violence. New services from the family assistants have been requested by high-risk families – to provide training on the use of remoted learning for pupils, and literacy skills on information technology for parents. Time planning through family work, training and leisure still remains an indispensable component of social support in stabilising the situation of the high-risk families. Data comparison on the experience of the “first wave” of the pandemic in spring 2020 and the “second wave” in autumn 2020, demonstrate that that social services have better technical equipment, they have good practice experience on the work organization in critical situations with high-risk families. The financial and pyschoemotional situation of high-risk families has worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic. Inter-professional cooperation team has been a significant measure to prevent risks of violence. In the municipalities with non-increasing number of telephone calls the increased number of high-risk conflicts were not detected.In some cases of psycho-emotional stress preventive measures had been interpreted and perceived as control mechanisms. In high-risk families, the remote learning has led to the responsibility transfer from schools to social services.Family assistance services was a good practice example in working with high-risk families.