CARE FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AT SOCIAL RISK

The family is a polyhedral and complex term closely linked to social, cultural and political transformations and dynamics. The article presents an analysis of the main changes in family structure, attitudes and behaviors, situations of difficulty and exclusion which affect households in a differentiated way and an overview of the authorities' responsibilities for the care and protection of children in social difficulty. The results of an empirical investigation based on the content analysis of a sample of family unit files declared at risk by the competent public authorities are presented below. The article presents as results, synthetically as typologies, a social diagnosis of families in a situation of social difficulty and the different professional procedures and interventions that are implemented according to vital dimensions and different indicators and levels of social risk. The results show that the profile of children and families in social difficulty is changing, with less to do with the lack of material needs of minors, and that it is shifting towards emotional problems. On the other hand, the joint and coordinated intervention between the specialized and municipal social services ensures greater success in reducing risk factors among minors.