Social-Educational Work and the Role of Social Workers in Re-Education Facilities for Youth in Slovakia: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The formation of an emotional bond with young people’s parents is crucial for healthy development and serves as a model for future relationships. Disruptions to this bond can result in neurobiological consequences, manifesting as problematic behaviours and social deficits. Social-educational work in re-education facilities in Slovakia focuses on supporting and rehabilitating young people in conflict with the law, aiming for their reintegration into society. This study presents a qualitative analysis of social workers’ activities across 11 re-education facilities in Slovakia, utilizing semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field observation. The findings reveal that social workers play an indispensable role in the re-education and resocialization process, providing emotional support, professional counselling, and coordination with multidisciplinary teams. Despite differences in client typology and methodologies among facilities, a shared emphasis exists on restoring social ties and personal development. The effectiveness of social work is influenced by adequate staffing, methodological support, and inter-ministerial cooperation. Implementing targeted recommendations could significantly enhance the effectiveness of the system and improve outcomes for children and young people in institutional care. This study contributes vital insights into how social workers must balance competing interests—such as individual therapeutic needs, institutional constraints, and family and community involvement—to successfully facilitate youth reintegration into society.

1. Introduction

Socio-pathological phenomena among youth have long constituted a significant and complex problem not only in Slovakia but globally. These phenomena encompass a broad range of negative behaviours such as aggression, delinquency, substance abuse, school disruption, and social exclusion, which severely affect the development and social integration of young people (Bryndzák and Poláchová 2010; Gymerská et al. 2020). These issues often manifest early in childhood and persist into adulthood, with a rising prevalence that underlines the urgent need for early prevention and targeted interventions within family and school environments (Shorabi 2022; Ouma et al. 2024).

In Slovakia, specialized support services for children and adolescents with behavioural disorders or in conflict with the law include diagnostic centres, therapeutic sanatoria, and notably, eleven re-education centres (RC). These RCs are located in Sološnica, Veľké Leváre, Hlohovec, Vráble, Zlaté Moravce, Tornaľa, Čerenčany, Levoča, Bačkov, Mlynky, and Košice. They vary in capacity and focus, providing education, psychosocial support, and specialized rehabilitative programmes aimed at behavioural change and social reintegration (Novák 2023).

Re-education centres admit children on various legal grounds including requests by legal guardians, agreements with the executing facility, court decisions imposing protective custody, educational measures, or institutional care, as established by (Act No. 245/2008 Coll.) Coll. on Education and Training (Education Act). Furthermore, pursuant to §120 and §122 of this Act, re-education centres provide education and training with an emphasis on psychosocial development and reintegration into the social environment and are entitled to accept children of both sexes with group sizes adjusted for intellectual disabilities in clients (Act No. 245/2008 Coll.; State Educational Program for Re-Education Centre 2023).

These centres organize individualized programmes including interest activities such as skiing, swimming, camps, or exchange programmes with other schools and partner institutions aimed at preparing children for future careers. Their mission is to promote resocialization, understood as a dynamic process of eliminating existing behavioural patterns, modifying views, correcting educational environment deficiencies, and shaping personalities and attitudes conducive to societal norms and successful reintegration (Jones 2020; State Educational Program for Re-Education Centre 2023).

Despite their crucial role, re-education centres face challenges including insufficient professional staffing, high client turnover, low family involvement, and inadequate financial and material resources (Eskandari and Nokonam 2023). While international best practices recommend methods such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing (Creswell and Poth 2017; Patton 2015), the extent of their systematic and culturally sensitive application within Slovak re-education centres has not been systematically evaluated in existing research (Eskandari and Nokonam 2023; Novák 2023).

This study focuses on the work of social workers in these eleven re-education centres to explore how their activities contribute to youth resocialization and how they integrate the social environment—family, school, and community—into their practice. Insights from this research aim to inform systemic improvements in methodological support, staffing, and overall conditions for effective rehabilitation and reintegration of vulnerable youth (Palinkas et al. 2015; Pragya and Deby 2023).

The focus on social workers in this study reflects their pivotal role within Slovak re-education centres. Unlike teachers or psychologists, social workers operate at the intersection of institutional, family, and community contexts. They are responsible not only for counselling and diagnostics but also for liaising with courts, families, and external agencies, making them central to the success of reintegration processes (Hovanová and Šlosár 2020; Pragya and Deby 2023).

The main research question is: How does social-educational work in special educational facilities in Slovakia contribute to the resocialization of youth, and in what ways does it take into account the interaction between the child and their social environment? The supporting sub-questions are: What methods and approaches does social work utilize when working with youth in conflict with the law? How do social workers perceive the role of the social environment (family, school, community) in the resocialization process? What are the main obstacles and challenges in the current practice of social-educational work in these facilities?

2. Methods

This study aims to explore how social-educational work in special re-education facilities in Slovakia contributes to the resocialization of youth, with particular attention to the interaction between the child and their social environment. A qualitative methodological approach was selected to enable an in-depth understanding of complex social processes and the lived experiences of social workers across diverse institutional settings. Qualitative methods are particularly suitable for exploring meanings, practices, and contextual influences in social work research (Creswell and Poth 2017; Patton 2015).

Data were collected from all 11 re-education centres currently operating in Slovakia. Since the entire population of re-education centres was included, the study provides a comprehensive overview of practices across the national network. The facilities differ in capacity, client typology, and methodological approaches, which allowed the research to capture diverse perspectives while still reflecting the complete institutional landscape. The sampling was guided by the aim to capture diverse perspectives and practices relevant to the research question rather than to achieve quantitative representativeness (Palinkas et al. 2015).

Data collection consisted of three complementary methods:

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The key questions included the following:

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How would you describe the characteristics of your target client group in this re-education centre?

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What are the main roles and responsibilities of the social worker here?

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What specific methods and approaches do you apply to support the resocialization of youth?

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How do you coordinate your work with other professionals and institutions such as psychologists, schools, courts, and families?

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What challenges or obstacles do you face in your daily work?

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What is your perspective on the role of the family, school, and community in the resocialization process?

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How do you approach prevention of recidivism and preparation for independence among your clients?

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Document analysis of internal facility documents, including policies, methodological guidelines, and legal frameworks, to contextualize social work practices and institutional regulations.

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Direct field observation during visits to the re-education centres, providing contextual insights into daily routines, interactions, and the physical and social environment of the facilities.

Data Analysis and Ethical Considerations

The collected qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006), involving stages of data familiarization, initial coding, theme development, review and refinement of themes, and final interpretation. This systematic approach allowed identification of salient patterns across diverse cases, while also highlighting institutional and contextual nuances.

To ensure analytical rigour, the study employed several strategies. Member checking was conducted by presenting preliminary interpretations to selected participants for feedback and confirmation. Peer debriefing was carried out through regular consultations with academic colleagues not directly involved in the research, allowing for critical reflection and reduction in researcher bias. An audit trail was maintained in the form of detailed notes from analytic meetings, coding decisions, and methodological memos, ensuring transparency and traceability of the research process (Lincoln and Guba 1985). Triangulation of interview data, document analysis, and field observation enhanced the study’s credibility by corroborating findings from multiple sources.

Ethical standards were strictly upheld. Participants were fully informed of the study aims and procedures and provided voluntary consent. Anonymity and confidentiality were preserved, and compliance with data protection regulations was maintained. The study’s transparency and rigour in reporting align with PRISMA guidelines for systematic and reproducible qualitative research synthesis, ensuring clear documentation of participant selection, data collection, and analysis procedures.

3. Results

We present findings from the analysis of the work of social workers in Slovak re-education centres.

Table 1. Analysis of the work of social workers in re-education institutions.

Name of the Re-Education Facility	K1: Target Group ____________ Codes:	K2: Role of the Social Worker _____________ Codes:	K3: Methodology of the Social Worker’s Work _____________ Codes:	K4: Coordination of the Social Worker’s Work _____________ Codes:
Sološnica	individuals and families, problems: social exclusion, addiction, poverty, domestic violence	counselling, prevention, family support and individual counselling	prevention, counselling on family problems and help in dealing with addictions or other life difficulties	psychologist, educator, state authorities, judicial institutions
Veľké Leváre	individuals and families, problems: social exclusion, addiction, poverty, domestic violence	counselling, prevention, family support and individual counselling	prevention, counselling on family problems and help in dealing with addictions or other life difficulties	psychologist, educator, state authorities, judicial institutions
Hlohovec	children with psycho-social problems, behavioural disorders and protective measures	importance of flexibility, professionalism and empathy of the social worker when working with children and adolescents with behavioural problems	approaches aimed at stabilizing the child, protecting him/her and adapting to new conditions, with counselling also being essential	intensive cooperation with parents and psychologists in order to reconstruct family patterns
Vráble	working with severely traumatized children,	dealing with extremely challenging family situations, the need to cope with emotionally exhausting situations, high demands on empathy, professionalism and teamwork	diagnostic-counselling, individual and group work, family counselling and field social work	cooperation with courts, probation officers, schools, labour offices, police, crisis centres
Zlaté Moravce	boys who have already shown delinquent behaviour, aggression or addiction	stabilization of behaviour, improvement of interpersonal relationships, support in reintegration back into society, school, family, reduction in risk of recidivism and behaviour	individual and group work, educational-preventive programmes, family counselling, family therapy, crisis intervention	courts, labour offices—social probation officers for youth, school institutions, family, psychologists, therapeutic institutions
Torňala	boys ordered to be institutionalized and with serious educational and social problems	diagnosis of social background, strong emphasis on regime education	creation of individual development plans, referral to services such as psychological, special education and health services	communication with the family, courts, probation officers, schools and social welfare authorities
Čerenčany	working with children and adolescents, behavioural disorders, delinquent tendencies and problems with adaptation in society, also with families	importance of flexibility, professionalism and empathy of the social worker when working with children and adolescents with behavioural problems	rehabilitation and re-education methods, such as family therapy, psychological support and individual approach to pupils, prevention of recidivism of delinquent behaviour	psychologists, educators, therapists, members of multidisciplinary teams
Levoča	children with behavioural problems, delinquent behaviour, neglect or trauma	social diagnostics and documentation, work with families, developing responsibility, self-reflection and life goals in children and adolescents, crisis intervention	community projects, prevention programmes and educational activities	close cooperation with psychologists, special educators, educators and management of the facility, court hearings, Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, social guardianship
Bačkov	children with behavioural problems, truancy, delinquency or other risk behaviours	individual work, reintegration support, crisis intervention, social counselling	community projects, prevention programmes and educational activities, practical training, occupational therapy	psychologist, educator, intervention teams, communication with courts, Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, schools, probation officers, counselling centres
Mlynky	boys with an order for institutional or protective education, combined behavioural disorders, previous conflicts with the law or neglect of school attendance	social diagnosis and planning, family work, counselling, crisis intervention,	community projects, prevention programmes and educational activities, occupational therapy	courts of the Slovak Republic, social-legal protection offices, psychologist, special educator, social curators for youth
Košice	children and young people with educational problems	social diagnostics, re-education, social work, work with family, individual group approach,	crisis intervention, therapeutic approaches, addiction prevention, support for integration of different ethnic groups	pedagogue, psychologist, intervention team of workers, probation officers

Source: own elaboration, Vanková, K. 2025.

provides an overview of the social workers’ activities across the 11 facilities included in this study, highlighting variations in client typologies, methodologies, and coordination practices. Building on these findings, it becomes evident that the role of the social worker is both demanding and indispensable, as they mediate between the individual needs of youth and the broader institutional and community environment.

Table 1 presents an overview of the social workers’ activities across 11 re-education facilities included in this study. The facilities differ in client typology, with some focusing primarily on boys with behavioural disorders and delinquent behaviour (e.g., Zlaté Moravce, Torňaľa), while others cater to specific groups such as girls with traumatic backgrounds (Hlohovec) or children from marginalized Roma and socially excluded communities (Levoča). Methodological approaches vary accordingly, ranging from cognitive-behavioural therapy and individual counselling to community-based programmes and occupational therapy.

Table 1 summary of social workers’ roles, methodologies, coordination, and client groups across Slovak re-education centres (own elaboration 2025).

The results highlight that all facilities share core objectives: social diagnostics, individualized planning, counselling (individual and group), family cooperation, and preparation for reintegration into society. However, the approaches differ in intensity and focus, often shaped by the client population and institutional resources.

For example, Hlohovec places a strong emphasis on psychotherapy for girls with trauma backgrounds, with social workers noting: “Our work revolves around restoring self-esteem and creating a safe relational space” (Interview Hlohovec-3). In contrast, Zlaté Moravce focuses on behaviour stabilization in boys with aggressive tendencies, where a social worker explained: “Preventing recidivism requires a combination of family involvement and responsibility-building” (Interview Zlaté Moravce-5).

Facilities like Levoča adapt community-driven inclusive programmes tailored to marginalized Roma children, while Sološnica applies experiential and environmental therapy targeting boys with social exclusion and addictions. Coordination also varies; some centres closely collaborate with courts and probation officers, while others have stronger emphasis on cooperation with schools and family services.

Challenges common among facilities include staffing shortages, high client turnover, low family involvement, and insufficient funding. High turnover represents a particular challenge not because of successful reintegration, but because many departures are linked to transfers between institutions, repeated placements, or premature terminations of stay. Such instability disrupts the continuity of therapeutic and educational work, prevents the full implementation of individualized plans, and limits the establishment of trust and long-term supportive relationships between social workers and clients. These issues fundamentally affect the quality and continuity of social-educational work. As one social worker stated: “Without enough professional staff and stable support, the individual plans remain just on paper” (Interview Vráble-2).

Reflecting on the research question regarding how social-educational work accounts for the interaction between the child and their social environment, findings show a multidimensional approach. Social workers emphasize that effective resocialization depends not only on individual interventions but on strengthening social ties, family contexts, and community inclusion. However, the extent to which these interactions are integrated varies based on institutional capacity and client needs.

The data reveal the delicate balance social workers maintain between addressing behavioural issues within the institution and facilitating the child’s connection to their external social world. As noted in several interviews, resocialization is “a process of mutual interaction, modifying behaviour and social views while creating conditions for a sense of belonging” (Interview Čerenčany-4).

This nuanced interplay between individual and environment informs social work practices that combine therapeutic, educational, and community-based methods. Such a comprehensive strategy reflects the complex nature of resocialization and reinforces the pivotal role of social workers in mediating between the youth and their social ecosystems.

4. Discussion

This study was undertaken to explore how social-educational work in Slovak re-education facilities contributes to the resocialization of youth in conflict with the law, with particular focus on the interaction between the child and their social environment. The analysis provides nuanced insights into professional social work practices as experienced by social workers across varied institutional settings, representing client groups with diverse behavioural, social, and cultural needs.

The findings suggest that social workers perform a complex, multidimensional role that integrates individualized therapeutic interventions, family engagement, and community collaboration to support behavioural change and social reintegration. This role aligns with international understandings of social work as a practice-based profession grounded in social justice, empowerment, and respect for individual diversity (Shorabi 2022). The emphasis placed by Slovak social workers on tailoring interventions to culturally and socially specific contexts, especially regarding marginalized groups such as Roma youth, extends existing international literature by highlighting context-bound adaptations and sensitivities (Wu 2023; Gonida and Kiosseoglou 2009).

Regarding methods and approaches, social workers commonly employ cognitive-behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, individual and group counselling, and family therapy, consistent with internationally recommended best practices promoting behavioural stabilization and emotional healing (Hovanová and Šlosár 2020; Pragya and Deby 2023). Coordination within multidisciplinary teams and liaison with external institutions (courts, schools, social services) emerge as essential mechanisms reinforcing holistic care. The capacity of social workers to maintain an individualized focus, sometimes critically contrasting with collective institutional approaches, reflects a practical negotiation between systemic constraints and client-centred values.

The study also illuminates significant obstacles in practice, such as staffing shortages, high client turnover, limited family involvement, and insufficient material resources. These challenges resonate with findings from other juvenile justice and social work studies emphasizing structural determinants of service quality and continuity (Eskandari and Nokonam 2023; Patton 2015). The limited engagement of families particularly challenges effective resocialization, despite recognition of their central role in shaping youth behaviour and supporting sustainable reintegration (Porfeli et al. 2008; Novák 2023).

IIn addressing the social environment’s role, findings align with the literature underscoring the importance of interaction between individual and community systems in resocialization (Ouma et al. 2024; Shorabi 2022). Social workers’ practices reflect this interplay through community projects, inclusion efforts for marginalized youth, and preparatory interventions for client independence and societal reintegration, supporting the shaping of positive social identities and reducing recidivism risk.

4.1. Limitations

The study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, given its qualitative design and focus on all existing re-education centres in Slovakia, findings are context-specific and not statistically generalizable. Second, data were derived primarily from the perspectives of social workers; voices of youth and their families were not directly included, which limits the comprehensiveness of the analysis. Third, while triangulation through interviews, document analysis, and observation was employed, the reliance on self-reported accounts introduces the possibility of bias. These limitations highlight the need for further research incorporating multiple perspectives and longitudinal designs to capture post-institutional trajectories.

4.2. Added Value

Despite these limitations, the study contributes important contextualized insights into social work practices in Slovak re-education centres. It bridges international theoretical constructs with localized empirical data, thus informing both national policy debates and broader academic discussions on juvenile rehabilitation. The qualitative depth of the study illustrates how social workers navigate between systemic constraints and client-centred needs, providing a grounded perspective often missing in more quantitatively oriented studies.

4.3. Overall

Overall, this research highlights the essential yet challenging role social workers play at the intersection of individual rehabilitation and systemic constraints. The findings enrich understanding of social-educational interventions in correctional contexts and emphasize the necessity of contextually grounded, holistic approaches that incorporate client, family, and community dimensions.

4.4. Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, several recommendations are proposed to strengthen social-educational work in Slovak re-education centres. These recommendations are clustered around the central role of the social worker, the methods and programmes applied, the cooperation with other actors, and the broader systemic and policy framework.

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Strengthening the Central Role of Social Workers

Social workers are at the heart of the resocialization process, acting as mediators between children, families, schools, and judicial institutions. To support this role, it is necessary to:

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Increase the number of qualified social workers to reduce caseloads and enable individualized attention.

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Provide continuous professional development, with specializations in trauma-informed care, family therapy, and cultural competencies.

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Ensure regular supervision and peer support structures to prevent burnout and sustain professional well-being.

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Enhancing Methods and Programmes

The study revealed variation in methodologies and uneven application of evidence-based practices. To address this, it is recommended to:

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Standardize and expand the use of evidence-based interventions such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, and structured life skills programmes.

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Develop transition programmes preparing youth for independent living, including financial literacy, vocational training, and mentorship.

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Strengthen family engagement programmes that rebuild disrupted relationships and foster long-term social support.

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Improving Cooperation and Multidisciplinary Work

Effective resocialization requires coordinated action across multiple actors and institutions. Therefore:

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Establish permanent multidisciplinary teams including social workers, psychologists, educators, and probation officers to ensure coherent and individualized case management.

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Formalize mechanisms of cooperation with external partners such as schools, courts, labour offices, and community organizations.

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Support community-based projects that integrate youth into local environments, especially for marginalized groups such as Roma communities.

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Securing Policy Support and Systemic Reforms

Sustainable improvement requires supportive policy measures and structural investment. To this end:

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Establish a National Centre for Re-education and Resocialisation to provide methodological guidance, training, supervision, and data collection.

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Secure stable funding for staffing, infrastructure, and innovative programmes to reduce the vulnerability of facilities to financial fluctuations.

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Introduce national monitoring and evaluation frameworks with measurable indicators (e.g., recidivism, educational continuation, employment outcomes) to assess long-term impact and inform policy refinement.

These recommendations build directly on the empirical findings of this study and reflect both the challenges and successful practices observed across Slovak re-education centres. Their implementation would enhance the central role of social workers, promote consistent use of effective methods, strengthen cooperation among institutions, and ensure systemic support through coherent policies and adequate resources.

5. Conclusions

This study began with the question of how social-educational work in Slovak re-education centres contributes to the resocialization of youth and how it incorporates the child’s interaction with the social environment. By focusing on all existing re-education centres in the country and drawing on qualitative data from social workers, the research aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of practices in this specific institutional context.

The analysis revealed that social workers occupy a pivotal position in the resocialization process. Their role extends beyond traditional counselling and diagnostics, encompassing multidisciplinary coordination, family engagement, and community integration. Despite differences in client typology and institutional resources, a common emphasis emerged on strengthening social ties, developing life skills, and preparing youth for independent living. At the same time, systemic challenges such as staffing shortages, high client turnover, limited family involvement, and insufficient funding were identified as barriers that undermine the continuity and effectiveness of interventions.

From these findings, new insights can be derived. The study demonstrates that resocialization is not only a matter of individual behavioural change but a multidimensional process requiring sustained interaction between the child, family, and broader community. It highlights the indispensable role of social workers as mediators of this process, as well as the need for systemic reforms to support their work. By situating Slovak experiences within broader international debates, the study contributes context-specific evidence that underscores the importance of culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary, and holistic approaches to juvenile rehabilitation.