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Social Sciences
Special Issues
Contemporary Community Social Services: Issues and Challenges
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Contemporary Community Social Services: Issues and Challenges

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 2015

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marta García-Domingo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Work, University of Jaen, Campus las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Interests: social work; social services; social inclusion
Dr. Adrián-Jesús Ricoy-Cano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Work, University of Jaen, Campus las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Interests: social work; older adults; violence; occupational hazards
Dr. Lucía González López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Colegio Oficial de Trabajo Social de Jaén, C/Castilla nº4-2ºG, 23007 Jaén, Spain
Interests: social work; innovation; long term care; older adults

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Social Sciences addresses the evolving challenges and transformative opportunities currently faced by community social services. In a context characterized by the complexity of postmodern societies, where there is a growing interconnection between the triggering factors of crisis situations and their consequences (economic, health-related, social, energy, and environmental), responses can no longer be addressed in isolation but must be coordinated and structurally integrated. All of this unfolds within an increasingly diverse demographic and social landscape, where intersectionality emerges as a key analytical framework for understanding the complexity of new social needs and demands, and for offering inclusive and equitable responses. A systematic and coordinated approach is therefore required to confront these challenges comprehensively.

Social protection systems are facing the need to redefine their models of social intervention, moving toward frameworks that are more sustainable, equitable, and resilient. These transformations require a renewed commitment to fostering evidence-based innovation, both scientifically, methodologically, and institutionally, to enhance the quality and impact of care and interventions in community social services.

This Special Issue aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and development of community social services through the compilation of empirical studies, systematization of scientific contributions and practical experiences, as well as critical and constructive reflections, in the form of original articles and reviews. Therefore, it seeks to address the current frontier of knowledge from national, regional, or international perspectives.

Submissions must adhere to the Social Sciences author guidelines and must fall under one of the two permitted publication types: original articles or review papers. Authors interested in contributing to this Special Issue are strongly encouraged to submit a provisional title along with a brief description of the proposed topic and methodological approach (between 200 and 300 words) to the guest editors in advance. This preliminary information will help assess the alignment of the proposal with the thematic focus of the issue and facilitate a more efficient and coherent editorial process. Proposals may be sent to any of the guest editors of this Special Issue: Dr. Marta García-Domingo (mgdoming@ujaen.es), Dr. Adrián-Jesús Ricoy-Cano (aricoy@ujaen.es), or Dr. Lucía González López (luciagonzalezlopez87@gmail.com).

Dr. Marta García-Domingo
Dr. Adrián-Jesús Ricoy-Cano
Dr. Lucía González López
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • community social services
  • social innovation
  • digital transformation
  • quality
  • strategic development
  • occupational hazards
  • professional wellbeing
  • intersectionality
  • governance

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 464 KB  
Article
From Students to Professionals: Digital Skills in Social Services for the Practice of Social Work
by Teresa Gómez-Rasco, Elena Ferri-Fuentevilla, Rocío Muñoz-Moreno and Octavio Vázquez-Aguado
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(5), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15050277 - 23 Apr 2026
Abstract
The incorporation of digital technologies has transformed Social Work, generating new demands in terms of professional competencies. It is worth questioning whether, in contexts as sensitive as social services, the mere acquisition of instrumental mastery of these tools is sufficient to ensure safe [...] Read more.
The incorporation of digital technologies has transformed Social Work, generating new demands in terms of professional competencies. It is worth questioning whether, in contexts as sensitive as social services, the mere acquisition of instrumental mastery of these tools is sufficient to ensure safe practice. Considering that the level of proficiency with these tools is influenced by age, the aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the digital competence levels of social work professionals and students in order to contrast the skills and shortcomings of both groups. To achieve this, a quantitative methodological design was employed using questionnaires based on the European DigComp 2.2 framework. The sample included 451 professionals from Spain and 171 students from the University of Huelva, whose data were processed using statistical software (SPSS 27). The results show that students display a higher overall level of digital competence, particularly in the creation of digital content and the use of artificial intelligence tools. Professionals, on the other hand, demonstrate stronger competencies in digital security and data literacy. The findings reveal a clear complementarity between the two groups, highlighting an opportunity for mutual feedback and learning that can help combine technological efficiency with ethical responsibility and respect for human rights. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Community Social Services: Issues and Challenges)
18 pages, 1067 KB  
Article
From Social Marketing to Transformative Communication: Innovation and Social Awareness in Social Services
by Almudena García de la Fuente, David Ruiz-Ortega, Yolanda M. de la Fuente Robles and Virginia Fuentes Gutiérrez
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(3), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15030154 - 1 Mar 2026
Viewed by 499
Abstract
In the context of the transformation of welfare systems, and following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, communication and social marketing have taken on a strategic role in community social services. This study aims to analyse communication and social marketing campaigns developed from [...] Read more.
In the context of the transformation of welfare systems, and following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, communication and social marketing have taken on a strategic role in community social services. This study aims to analyse communication and social marketing campaigns developed from 2020 to the present, in order to identify the social issues addressed, the communication objectives and the strategies employed, as well as their link to Community Social Services. A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design is adopted based on analysing the content of a corpus of 60 campaigns selected through intentional sampling from international public sources. The results show a clear intensification of campaigns in the post-COVID-19 period, with a predominance of themes such as gender violence, mental health, unwanted loneliness and social exclusion. The communication strategies are characterised by the use of emotional narratives, storytelling, audiovisual formats and multi-channel dissemination, combining awareness-raising, prevention and guidance towards social resources. It is concluded that community social marketing is consolidating its position as a transformative tool that reinforces access to rights, social cohesion and the role of Community Social Services as active agents of social change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Community Social Services: Issues and Challenges)
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20 pages, 306 KB  
Article
Beyond the Project Cycle: Relational Sustainability in Transdisciplinary Social Innovation in Social Services
by Luna del Alba Anillo Pérez, María Elena Ferri Fuentevilla, Manuela Ángela Fernández-Borrero and Susana Martí García
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(2), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15020074 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 648
Abstract
Transdisciplinarity and the co-production of knowledge have become fundamental approaches to addressing complex social problems. However, the sustainability of collaborative partnerships remains underexplored from an empirical perspective. This article examines the mechanisms that shape the continuity of collaborative networks in social innovation projects [...] Read more.
Transdisciplinarity and the co-production of knowledge have become fundamental approaches to addressing complex social problems. However, the sustainability of collaborative partnerships remains underexplored from an empirical perspective. This article examines the mechanisms that shape the continuity of collaborative networks in social innovation projects in the field of social services, particularly those linked to community-based welfare systems in Andalusia (Spain). Drawing on a thematic qualitative analysis of 15 social innovation projects and 14 semi-structured interviews with project coordinators, the study explores how diverse actors (universities, public administrations, third-sector organisations, and citizens) mobilise different types of social capital within local social services. The findings reveal that collaboration success depends on a balance between relational enablers (trust and shared experiences) and structural barriers (bureaucracy, work overload, and lack of time). The analysis also shows that participatory methodologies and connections with pre-existing networks are essential for sustaining collaboration after project completion. The article concludes that the sustainability of transdisciplinary social innovation in social services requires moving beyond project management logics and investing in the care of invisible relational structures, with implications for public policies aimed at consolidating trust ecosystems and long-term collective learning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Community Social Services: Issues and Challenges)
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