LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Socialinis darbas; Šeima; Socialinė rizika; Social work; Family; Social risk.
ENSocial work in Lithuania in three decades has reached the same stage that other Western countries have developed throughout entire 20th century (Pivorienė, 2010). Still, it should be noted that social work in the Western world was the result of a long-lived evolutionary process; meanwhile, in Lithuania, as well as in other states of Eastern Europe, it is the product of abrupt change of the society (Švedaitė, 2004). Social work in Lithuania at the same time was developing its identity as of a new profession, and was in search of solution of not just old, well-known from soviet times, problems, but of the new ones that appeared only after the restoration of independence, as well (Švedaitė, 2007). Three basic steps of social development in Lithuania from 1990 have been distinguished: acceptance of social work concept, professionalisation of social work and professional social work (Bagdonas, 2001). The first step of the development of social work is associated with the acceptance of the concept of social work and covers the period from 1990 to 1992. In this stage, the first social workers from the West showed up in Lithuania; the first training for the staff of medical institutions was organised under their assistance; the universities which were introducing social work programmes were counselled. In 1992, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania adopted the resolution “On Preparation of Social Security Specialists in the Educational Institutions of Lithuania”. It was noted in the document that high schools in Lithuania shall prepare specialists of social security following the orders from ministries, departments and other governmental agencies. In 1991, Utena College and in 1992 Vilnius University and Vytautas Magnus Universities developed and started the first study programmes of social work. [...]. [Extract, p. 207]