The Challenges of Social Work with Families Of Missing Persons

Abstract

The research aimed to locate, analyze, and determine the role, opportunities, and challenges of social work with the families of missing persons. The focus of the paper is primarily on theoretical and empirical research of services provided by the social work profession to families of missing persons in terms of quantity, from the point of view of governmental and non-governmental sector, and quality, from the point of view of missing persons’ families. The research was also aimed at determining the importance of assistance provided by the non-governmental sector to the government sector in all spheres of assistance to the families of missing persons. The following methods and techniques were used in the research process: content analysis, questionnaire, interview, survey, and statistical method. A stratified sample was used, taking into account the proportional and territorial representation of institutions, non-governmental organizations and families: the government sector – 25 respondents, non-governmental sector - 10 respondents and families of missing persons – 50 Serb families and 50 Bosniak families. The survey was conducted in the Association of Visually Impaired Citizens Tuzla. The results of the research show that we need more understanding for these vulnerable groups of families and more social action in the direction of solving their problems, as well as timely informing the public about solving the problems one of the most vulnerable categories of our society.