1. Mandates of Statutory Services and Case Management
South East Europe Consultation
“Reform of the Child Care System: Taking Stock and Accelerating Action”
Working Group 1 “Organisation of Statutory Services at the Sub-national level”
Vladan Jovanovic
Social Innovation Fund, Serbia, Belgrade

2. Content of Presentation
Statutory services functions are mandated by Family Law, Social Assistance Law and the Criminal Law
Divorce Procedure – How it Works in Serbia?
How to adopt the “Case Management” approach as good practice in all three regulatory regimes?
What are the challenges?

3. Statutory Services “Lets speaking the same language!”

4. What are the Statutory (Social Work) Services?
“A specialized field of social work aimed at improving the social functioning of individuals, families and communities by applying administrative procedures prescribed by written law of a legislative body”
The New Dictionary of Social Work,
Terminology Committee for Social Work, 1995

5. Statutory process
Statutory social work service involve statutory process in which an individual has become involved in some form of court case / administrative procedure
Placement in alternative care on the basis of committal order
Family going through divorce
Anyone “in trouble with law” (young offender)
Survivor of criminal act against them

6. On other side… … we have to differentiate this services/process from
Prevention
Early intervention
Continuum of care
Developmental service

7. Criteria eligible to define…
… some service as a Statutory Service
Established by Law
As a right (Aspect of Human Right)
As a measure for protection someone’s right or personal interest based on right
As a measure of someone’s social protection
Ensured/Provided by “State Entity”
Court
State Agency
Ensured/Provided through formal procedure
Court procedure (civic procedure, criminal procedure)
Administrative procedure

8. Really, What are the Statutory Services?
Statutory Services Established by Law as a Right, e.g.
Right on Cash Benefit - as a State’s response on poverty (Law on Social Assistance)
Right on Family Benefit
Right on Maternity Benefit
… established by Law as a measure of protection, e.g.
Placement in social institution
Foster care
Adoption
Guardianship

9. Example of Statutory Service: Divorce Procedure – How it Works in Serbia?

10. Who is in Charge? Court has mandate to decide in matters as following
Divorce
Child custody
Sole child custody
Joint child custody
Visitation
Alimony / Child support
Financial / Property issues

11. So, Who is in Charge? Meanwhile, CSW has mandate on
Reconciliation
Make an assessment and proposals regarding
Custody
Visitation
Child support
CSW has obligation to
Define and propose to the court, what is the best interest of child
CSW can also carry out Family Mediation Process, and
Forward Mediation Agreement to the Court on approval

12. Case management

13. Case Management…
… as a approach in social work that include activities of
Needs assessment of client/service user
Arrangement of client’s/service user’s access to direct appropriate services
Coordination of resources need to be involved in above mentioned activities
Evaluation of service impact on client/service user

14. What the Case Management enable?
Using an adequate human resources
From “the house”
From other stakeholders / organizations
Using/implementing appropriate methods indicated by
client’s/service user’s needs, as well as
service purpose
Time management / Time-saving

15. How to adopt the Case Management approach as good practice?
Case Management can be adopted as a method in practice if
It’s regulated
It’s standardized as a method
Professionals are trained on Case management
Agencies are organized on appropriate way
Inter-agencies cooperation is settled

16. Challenges

17. What are the challenges? (I)
Challenges on a system level
Laws
Inter-ministry cooperation
Cooperation on the local level / between agencies
Who should be authorized in
planning development of services
coordination

18. What are the challenges? (II)
Challenges regarding
Ethics
Standardization
Regulatory mechanisms
Inspection
Supervision
Licensing
Accreditation