Response of Day Care Centers for Children and Youth with Disabilities in Republic of Srpska to Work Challenges During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In accordance with the Law of Social Protection of the Republic of Srpska Day care Centers are institutions of social protections that enable daily care of children in local communities and providing a wide range of services: food and care providing, storage, health care, upbringing and education, psychosocial rehabilitation, work occupation and integration. The proclamation of a pandemic COVID-19, Day care centers had to change the way of working and to provide support to children in their own homes. How the day centers worked and which activities they undertook in the new conditions is the subject of this research. The research was conducted on the entire territory of Republic of Srpska in the period from May to June 2020. The population consisted of all 18 Day care Centers for children and youth with disabilities. A total of 15 Day care Centers participated in the research. Methods of analysis and synthesis and test methods were used in the research, as well as Content analysis method. The technique that was used during the research was specially created survey. Day care Centers for children and youth with disabilities during the corona virus pandemic did not have a operational work plan. Most Day care Centers operated without instructions and guidelines. There was no systemic solution related to the organization of work in changed conditions. Communication with service users mostly took place in the online space, with all the limitations due to the modest technical conditions in Day care Centers, as well as the limited technical capacities of the users. Communication with service users maintained through home visits. During the pandemic, users needed help in a significant number of cases. Day care Centers were engaged in other activities related to the needs of users and the population of local communities during the pandemic. In some cases, they changed or supplemented their activities and developed new project.