Social Needs and Problems in the Rural Area of Braşov County, Romania. The Social Workers’ Perspective on Causes and Solutions

Abstract

This article presents the results of an exploratory study regarding the social problems that rural and small urban communities face, in Braşov County, as well the solutions suggested by the social workers from the communities targeted. Between June and August 2018, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 social workers who are employed in town halls in Braşov County. The categories of data collected and presented in the article are built on the following structures: the social problems in the rural and small urban communities, their causes and consequences, the solutions implemented in the community, but also the solutions envisioned from the point of view of the social workers of those communities, the access to social services and the funding resources of these services. The results of this research reveal the alarming school dropout rate at young ages, the dependency of the beneficiaries on the social welfare offered and the lack of social services in these communities.