Selected community centers as support for vulnerable families in Prague from the perspective of families and social workers

This thesis examines the role of selected community centres in Prague within the system of family support. In the context of today's changing society, where families face new challenges such as economic insecurity and social isolation, these centres represent an important tool of prevention and social inclusion. The aim of the thesis is to explore the role community centres play in the everyday lives of families, what benefits and shortcomings are identified by both social workers and the families who use these services, and whether the perspectives of these two groups overlap. The theoretical part introduces key concepts such as the family, parental competencies, and family policy, and places the issue of vulnerable families within the broader framework of child protection. It also describes the method of community work, its history and principles, and focuses specifically on how community centres operate and what services they provide to families with children. The empirical part is based on qualitative research conducted through semi-structured interviews with two groups of participants: social workers and parents using the services of a community centre. The findings show that while social workers view community centres as a key element of primary prevention and point to system barriers such as...