The services for disability in the Croatian region of Vokovar e Siriem: interview with Zana Skejo Skoric

Abstract

The authors proposes an interview with Zana Skejo Skoric, project manager of the Association of Persons with Disabilities “Bubamara” providing social services within the north eastern Croatian region of Vukovar and Siriem. The interviewee explores the de institutionalization process resulting from the entering of the Croatia in to the European Union and the construction of the territorial services developing some reflections on the demand that the families with disability pose to her organization. Considering her professional experience, Zana Skejo Skoric, underlines the problems faced in the application of model of social assistance oriented to substitute the family members in the assistance functions. In this regard, the interviewee asks herself how to organize services for persons with disabilities that are coming back to their families due to the closing of the mental hospitals. It is underlined the importance of offering services limiting the social isolation of the persons with disabilities and their family members and the need of developing criteria of assistance to intervene at the level of the relationships and of the cohabitation. In particular, it is considered the function that psychology can carry on within the assistance services.