After the economic crisis, neo-liberal policies in Spain established cuts in the public social welfare systems, which have had to face the increase in social demands from the population with fewer economic and human resources. The effects have been particularly hard on the population. The European Commission, in the Commission Staff Working Document, Country Report Spain 2017, notes an increase in inequality in Spain in spite of its macroeconomic improvement. The article summarises the impact that the economic crisis had on Spanish families and the austerity measures from the neo-liberal policies implemented by the government. Concerned by the social services’ capacity to respond to them, the General Council of Social Work carried out Research Projects (2014–2015). Their analysis is presented here. The research started from 32,127 social workers, a confidence level of 95.5%, and a margin of error of ±3 in the worst-case scenario of P = Q. The sample comprised 2406 professionals. The results can be extrapolated to the totality of social workers in Spain and confirm the serious consequences the austerity measures have had on the population, social welfare systems and social workers who have dealt with neo-liberalism using social critical theory and militant practice.

This article presents an analysis of the opportunities for participation of citizens in the public system of social services in Spain and their impact on the design, implementation, execution and evaluation of public policies of social services at a municipal level. The study also involved performing a comparative analysis of cases, assessing the impact, in terms of contributions and possibilities of the councils, upon the increased democratization of local public policies in terms of social welfare and the improvement of the efficiency with which social services and benefits are managed. The results of these investigations permit us, first of all, to present the diverse opportunities on offer for participation at a regional level in social services in Spain and then to identify, from its participants, dimensions that intensify processes of democratization and therefore help to improve efficiency of public well-being policies at a municipal level. In the case of the autonomous communities, we must highlight the changes that new social services laws have brought about in terms of widening citizens’ participation and opening up feedback for users of the system at a local level. In addition, this article discusses the role of different typologies and explores mechanisms, bodies and processes of participation that are applied in the design, management and assessment of social services policies at a local level. Finally, we determine which factors help to increase the efficiency of social public policies, as revealed by increases in citizens’ participation in local governance.

La participación de los implicados en los procesos de decisión, la transferencia de poder y la actuación en tareas y procesos son, en coincidencia con Howe (1994), pilares fundamentales del Trabajo Social Postmoderno y marcos de referencia en la intervención comunitaria. La participación es un asunto central y de actualidad en el debate político, civil, profesional y académico, en general, y con un significado sustantivo para el Trabajo Social, en particular. Democracia, ciudadanía, pluralismo e interdependencia son conceptos inseparables en nuestras sociedades, en las que existen diferentes, asimétricos, dispersos y divergentes centros de poder. El carácter interdependiente de los problemas y de los actores conlleva superar modelos clásicos de intervención basados en programaciones segmentadas y unidireccionales. Es necesario reconocer, aceptar e integrar la complejidad como un elemento intrínseco del proceso de intervención comunitaria, articulando sistemas inclusivos de participación de los diferentes actores en el marco de las redes locales. La incorporación profesional en la implantación y gestión de mecanismos de participación ciudadana desde una perspectiva cooperadora, sinérgica e inclusiva favorecerá un Trabajo Social orientado al desarrollo local, a la vez que a la integración social de minorías con insuficiente representación y/o en procesos de exclusión.

Objetivo: El objetivo general de esta investigación es medir la prevalencia del síndrome de burnout en el colectivo profesional de trabajadoras sociales sanitarias que ejercen su actividad laboral en los diferentes servicios y centros del Servicio Público de Salud de Galicia (España).Método: Se ha planteado un diseño de enfoque cuantitativo-analítico y transversal, utilizando como instrumento principal el cuestionario Maslach Burnout Inventory, versión Human Services Suvey. Dicho cuestionario mide tres dimensiones relacionadas con el burnout: Agotamiento emocional, Despersonalización y Realización personal. La recogida de datos se realizó a través de una aplicación de encuestas entre las trabajadoras sociales colegiadas en el Colegio Oficial de Trabajo Social de Galicia.Resultados: El 86,2% de la población objeto de estudio son mujeres y un 13,8% hombres, y sus edades están comprendidas entre los 23 y los 63 años. Los datos de prevalencia del estudio arrojan unos resultados elevados, especialmente en la dimensión de Agotamiento Emocional donde más de la mitad de la población objeto de estudio presenta una puntuación considerada alta.Conclusión: Al igual que otros colectivos profesionales que ejercen su actividad laboral en el sistema de salud, como es el caso de Enfermería y Medicina, las trabajadoras sociales sanitarias presentan índices elevados de burnout, siendo el Agotamiento Emocional la dimensión más afectada. Objective: The general goal of this research is to measure the prevalence of the burnout syndrome in the professional group of social health workers who perform their work in the diverse services and centers of the Public Health Service of Galicia (Spain).Method: A quantitative-analytical and cross-sectional design was proposed, using as the main instrument the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Human Services Survey version. This inventory measures three dimensions related to burnout: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Fulfillment. Data collection was carried out through a survey among the social workers registered in the Official Association of Social Work of Galicia.Results: 86.2% of the population under study are women and 13.8% are men; their ages range between 23 and 63 years. The study prevalence data yields high scores, especially in the Emotional Exhaustion dimension, where more than half of the population under study obtained a high score.Conclusion: Like other professional groups that perform their work in the health system, as is the case of Nursing and Medicine, social health workers present high rates of burnout, with Emotional Exhaustion being the most affected dimension.

The aim of this paper is to assess the risk of recidivism by analysing the impact of dynamic factors on adolescents in conflict with the law (ACLs). To this end we evaluate the social adjustment of a sample of 157 ACLs, using the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth tool (SAVRY) along with other qualitative analysis techniques to triangulate the empirical process. The extensive structure of relationships and occasional links that these ACLs have with formal and informal learning and employment networks point to a good level of adjustment in the future and a low level of recidivism. However, the risk of recidivism is increased by their limited ability to solve problems and their impulsiveness in dealing with difficulties. A special area of interest lies in the relationships and influences that ACLs form with their surroundings in order to avoid or indulge in high-risk practices. These have an effect on their everyday activities and can determine their level of social adjustment.