Repensar o Serviço Social em tempo de crise económica e financeira em Portugal

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to contextualize the social policy transformations in social services and health care system in the context of the economic and financial crisis and following intervention of the international monetary fund, the World Bank and the European Central Bank (Troika) in Portugal, over the past four years. We analyze the social emergency program, which replaced the national plan for social inclusion, and the implementation of the national integrated network for long term care. Based on the evidence of the results we reflect on these transformations in Social Work, highlighting the negative aspects and the challenges for this profession. To achieve these aims we analyzed documents, statistical data and research on this subject. In this context of scarcity and emergency interventions, Social Work is challenged to rethink itself as a sociopolitical profession, taking into account the temporality of the intervention, the allocation of resources and the training of professionals.