Come una guida relazionale. Riflessioni metodologiche sul ruolo manageriale in tutela minorile

[Autom. eng. transl.] Within the Child Protection Services, the coordinators and i Service managers perform a crucial function for good functioning of the organization. Their work, which can be framed in a middle-management figure, does not yet enjoy the right consideration in terms of training and research, notwithstanding the complexity that characterizes it. There are also heterogeneities and considerable discretion about the skills and tasks that pertain to this role. After a brief description of the challenges affecting the work of managers and coordinators in this area of intervention, the article presents some key ideas in support of the exercise of this role. Ideas and reflections that they descend from the Relational Social Work method and in particular from the concept of relational guidance. By combining the knowledge of the method and operational experience gained in the role of coordinator, the author intends to offer a variation of the functions of relationship guidance at the middle-management level. The hope is that this declination and the following reflections can support the work of those who have to lead professional teams in child protection giving concreteness to the mission inherent in them role: to help social workers so that they can help families in difficult situations.