“Prevention science and disability studies”: A postgraduate doctoral study overview

Excerpt

A number of psychological, social and economical aspects are known to be risk factors for children, young people and their families, as well as for public institutions, resulting in increasing incidences of child neglect and abuse, juvenile pregnancies, youth and peer violence, crimes by children and youth as well as crimes against children, substance addiction and abuse, homeless children, poverty, insufficient child care and other issues (Marmot and Wilkinson 2006). Many risk factors are leading to family instability, which in turn becomes an emotional risk for children’s development. Thus, there is a growing perception (both among the public and professionals) that the problems of children and young people are becoming more severe and that children are starting to show problematic behaviors at a younger age. These problems require urgent prevention interventions. There are several action programs in Croatia for those who are at risk of developing behavioral disorders or manifesting different forms of risk behavior. To name a few, the National Program of Action for Children in the Republic of Croatia (adopted in 1998), Priority Activities for the Welfare of Children 2003–2005 (2003), the National Strategy for Combating Narcotic Drugs Abuse (1996), and the Action Plan on Drugs issued in 2004 and every year since then by the Government of the Republic of Croatia—the Office for Combating Narcotic Drug Abuse—the National Family Policy (2003), the National Youth Action Plan from 2003.-2008. (2003) (Council for children 2003, Ministry of the Family, Veterans' Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity 2010). Currently, the National Strategy for the Prevention of Behavioral Disorders is being prepared. …