Socialinis darbas

The article introduces and analyses the peculiarities of help to children experiencing separation, which usually includes crisis, during parents’ temporal labour emigration. A specific form of the phenomenon is discussed, i.e. when both parents temporally work abroad and their children are left with grandparents. A prime focus is on the opportunities of help to small children (up to the age of 7) because their experiences are often confused with the features of psychosocial development. With reference to the case from a practice study, an alternative for social work models is reviewed, i.e. help process according to the narrative therapy. The case study revealed that while changing the construction of clients’ narrative, evident changes appeared unconsciously. Having appealed to a specialist for help to her disturbed grandchild, in the course of 4 meetings, grandmother discovered her grandchildren’s behavior depended on the separation process; and she herself possessed many abilities to help and care under difficult circumstances. Therefore, having felt that she is able to manage her grandchildren’s separation experiences on her own, she does not need professional help anymore. This is the aim of the particular help model of the narrative therapy: to organize a support process so that grandparents could help their grandchildren to cope with difficulties arising due to separation independently.