Family assistant – a modern form of support for multiproblem families

People frequently perceive family as, to quote Anthony Giddens, “the refreshing source of joy, warmth, love andaffection” (Giddens, 2005, s. 196). However, a family can be also the scene of loneliness, violence, and mental insecurity; it may not be able to cope with fulfilling its basic social roles. Such family should be cared for by institutional aid and support, as well as by professional family assistants. Since 2012 families may count on a family assistant in the course of overcoming their life struggles. Even though this profession has been present on our market already for 10 years, its organizational context still needs to be clarified. In particular, there are significant issues referring to the family assistant qualifications, competence, methods, tools, and workroom. The article aims mainly at pointing out to the specific role of the family assistant and to the preferred competence and skills required for this profession.