Dynamics of Development and Functions of Social Services in Bulgaria

The research objectives of this article are two: 1. to attempt to analyze the current dynamics of development of social services in Bulgaria over the last 4-5 years and 2. to analyze the content of the functions of social services existing today in Bulgaria. The leading method of work on this article is the theoretical analysis aimed at two types of sources: 1. theoretical analysis of the main legal effective document on social services in Bulgaria and 2. theoretical analysis of some literary sources in social work. The dynamics of development of social services in Bulgaria is the result of the entry into force of the Social Services Act, which has a reforming nature in the social sphere in the country. The established practices of the societies of the democratic countries and the broad theoretical generalizations achieved for the social sphere in the 20th century in the works of many authors today really help the countries of Eastern Europe to consider and receive ready-made models for constructing public relations in the field of social services. Some of the functions of social services in nowadays Bulgaria can be distinguished and derived on the basis of the current legislation in the country, and another part is fundamentally inherent in the social sphere in democratic countries and in the theory. Social services in modern Bulgaria have the following functions: preventive, supportive and restorative, control, complex, organizational and planning, accessibility function, function to protect human rights and provide equal opportunity, function to implement change for people, guiding function, social-educational and correctional function, personality change function. The significance of this article consists in the theoretical explanation of the leading functions in social services in the modern conditions of life in Bulgaria. Social services are a field of action and probably have some potential to become one of the tools for uniting the currently diverse not only Bulgarian society, and clarifying the problem with the functions of social services could help to find some practical solutions to live together in peace.