Social work with groups from the perspective of social workers working in child welfare NGOs in Lithuania

ABSTRACT Social work with groups is an integral part of practice within the profession of social work. It is therefore important to ask why this is the case, as there is a tendency for only a small number of social workers decide to lead groups. In this research, we hoped to understand what motivates and discourages social workers from leading groups. The analysis of the research data revealed that this method of social work is evolving in the NGO sector, which often gets involved in solving ignored social issues, and, what is more, these organizations are characterized by flexibility and partnership. The article presents the results of qualitative research aimed at understanding how the group work method is applied by social workers working in the child welfare system of NGOs in Lithuania.