Social Work in Rural Communities – Particularities, Perspectives, and Directions of Interventions

At the international level, specialists in social sciences pay more attention to rural communities. The need for social work is more prevalent in these communities because of the social inequalities and the low access to social services. This article explores rural social work, social problems, and intervention models. It is a qualitative study based on eleven interviews with the local authorities and specialists about families, schools, institutions, rural communities, and the efficiency of intervention methods. The research is focused on five Romanian rural communities from Transylvania. We consider that to improve the situations of these rural communities the first step is to identify their needs, then to provide specialised support services that correspond to those needs to prevent and solve individual, family, and community-level problems. The last part of this article presents the main intervention areas in rural localities for social inclusion of those disadvantaged – reducing risks, inequalities, and improving the quality of life of those living in the rural communities.