Broken families in Malta

Abstract

All families are subject to strain and stresses. Each and every family undergoes these strains and stresses at different degrees. Each and every family has its own particular way in dealing with these strains and stresses. Some would be mature, strong and equipped to be able to live under certain pressures without allowing these same pressures to leave bad consequences on the family as a whole. Others who are not sufficiently equipped to do the same end up as broken families. Broken families are 'problem' families and it is not only the actual problem which labels them as such, but also the lack of resources visible in their personalities to handle such situations. Their 'problem', once brought into light and investigated at a certain depth, is discovered to be an interaction of a multiplicity of adverse factors present in the environment and in their own personality, which results in the pathological condition of the family. As from the nineteenth century, social workers had always been concerned with the family as a unit. As time went by, the development of specialized social provisions tended more towards the meeting of individual needs and the fragmentary treatment of the family as a group with the consequence that, in spite of the growing affluence on the part of other members of society and increased social benefits, the existence of families who always seemed to be in need of help from various agencies persisted. Their way of life which, very often remained disorganized and hopeless, was a challenge which led to some re-thinking of the aims and effects of much modern social provisions and social work methods. This challenge has led social workers all over the world to search for preventive measures from which all the members of the family can benefit. This has proved to reduce the social disintegration of the family. Thus, prevention can be regarded as a modern social provision and social work method. Like all the preceding services available, it is to be made known to the public so that the right help would be given in time and the deterioration of the family would not have gone too far.