Institutionalization of social work with refugees: a comparative analysis of Ukraine, the EU and Kazakhstan

Large-scale migration flows caused by the armed conflict in Ukraine have exacerbated the need for systematic social work with refugees. In a crisis, the institutionalization of social services plays an important role in ensuring that refugees have access to social support and are integrated into the host society. In Ukraine and the countries of the European Union (EU), there are organized mechanisms for helping refugees, including state structures, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international humanitarian agencies. These institutions ensure the coordination of social services, the provision of housing, medical and psychological assistance, and promote the social adaptation of refugees. In Kazakhstan, on the contrary, there is no system of social work with refugees, and assistance to Ukrainian migrants was provided mainly by volunteers and NGOs without a clear algorithm of actions. The lack of institutional coordination has led to fragmented social services and uneven distribution of assistance among refugees. This study is devoted to a comparative analysis of the mechanisms of social work with refugees during the crisis period. The article discusses the legal and organizational aspects of the provision of social services in Ukraine, the EU and Kazakhstan, analyzes the degree of involvement of social workers and NGOs in the process of helping refugees. The study is based on the analysis of legal documents, international refugee support programs and empirical data on the practice of social work in these regions. The results of the study reveal institutional differences in social work with refugees: in the EU and Ukraine, this activity is part of the system of social services, in which both state and NGOs are actively involved, and in Kazakhstan it is spontaneous. The lack of coordination between government agencies and NGOs, the lack of professional support and reliance on volunteer initiatives create barriers to the social adaptation of refugees.