From Reactive Intervention to Preventive Policy: The Institutional Positioning of Family Education

Abstract

Family education (FE) is increasingly acknowledged as a preventive strategy to improve family functioning and mitigate relational conflict. Despite this recognition, its institutional positioning as well as public perception in North Macedonia have not been thoroughly investigated. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to assess professional and public perspectives regarding the necessity, availability, and preferred implementation models of FE. The qualitative component comprised 20 semi-structured interviews with professionals from a range of institutional settings, including non-governmental organizations, primary schools, kindergartens, Centers for Social Work, and the Institute for Social Affairs. Participants included psychologists, social workers, pedagogues, special educators, and a family educator. Thematic and comparative assessments identified substantial variation in how FE is conceptualized and implemented across professional and institutional contexts. Non-governmental organizations and educational institutions focus on early preventive and developmental approaches, whereas Centers for Social Work mainly operate within reactive, legally mandated frameworks. Stigma, limited institutional resources, and the lack of a coordinated national framework emerged as principal barriers across all groups. The quantitative component included a survey of the general population (N = 514) that was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings indicate a high expressed interest in FE, low-to-moderate perceptions of service availability, and a preference for structured, accessible, and professionally led programs. The synthesis of qualitative and quantitative findings reveals a gap between public interest and institutional capacity. The study affirms the necessity for a coordinated national model of FE that incorporates preventive, educational, therapeutic, and policy components across sectors.