Objective:The aim of this article is to understand how social services contribute to the well-being of children and young people who use them. Method:The research study, based on Capability Approach, was done using amixed-research strategy. Participants:The collection of data took place through 44 in- depth semi-structured interviews with children, young people and their parents/foster parents who use social services in one of the regional capitals of the Czech Republic. Results:Parents at risk underrate their role in loving and caring for their children. Parents at risk are more likely than children to undervalue education. Social services do not develop young- sters’ capability to live ameaningful life. Conclusion: The research has shown that although social serv- ices have significant potential to ensure well-being for children and youth, they work primarily in away that provides clients with basic social functioning in the present, without influencing their future positively.

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Even though Czech social policy cites child protection as one of its main priorities, there continue to be groups of children whose needs remain unnoticed. As many as forty thousand Czech children with at least one incarcerated parent have failed to gain public attention, find no support in the national legislative framework, and are only slowly attracting the attention of helping professionals. Guided by our research question—“What are the needs of children whose parent leaves the household due to incarceration?”—we describe the individual needs of children of incarcerated parents in their own voices through phenomenological optics. These needs, recorded via individual interviews and focus groups, contextualized using the theoretical methodology of the capability approach, which serves as the framework for assessing the relationship between the stated needs of these children and their overall well-being.