Author: Martina Holgersson och Pranvera VishajSupervisor: Matts MosessonTitle: “A study about how Social Services understand and put child perspective into practice”The purpose of this study is to describe and understand how the child perspective is perceived and put into practice by the Social Services. Our questions were: “How is the child perspective perceived by the Social Services?” and “In what way is the child perspective put into practice in the Social Services’ work?” Our approach to knowledge is based on the hermeneutic tradition of knowledge. The essay rests upon semi-structured interviews with ten Social Services’ workers. We have analysed our results from the theory of actions where we have applied analytical ideas; the five P’s and actor and objective perspective. Our main findings in the study were; the Social Services’ workers regarded the child perspective as a complex and hard to define concept. Furthermore, the Social Services’ workers considered to think the fundamental apprehension of the child perspective; is children’s well-fare and protection from abuse. From which angle they choose to see the child perspective; the child’s, the parents or the professionals vary. The Social Services’ workers experienced the children were being implicated in the work. The reports are written from both angels, children and parents point of view. A special interest and importance from the Social Services’ workers were children being involved through-out the inquiry process as at decision-making. The child perspective doesn’t have to be crucial at a settlement. Based on our findings and our theory we can draw the conclusion that the scope the Social Services’ workers have in their work can influence how the child perspective is perceived and carried out and how it should be applied.

With this study, our purpose has been to achieve profounded knowledge and understanding regarding the use of discretion among social workers specialized in social allowance issues. The Social Services Act, structured as a framework law in the Swedish context, provides the social worker with a certain degree of discretion, in order to enable accommodated decisions depending on client case specifics. This study problematizes these aspects of legal security, and our intention has been to examine which factors impact the assessments social workers carry out in statutory decisions of social allowance applications. To attain this, we narrowed down our intention into a number of distinct and delimitated research questions: (1) Which elements of the client case impact the social worker’s assessment? (2) Which external aspects influence the social worker’s assessments and decisions? (3) How do social workers decide the client’s credibility?   In order to establish answers to our research questions, we have utilized a qualitative approach of research by exerting qualitative interviews in addition to a vignette study. We have conducted five interviews with social workers specialized in social allowance issues. The empirical material was analyzed and illustrated in the view of Lipsky’s descriptive theory of street-level bureaucracy, and in the light of different theories of authoritarian power, as constituted by Lukes and Foucault.   Within the municipality subject to our research, our vignette study establishes the fact disparities exist among the assessments social workers decide from an application of social allowance. The result of our study exhibit social workers’ grounds of assessment are influenced by a number of aspects. These facets of impact compose internal factors existing within the client case frame. Related to the unique characteristics of a client’s situation, the internal factors also depend on the relation created between social worker and client. Furthermore, the social worker’s assessment is affected by external factors including colleague consultation, supervisor influence and contemporary work load levels. Additionally, our study implies aspects influencing decision-making of social workers occurring on a meta level, which we have opted to denominate semi-external factors. These factors embrace levels of client credibility as well as aspects of power present in the social worker – client relation.

Unemployment and long term unemployment is a reality for a large number of people in Sweden. This may be the result of structural changes in the labor market, but involves a wide range of issues. Along with other actors, the social services are obliged to support the long term unemployed to find a job. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the work done by social workers towards the long term unemployed, 25-49 years old, in two municipalities. We performed altogether six qualitative interviews. In each municipality we selected two social workers and the head of the work unit. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. We used a social constructionist perspective and organizational theory for the analysis. Results show that the social workers believe that they have almost twice as many clients as they can handle with a good quality in social work. We also present, in the study that a considerable coordination with other units of the social services and other authorities is taking place, but that the social workers are partly negative towards its functioning.

A SOCIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF STREET CHILDREN IN ANKARA Pehlivanli, Ezgi M.A. Department of Sociology Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Kayhan Mutlu January 2007, 105 pages This thesis draws a profile of children who work/ live on the streets of Ankara relying on children&rsquo / s life histories and social workers&rsquo / opinions about the situation in the context of Social Exclusion. Social is a new concept, was first used in 1960&rsquo / s around Europe in order to define the groups, who are faced to material and socio-cultural deprivation due to the difficulties experienced by the Welfare States. This study assumes that street children can be explained in the context of social exclusion. Employing qualitative methods, this study main aim of this study is to understand the reasons for children to start working on street. After the introductory chapter, Chapter II provides a theoretical framework, in which street children and the concept of social exclusion are examined. Chapter III focuses on the findings from the life histories of children who work/live on streets of Ankara. Chapter IV contains the information about the interviews with social workers and a comparison part, in which two types of information, is analyzed in the context of Social Exclusion.

The aim of this study was to examine how newly qualified social workers from Linnaeus University in Kalmar feel that the school has prepared them with the professional skills to meet the demands that exist within social work. Social work education is a generalist training that will result in a professional qualification. With a qualitative approach eight newly qualified social workers were interviewed.We used the sociology of knowledge as an overall theoretical approach. We also used experience- based knowledge as a theoretical approach. One of the study's conclusion was that the graduates had difficulty linking theory to practice. The graduates also felt that knowledge about the law and dialogue methodology were two useful courses for use in practical work. The results and conclusions can be seen as a reinforcement and extension of previous research in the subject.

Kuratorer inom hälso- och sjukvården har länge kämpat för en legitimering. I Socialstyrelsens rapport (2014) anses nu att en yrkeslegitimation är nödvändigt för att stärka patientsäkerheten samt att höja yrkeskompetensen. Denna studie är en pilotstudie i Kuratorsklinikens forskningsprojekt som handlar om evidensbaserad praktik. Studien handlar om vilka insatser samt arbetsmetoder som kuratorer arbetar efter då de genomför stödsamtal. Vidare är syftet att få en ökad förståelse om kuratorers praktik är mer evidensbaserad eller erfarenhetsbaserad. För att ta redan på detta har jag gjorde en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av nio avidentifierade journaler. Resultatet visade på att de insatser som kuratorer arbetar med är följande: kartlägga, medvetenhetsgöra, förändra, meningsfullhet samt samordna. De arbetsmetoder som jag fann var motiverande samtal (MI) samt kognitiv beteendeterapi (KBT). För att förstå materialet har jag använt mig av systemteori samt evidensbaserade metoder och olika kunskapsområden dit erfarenhetsbaserad kunskap hör till. Utifrån materialet är det svårt att säga om kuratorer arbetar mer utifrån erfarenhet än evidens dock kan man hävda att de använder båda arbetssätten i deras praktik. / Swedish medical counselors have for many years strived to get a professional certificate without any result. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare has now stated in a report (2014) that a professional certificate is necessary to strengthen patient safety and to improve professional skills. This study is a pilot study done in collaboration with Kuratorsklinikens research about evidence-based practice. The studies aim is to get a wider understanding in what methods and efforts counselors use when conducting a supportive session. Furthermore, the aim is to get a better understanding if their practice is based mostly on evidence or experience. The study contains nine anonymous medical patient journals and qualitative content analysis was used. The result showed that the efforts counselors work with are the following: mapping, awareness, change, meaningfulness and coordination. The methods found was motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). To understand the material system theory was used as well as evidence-based methods and experience-based knowledge.

Syftet med studien är att få en ökad förståelse för hur socialsekreterare upplever bemötande och makt i mötet mellan socialsekreterare och familjer med migrationsbakgrund. Vi har genomfört en kvalitativ studie med semistrukturerade intervjuer som datainsamlingsmetod. Intervjumaterialet bygger på intervjuer med sju socialsekreterare som arbetar på ett socialkontor i en medelstor kommun i Sverige med inriktning på barn- och familjefrågor. Uppsatsen fokus ligger på studiens två centrala teman: Bemötande och Makt. Vi har i vår studie kommit fram till att bemötandet har en stor betydelse för förtroendet och relationen mellan socialtjänsten och familjer med migrationsbakgrund. Att bemöta familjerna med respekt och nyfikenhet ansåg socialsekreterarna som viktigt liksom användandet av en skicklig tolk. Reflektionerna kring makt varierade bland socialsekreterarna. Några upplevde en slags trygghet gällande sin maktposition till följd av de lagar som styr arbetet medan några inte reflekterade över maktförhållandet alls. Vad som även framkom var betydelsen av kulturförtrogenhet, det vill säga att ha kompetens och förståelse för olika kulturer. Det kan även vara en fördel för klientrelationen om socialsekreteraren har en liknande bakgrund som den aktuella familjen. Det empiriska materialet har analyserats utifrån maktperspektivet samt tidigare forskning som berört studiens ämne. Till skillnad från den redan befintliga forskningen bidrar denna studie med socialsekreterares egna perspektiv utifrån en svensk kontext. / The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how, encounter and the use of authority, affect the meetings between social secretaries and families with foreign backgrounds from a social secretary's standpoint. We conducted a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews as our data collection method. The interview material is based on interviews with seven social workers working at a social welfare office in a medium-sized municipality in Sweden focusing on child and family issues. The thesis is based on the study's two central themes: Encounter and Authority. We have found in our study that having a positive attitude has a great impact on building confidence and a meaningful relationship between social services and families with migration backgrounds. By treating families with respect, having an open mind and using a skilled interpreter, social workers felt this gave a positive response. The reflections around authority varied among social workers. Some experienced a sort of reassurance regarding their position of authority as a result of the laws governing their work while some do not reflect on the balance of power at all. What also emerged from the study was the importance of cultural familiarity, that is, to have the skills of understanding of different cultures. It can also be an advantage for client relationship if the social worker has a similar background to that of the family. The empirical data have been analyzed from the perspective of authority and previous research that has dealt with the study topic. Unlike existing research studies this study deals with the experiences of social secretaries and has a Swedish context.

Object of the research: social services. Matter of the research: organisation of provision of social services in rural localities of Kaunas district. Object of the thesis: to prepare a model for organisation of provision of social services in rural localities of Kaunas district. Tasks: 1) to analyse the provisions of social policy and theoretical consistencies in the social services; 2) to analyse the status of the organisation of provision of social services in Kaunas district municipality; 3) to identify the tendencies and possibilities in organising the provision of social services. Methods of the research: the methods of induction and deduction, monographic, comparative, analysis, synthesis, questionnaire, graphical presentation, logical reasoning and others have been used in this thesis. When analysing the provisions of scientific, periodical, educational literature, laws and legislations, which are related to organisation of provision of social services, a comparative analysis has been performed and the status of organisation of provision of social services in rural localities of Kaunas district analysed. A model for organisation of provision of social services has been prepared and suggestions for improvement of organisation of provision of social services in rural localities of Kaunas district presented.

Lagen (1988:870) om vård av missbrukare i vissa fall (LVM) är en tvångsvårdslag och är den enda lagen som avviker från frivillighetsprincipen i socialtjänstlagen, vilket ger socialsekreterarna möjligheten att gå emot individens fria vilja. Studien syftar till att belysa de faktorer som kan bidra till vilka svårigheter socialsekreterare kan ställas inför i relation till LVM-lagstiftningen, individens rättssäkerhet och självbestämmanderätt. Syftet är också att problematisera socialsekreterarnas tillvägagångssätt gällande tillämpningen av LVM-lagstiftningen och om mål och syfte uppfylls. De teoretiska utgångspunkter som används för att kunna analysera det empiriska materialet är teorier om socialsekreterarnas handlingsutrymme och etiska dilemman som kan uppstå i relation till klienten samt teorier om makt och motivation. För att samla in det empiriska materialet användes semistrukturerade intervjuer med olika socialsekreterare, därmed fångades socialsekreterarnas egna erfarenheter upp kring arbetet med LVM i praktiken. Resultatet av studien har visat att det förekommer motsättningar i LVM- lagen eftersom det är en tvångsvårdslag där socialsekreterarna har makten att ta ifrån klienten deras fria vilja, samtidigt som hänsyn skall tas till klientens självbestämmanderätt och integritet. Socialsekreterarna i sin tur är styrda av den högre ledningens makt genom ledningens riktlinjer och direktiv, vilket både påverkar socialsekreterarna och klienten på ett negativt sätt. Motivationsarbetet med klienten handlar om att få klienten motiverad till att gå med på behandling vare sig denne vill det eller inte och förekommer i form av dold makt och hot, där klientens fria vilja inte beaktas. Tillämpningen av mål och syfte i LVM- lagen har visat sig skilja markant åt inom olika kommuner i Stockholms län, beroende på att det förekommer ett brett handlingsutrymme och en tolkningsbarhet i lagen samt att ingen standardmodell finns att följa. / The law (1988:870) concerning care of addicts in some cases (LVM) is a compulsory care law and is the only law that deviates from the voluntariness principle in the social care law, which gives social workers the ability to go against individual’s free will. This study aims to elucidate the factors that may contribute to the difficulties social workers may face in relation to LVM- law, individual's legal certainty and self- determination of the individual. The purpose is also to problematize the social worker's approach concerning application of the LVM- law and if its purpose and goal is fulfilled. The theoretical starting points that are used to analyze the empirical material are theories about the social worker's discretion and the ethical dilemmas that may arise in relation to the client, also included here are theories about power and motivation. The empirical material was gathered through semi-structured interviews with different social workers, thus the social workers own experiences was captured of the work with the LVM- law in practice. The result of the study has shown that there are certain contradictions in the LVM- law since it is a compulsory care law where social workers have the power to take away their free will of the client, while taking account the right of self-determination and integrity. In turn, the social workers are controlled by higher management’s power by management policies and directives, which have a negative effect on the social workers and clients. Motivation work with the client involves getting the client motivated to agree to treatment irrespective of whether he wants it or not and occurs in the form of hidden power and threats, where the client's free will, not will be considered. The application of goal and purpose of the LVM- law have shown to differ significantly in different municipalities in Stockholm county since there is a wide range of discretion, dependent on the existence of a wide discretion and interpretability of the law and that no standard model is to follow.

Research on psychosocial health in social work isn't developed enough. Instead, there's much more research on psychosocial unhealth. What about social workers, the unhealth is often related to the situation at work and the work environment. The aim of this study was to "during interviews understand the factors which social workers experience as important to maintain their own psychosocial health in the life situations". With hermeneutic method the particular interest was directed on how the participants experienced and explained their psychosocial health on the basis of their life situations, and the results was analyzed with Antonovsky's (1991/2005) perspective directed on health and Sense of Coherence (SOC). In the study, we used a qualitative form of interviews which allowed our participants to answer with their own words and from how they interpreted the questions. We have made interviews with eight social workers in a average municipality in Sweden. The results are shown qualitatively in current text. With our interest in social workers´ psychosocial health, we have understood that it's complicated to make a partition line between the life at work and the private life when it comes to the social workers´ experiences of factors that helps to maintain psychosocial health. Instead, it's about to understand the social worker's psychosocial health as a whole, on the basis of the work as well as the private life. In comparison to research on psychosocial unhealth, our participants said that it's especially the private life, rather than the life at work, that influences and sometimes even controls the psychosocial health in general. Nevertheless, there were plural factors at work which were experienced as especially important to maintain the psychosocial health, for example a "good director", "good colleagues", "ability to let go of the liability for clients" and a working situation where you "work two together" plus "experience and knowledge" from the whole life situations. In private life, and in addition to work, the experiences were about "enriching leisure time", social support from friends and family and the ability to make "reasonable demands and limits for yourself" in private life as well as at work.