Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka de konsekvenser som uppstår när lagändringar påverkar socialarbetares förutsättningar och yrkesidentitet i arbetet med ensamkommande unga. Då flera lagändringar har skett i kontakt med det sociala arbetet har jag valt SFS 2016:752. Med lagen så infördes tidsbegränsade uppehållstillstånd och begränsade möjligheter för familjeåterförening med anhöriginvandring samtidigt skärptes försörjningskraven för anhöriga. Studien har genomförts med kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta socialarbetare som varit arbetsverksamma med målgruppen ensamkommande unga innan och efter lagändringen. Intervjuerna har sedan utgjort det material som analyserats med hjälp av en teoretisk referensram som bygger på socialarbetarens yrkesidentitet, yrkesroll och profession samt tidigare forskning. Studiens resultat visar att förutsättningarna som förändrades skapade konsekvenser som påverkar socialarbetarnas arbetssituation både internt inom verksamheten och externt mot andra instanser samt mellan socialarbetare och hjälpsökande ungdom. Respondenterna påverkades även i sitt privatliv. Resultatet och analysen visar att yrkesrollen och yrkesidentiteten separeras när yrkesrollen förändras med SFS 2016:752. Yrkesidentiteten ställs på sin spets och socialarbetarens egna etiska kompass avgör hur det sociala arbetet ska genomföras. Med förändringarna av lagen försvinner också resurser från socialarbetarnas arbete och kompensatoriska strategier skapas. Socialarbetarna påverkas i olika grad på en hälsonivå av de konsekvenser som uppstår i situationen, vilket enligt studiens resultat hör ihop med handledning, hantering av empati och känslokontroll. / The Purpose of this studie has been to investigate how the socialworkers professional identity in relation with unaccompanied refugee children, has been effected by amendments of the law. Since several amendments of the law has been in contact with the social work I have chosen SFS 2016:750. With this amendment timelimted residence permits was initiated which limited possibilities for family reuinons with a relative background, in the midst of this the sustention demands was hardened. Eight social workers has been interviewed in a qualitative, semi-structured manner. These social workers has been involved professionally with the target group constisting of unaccompanied refugee children, both prior and after that the amendment of the law was made. The Interviews has then been the foundation of the material that has been analysed with the help of a theorecital frame of reference that is the foundation of the socialworkers professional identity and role, previously conducted research has also been accounted for. The results of the studie concludes that when the prerequesites are changed it also changes the social workers profesional situation, both internally and externally, in regards of the relation between the social worker and the refugee children. Also the private life of the respondends were effected. The result and analysis show that the Professional identity and role got separated when the professional role are changed when SFS 2016:752 was amended. The Professional identity is put to the test and the social workers own ethical compas decides how the social work itself should be performed. Amendments of the law also reflects on the social workers professional work and compensatory strategies are made. The social workers are affected on different levels of health by the consequences that appear in the sitiation, the results of the studie shows that this relates to guidance, empathy managemant and emotional control.

The aim of this study was to create an understanding about what kind of knowledge social workers, that work in social services, use in determining a child's participation in an investigation with the focus on the child's maturity and age. We also had the aim to get an understanding about if the reasoning about a child's maturity could lead to learning. With a qualitative approach and with semi structured interviews, seven social workers were interviewed. We were inspired of an hermeneutical approach. As the theoretical starting point, the concepts of knowledge, discretion and learning were used to analyze our data.  The conclusion of this study was that social workers use a combination of several knowledge forms when assessing children's participation based on maturity. Tacit knowledge, scientific knowledge and institutionalized knowledge were used mainly to gather information to assess the maturity of the children. Articulated knowledge and bodily knowledge were used in the reasoning in how to make children participated. The use of several forms of knowledge in combination with the reasoning of children's participation based on maturation leads to learning. However, the social workers implied that the children's participation wasn’t depending on maturity, rather that maturity only determined in which way the child was going to be participated.

BBIC, Barns behov i centrum, är ett arbetssätt, dokumentations- och handläggningssystem, vars syfte är att främja ett kunskapsbaserat socialt arbete. Under 2014 fick Socialstyrelsen i uppdrag av regeringen att vidareutveckla systemet. Revideringen syftade dels till att göra BBIC lättare att använda och att öka delaktigheten för barn och unga. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka socialsekreterares upplevelser av revideringen, utifrån dessa två delmål. Sex intervjuer genomfördes i tre olika kommuner i Mellansverige. Resultatet av studien visade att revideringen bidragit till ett betydligt enklare, tydligare och framförallt bättre strukturerat arbete, vilket minskat den tidsåtgång som tidigare lagts på dokumentation. Detta i sin tur innebar att det blivit lättare att informera, involvera och göra barn och unga mer delaktiga.  Studiens resultat tyder därmed på att BBIC efter revideringen har blivit lättare att använda och att delaktigheten har ökat. / BBIC is a working method, documentation and processing system with children’s needs in focus. The purpose is to promote social work based on knowledge. During 2014, the National Board of Health and Welfare was authorised by the government to further develop BBIC. The study partly focused on making BBIC easier to use and to increase the participation of children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to look into social workers’ experiences after that the revision took place. Six interviews were conducted in three different municipalities in the middle of Sweden. The result of the study showed that the revised BBIC contributed to a significantly simpler, clearer and above all a more structured way of working, reducing the time previously used on documentation. This in turn meant that it became easier to inform and to involve children and adolescents. The study result therefore indicates that BBIC has become easier to use after the revision and that the participation has increased.

Studien syftar till att undersöka erfarenheter som handläggare av personlig assistans har av att arbeta i en kontext som är föränderlig till följd av rättspraxis och Försäkringskassans tolkning och tillämpning av den. Studien syftar även till att undersöka de konsekvenser som detta medför för LSS-handläggarna i deras yrkesutövning och vilka konsekvenser som de anser att det fått för brukarna. För att uppnå syftet har semistrukturerade intervjuer använts som datainsamlingsmetod. Den teoretiska ansatsen har bestått av Michael Lipskys teori om gräsrotsbyråkrater och handlingsutrymme och Andrew Jametons koncept om etisk stress.  En bearbetning av empirin har genomförts i enlighet med tematisk analys. Olika krav och svårigheter har uppstått för LSS-handläggarna i deras yrkesutövning, såsom konflikt mellan deras professionella värderingar och den institutionella kontexten och att kunna bemöta brukare i oro och kris. Handläggarna är genomgående kritiska till Försäkringskassans restriktiva och detaljstyrda tolkning och tillämpning av den rättspraxis som ska vara styrande för dem båda. Vissa grupper av brukare har som konsekvens av förändrad rättspraxis och Försäkringskassans tolkning och tillämpning av den i stort sett uteslutits från rätten till personlig assistans. I diskussionen förs resonemang om LSS-handläggarnas yrkeskompetens, deras handlingsutrymme och etisk stress samt detaljstyrningens påverkan och konsekvenser för brukarna. / The purpose of the following study is to investigate the experiences that social workers have of working in a context that is changing with precedents and the Swedish social insurance agency's, Försäkringskassan’s, interpretation and application of them. The purpose is further to explore the consequences this has for LSS-administrators in their work and for their clients. In order to achieve this aim semi structured interviews has been used as a data collection method. The theoretical approach consists of Michael Lipsky's theory of grassroots bureaucrats and discretion as well as Andrew Jameton's concept of moral distress. The data has been processed in accordance of thematic analysis. Difficulties has emerged for LSS-administrators in their work, such as conflict between their professional values and the institutional context and meeting most anxious clients in crisis. The LSS-administrators are critical of Försäkringskassan’s restrictive and detailed interpretation and application of precedents. Some groups of clients have as a consequence of changed jurisprudence and Försäkringskassan’s interpretation and application of it more or less been excluded from the right to personal assistance.   We discuss the LSS-administrators professional competence, their discretion and ethical stress as well as the consequences detailed interpretation has for the clients.

The purpose of this research study was to assess the control function of social work managers. The basic focus of the study is on how they perceive this management function of control as they exercise it, as well as how it is exercised to them. Out of two research methods that one can choose from, namely quantitative and qualitative, the quantitative was chosen as the relevant one to use because of the specific close-ended questions that were to be answered by respondents regarding the exercise of control as a management function. Out of twenty five (25) questionnaires, an analysis of data was done on twenty (N = 20), because that was the original target and the five were just distributed in case some could not answer for whatever reason. The findings and responses from the respondents were analysed and interpreted to meet the main objectives of the study. / Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel wat die kontrole funksie van ’n maatskaplikewerk-bestuurder is. Hierdie studie is gefokus op hoe die bestuursfunksie beleef word soos dit beoefen word. Van die twee navorsingsmetodes waaruit gekies kan word, naamlik kwalitatief en kwantitatief, is daar besluit dat die kwantitatiewe metode meer relevant sal wees omdat dit spesifieke geslote vrae vra wat ingestel is op die bestuursfunksie van kontrole. Uit die 25 vraelyste is die data van 20 (N = 20) vraelyste ontleed, aangesien dit die aanvanklike teiken was. Daar is 5 ekstra uitgedeel net ingeval daar persone sou wees wat nie die vraelys kon voltooi nie. Die bevindinge en reaksie van die 20 ondervraagdes is ontleed en geïnterpreteer om die basiese doel van die studie te bereik. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Social Work)

The dynamics of the youth shelters and the repercutions to children and adolescents after being in such institutions have been increasingly studied. In 2009, a new Law was created, proposing renewal of the existing practices in such places, which have already been changed since the Children and Adolescents Statute. From such starting point, the research which originates the following thesis aimed to know how psychologists and social workers, employees of technical teams of youth shelters, perceive some of the changes of the new National Adoption Law (Law 12010/2009). It is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study, carried out with eight professionals, four psychologists and four social workers, the total number of professionals of youth shelters in the city where the research was carried out. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with openended questions, which were analyzed through content analysis. Results are presented in three articles. In the first of them, the aim is to understand the changes that the new Law may bring to the relationship among families and youth shelters. The interviewed professionals show consistent knowledge about the new Law and highlight good initiatives concerning the work towards families of children and adolescents in such situation. However, some stigmatizing discourses related to the families are identified. The second article reflects about the understanding of the interviewed professionals about the changes in their work, after the new Law. Such study points out that youth shelters are understood by participants as places that combine the old and new features of the institutionalization history, which demonstrates that there are ambivalences and practices that need to be overcome. Yet, a movement generated by the new National Adoption Law regarding the practice of interviewed professionals is clear, demanding more agility and speed in the development of the work. The third article concerns family reinsertion, problematizing such practice that is encouraged by the new Law. Results evidence that professionals exhaust the possiblities of searching for the family, and only after, try to guarantee family and community living, counting on the extensive family, which presents peculiarities, according to the participants. In order to promote reinsertion, listening to the family has been valued, guiding the actions. Results also focus the facilities and the difficulties during the resinsertions process, the practices used to promote it and the farewell from the institution. The reality portrayed in such articles shows that it is not possible to infer general characteristics about the situation. However, there seems to be a movement of change happening, as concerns the total number of participants, showing the advance or the stagnation evidenced in their discourses do not refer to the lack of knowledge about the new law, but to the closeness or the distance of the prevailing practices throughout the years. / A dinâmica das instituições de acolhimento institucional e as repercussões trazidas às crianças e aos adolescentes, em função da passagem por estas entidades, têm sido cada vez mais estudadas. No ano de 2009, surgiu uma nova lei que propôs uma renovação de práticas existentes nesses locais, os quais já vinham sendo transformados desde o Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente. Partindo desse pressuposto, a pesquisa que origina a presente dissertação teve por objetivo geral conhecer como psicólogos e assistentes sociais, funcionários das equipes técnicas de instituições de acolhimento institucional, percebem algumas das mudanças na nova Lei Nacional de Adoção (Lei 12010/2009). Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, de caráter exploratório e descritivo, realizado com oito profissionais, quatro psicólogos e quatro assistentes sociais, que compõem a totalidade de técnicos das instituições de acolhimento na cidade onde a pesquisa foi realizada. Foram utilizadas entrevistas semidirigidas de questões abertas, as quais foram analisadas por meio de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados são apresentados em três artigos. No primeiro deles, busca-se compreender as mudanças que a nova Lei pode trazer para a relação entre as famílias e as instituições de acolhimento. Considera-se que os profissionais entrevistados demonstram muita propriedade acerca do conhecimento sobre a nova Lei e destacam boas iniciativas com relação ao trabalho direcionado às famílias das crianças e dos adolescentes em acolhimento. Entretanto, cabe salientar que ainda se identificam alguns discursos estigmatizantes em relação às famílias. O segundo artigo reflete sobre a compreensão dos profissionais entrevistados acerca das mudanças ocorridas em seu trabalho, a partir da vigência da nova Lei. O estudo aponta que o acolhimento institucional é compreendido pelos participantes como um espaço que ainda agrega o velho e o novo da história da institucionalização, o que demonstra que há ambivalências e práticas que precisam ser ainda superadas. Mesmo assim, fica claro um movimento gerado pela nova Lei Nacional de Adoção na prática dos profissionais entrevistados, o que tem exigido dos mesmos mais agilidade e rapidez no desempenho do trabalho técnico. O terceiro artigo trata da reinserção familiar, problematizando essa prática que passou a ser incentivada pela nova Lei. Os resultados evidenciam que os profissionais procuram esgotar as possibilidades de busca na família para posteriormente partir para outras formas de garantir a convivência familiar e comunitária, utilizando-se também da família extensa, a qual apresenta peculiaridades, de acordo com os participantes. Para promover a reinserção, a escuta da criança tem sido valorizada, guiando as ações. Os resultados enfocam também as facilidades e os entraves presentes na reinserção, as práticas exercidas para promovê-la e ainda a despedida da instituição. Diante da realidade constatada nesses artigos, não há como traçar generalizações sobre esse grupo, mas pode-se dizer que há na totalidade dos participantes um movimento acontecendo e que o avanço ou a estagnação evidenciados em seus discursos não se referem à falta de conhecimento sobre a nova Lei, mas sobretudo à permanência ou o distanciamento acerca das práticas que prevaleceram ao longo dos anos.

This thesis considers whether the concept of resilience is applicable to people ageing with dementia; and, if so, what the implications are for social work practice. It begins with an exploration of the literature on dementia, resilience and social work. Using a symbolic interactionist approach it then details how the interactions of people with dementia and their social workers can potentially influence the realisation of resilience in practice. I collected data over a two year period. During this period six dyads comprising a person with dementia and social worker provided rich verbal accounts of their respective experiences. Using narrative analysis the stories of each person with dementia were explored to reveal threats to identity and possible resilience strategies. A resilience lens was applied to the verbal accounts of social workers in order to reveal opportunities and challenges to using resilience in practice. The findings indicate that identity continues to be of importance to people who are ageing with dementia. The preservation of identity could therefore be re-framed as the outcome of a resilience process. Each person could potentially acquire resources over their life which could help to mitigate threats to identity. This is referred to as the resilience reserve. This thesis details the potential domains of such a reserve. Further, it contains details of possible resilience strategies that a person with dementia might employ within stories of self. These strategies are placed within the context of protective and vulnerability factors in order that a resilience framework can emerge. This thesis argues for a re-framing of theories of what social work is. This, combined with a definition of resilience, and the development of a resilience practice framework could promote and realise the resilience of the person ageing with dementia.

The purpose of this study was to investigate social workers professional experiences of social services statutory responsibilities to provide advice, support and other help to foster families. Furthermore, the purpose was to analyze what factors and conditions that affects social workers ability to provide adequate support. According to both inter-national and Swedish research foster parents are asking for more support. We became curious about how foster care secretaries in Sweden give support. To get this infor-mation we had three focusgroup interviews with a total of twelve social workers. Our three focusgroups were located in municipalities in southern Sweden. The interviews were transcribed and coded for our results. The theoretical perspective we used were Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory about the ecology of human development and the perspec-tive about risk- and protection factors. The study shows that they have quite few sup-port methods to offer the foster homes and the lack of resources (time, education and economy) and vague guidelines are two factors that affects the social workers ability to provide adequate support. Although social services becomes the deputy parent of the foster child and are one protection factor in the child's life, the social services does not receive much attention in forms of for example further education.

Municipalities in Sweden have had severe difficulties with providing housing for newly arrived immigrants that have been granted permanent or temporary residency in Sweden. There is a shortage of affordable apartments and houses in Sweden, due to multiple reasons. The purpose of this essay was to study social workers’ experiences and perceptions of the housing situation for newly arrived immigrants and the tools and strategies they possess to affect the housing situation.  The empirical data has been gathered through semi-structured interviews with seven social workers in three municipalities in Sweden. Our result shows that social workers in this sector have to deal with a wide range of emotions, such as stress, frustration, anger and joy. Furthermore, the result proved that current housing policies are not working in favour of newly arrived immigrants. The social workers interviewed in the study experienced that newly arrived immigrants had very limited possibilities to retain a place to reside in Sweden. We have analyzed our findings through the theoretical concepts of social capital and empowerment, and found that a person’s social capital has a large impact on his or hers housing situation. As a conclusion, we feel that further research about newly arrived immigrants and housing is needed so that unacceptable living conditions for newly arrived immigrants as well as stress and frustration for the people in this line of work can be avoided.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-12-07Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:39:04Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 garcia_jc_me_fran.pdf: 531833 bytes, checksum: db11f217ab69d2451ecebcb5c9ffa5d9 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A nova Política Nacional de Assistência Social organiza a Assistência Social segundo diretrizes baseadas na Constituição Federal de 1988 e na Lei Orgânica da Assistência Social (LOAS), através do Sistema Único de Assistência Social (SUAS). Entre elas, destaca-se a participação - visando o respeito às diferenças e às características sócio-territoriais locais. Essa participação engloba a transferência de poder de decisão, recursos, autonomia administrativa, entre outros. A participação da população, por meio de organizações representativas é fundamental na formulação das políticas de controle das ações, em todos os níveis. Os espaços privilegiados nos quais deve se efetivar essa participação são os Conselhos. Nesses espaços devem estar representados os usuários, as entidades, organizações de Assistência Social e os trabalhadores da área, eleitos em fóruns próprios. A efetivação deste sistema participativo do SUAS representa um desafio para todos, incluindo os Conselheiros do Conselho Municipal de Assistência Social de Franca/SP. Pretendemos, com esta pesquisa, investigar os desafios enfrentados pelos Conselheiros do Conselho Municipal de Assistência Social de Franca/SP no processo participação dos usuários na perspectiva da efetivação do Sistema Único de Assistência Social, compreendendo que a participação da população está diretamente relacionada com o contexto social, político, econômico, sem desconsiderar as especificidades que permeiam cada território, sua cultura; política; relações de poder; demandas sociais, entre outras / The new National Policy of Social Assistance organizes Social Assistance according to the guidelines based on the Federal Constitution of 1988 and in the Organic Law of Social Assistance (OLSA), through the Single System of Social Assistance (SSSA). Among them is the participation - aimed at compliance with the differences and the socioeconomic characteristics local. Such participation involves the transfer of decision-making power, resources, administrative autonomy, among others. The participation of the people, by means of the representative organizations is fundamental in the formulation of policies for the control of the shares, at all levels. Privileged spaces in which must be accomplished this participation are the Councils. In These spaces should be represented the users, entities, organizations, Social Assistance and the workers of the area, elected in forums. The realization of this participatory system of their is a challenge for all, including the Members of the Municipal Council for Social Assistance of France/SP. We wanted, with this research, investigate the challenges faced by the Directors of the Municipal Council for Social Assistance of France/SP in the participation of the users with a view to the realization of the Single System of Social Assistance, understanding that the participation of the population is directly related to the social context, political, economic, without disregarding the specificities that permeate each territory, its culture; politics; power relations; social demands, among others