A Social Services Act was introduced in 2016 to avoid differences concerning assessments between municipalities and to improve legal certainty and equal treatment among applicants. This study is aiming at investigating social security officers’ assessment of applications for income support in order to fulfill the legislator’s aim of the actual act. In more details, the study uncovers criteria for how the social security officers assess whether clients are actively seeking employment or not.   A qualitative approach based on individual semi-structured interviews is conducted with six social security officers from three Swedish municipalities. Interviews are based on a fictional case. Lipsky’s theory of Street-level bureaucrats and Hasenfeld’s Human service organizations theory are applied to analyze collected interviews. The result shows that the amendment in the Social Service Act does not induce major changes in social security officers’ routines. There are various factors influencing these officers’ decision making regarding the clients’ activities to search for jobs. Decision-making is contextually dependent and there is room for discretion concerning the interpretation of the actual Social Service Act. Therefore this act might be improved in order to achieve equal treatment and legal certainty.

The aim of this essay was to study how social workers work with clients who suffer from addiction problems. The study enlightens how the legal framework concerning the legislation of social services can be seen as either a possibility or restriction in terms of processing social welfare. Furthermore the purpose with the study was to examine what demands that are set at clients with addiction problems. To work with the clients motivation is a reacurring theme that contains both social workers latitude and the demands that are made on the clients. The empirical data is based on interviews with four social workers within the administration of social welfare in commune X. The data in the study was transcribed and organized to be able to analyze. The outcome of the study shows that the legislation fills a fundamental importance in the daily work of the social workers. This is set into seeing that the assignments in the daily work of the social workers appear to be relatively complex. It is shown to be clear that the legislation entails problems regarding differences in the social workers decision making which can raise dissatisfaction among the clients. Additionally, the result in the studie shows the importance of good relations between social workers and clients to promote the work and use the good prerequisites. Consequently, the study does also illuminate some positive aspects in relation to the social workers ability, within their authority, making individual assessment.

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka hur socialsekreterare verksamma på ekonomiskt bistånd upplever sitt handlingsutrymme med hänsyn till verksamhetens ekonomiska krav samt ur ett rättssäkerhetsperspektiv. Som utgångspunkt i studien tillämpas det teoretiska perspektivet New Public Management som menar att offentlig sektor under de senaste årtiondena har formats efter företagsliknande strukturer. Sju socialsekreterare på socialtjänstens avdelning för ekonomiskt bistånd i en kommun i Sverige intervjuades enligt semistrukturerade intervjuer. I resultatet framkommer det att centrala påverkansfaktorer av handlingsutrymmet såsom personliga värderingar, det kollegiala stödet samt omgivande aktörers ageranden identifieras. Vidare påvisar resultatet att samtliga informanter upplever sitt handlingsutrymme som stort samt att ekonomiska krav inte påverkar handlingsutrymmet då det alltid föreligger en individuell bedömning. Något intressant är att det tycks råda en motsägelsefullhet eftersom informanterna ändå identifierar begränsningar i handlingsutrymmet. Vidare tycks den individuella bedömningen, som ger stort utrymme för tolkning, möjliggöra att rättssäkerheten kan äventyras. / <p>2019-01-15</p>

In previous research the lack of usage of a child perspective and child participation has been a recurring theme. The purpose of this study is to examine the usage of a child perspective within social assistance where the target group is adults and the main goal of the work is to support households to self-sufficiency. This study’s aim is to further highlight the presence of a child perspective, child participation and how social workers collaborate with other units within matters concerning children. This qualitative study has used research interviews as it’s data collecting method, the empirical material consists of interviews with six social workers who all work within one social assistance unit at a social services office. The results show the difficulties of defining what it means to practice a child perspective within one’s work. It also puts focus on the dilemma of wanting to practice a child perspective and their increased participation, versus how the respondents view their task as social workers within social assistance. The conclusions of this study further raise a question on how children's participation and a child perspective can be integrated into the practical work of social assistance.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the degree of discipline in social services may be the reason why more children are evicted in one municipality in Stockholm, compared to another. Since our purpose was to study the degree of discipline in social services work with eviction cases where children are concerned, discipline is therefore a central part of the study. The interest in the subject arose from our prior understanding that social services approach to discipline may affect the extent of evictions. In order to answer the study’s question at issue, a qualitative interview was conducted to create an understanding of the discipline and a vignette study was conducted to compare the social workers assessments in two municipalities in Stockholm, Högstad and Lågby. The study's interviews and vignette study was complemented with previous research related to the topic. The theoretical perspective was the basis for the analysis of the empirical study and consisted interconnection of theory by Michel Foucaults as well as Greta Marie Skaus and Erich Fromms perspective which helped us create a better understanding of the discipline in social services. In conclusion, we discussed thoughts and ideas that arose during the study and the results show, among other things, obvious elements of discipline in social services. Additional knowledge from the study contributed to increased understanding was in which way the social services approach to discipline affects their assessments in eviction cases where children are concerned.

The purpose of this study was to examine social workers working process in social assistance with focus on the child´s perspective. We were interested in learning about the existence of variations in approach and attitude between two municipalities. Question to be answered about what methods and approaches used by social workers to include the child´s perspective in the process of social assistance. Another question to be answered about what the manner in which social workers took into account the child´s perspective when the families apply for social assistance in relation to the operations and requirement. To fulfill the purpose, qualitative methods were used. Interviews were conducted with six social workers, three social workers in each municipality. The results of the interviews were analyses based on research and knowledge reviews and based on theory of street level bureaucracy. The study´s results show variations between the two municipalities in the social workers account of the child´s perspective in social assistance. The results also show that there was no established method or model in municipalities that made it clear to examiners how the child´s perspective should be taken into account in work with families. Instead the social workers of laws, policies, local conditions and the officers´ own discretion assumed how to best take in to account the child´s perspective in the work. When families applied for social assistance, social workers always tried to consider the child´s perspective. Families with children had the opportunity to be granted extra efforts that benefited children and the requirements were not as strict for families with children, as for other individuals without children who applied for social assistance.

This is a study about the social work profession and the changes which now is being implemented, influenced by efficiency and digitalization. How social services works with financial assistance for those who can’t earn their own living is changing. The traditional street-level bureaucracy with face to face-meetings is being replaced by a more digital work method: “Trelleborgsmodellen”, where the bureaucrat doesn't meet the client during the assessment of the need of financial assistance. The data for the study was collected via three focus groups held in Trelleborg, Gotland and Lidköping. The result showed that bureaucrats in Lidköping and on Gotland had a fear that important details could go missing with the removal of the face to face-meeting. That fear was not present in Trelleborg, were they instead talked about all the benefits that they saw with a simplified, fast and effective administration process. That simplified process is a result of deskilling, the need for education in social work doesn't exist anymore in Trelleborg.

Social welfare - A study on the introduction of robotic techniques in social services We have studied how administrators in social services experience the new work method with robotic techniques. Based on a focus group interview and two deep interviews, the finding shows that it is important to provide information and time when making a reorganization. The new work method has caused concern among the administrators about the future of social work. They are critical of how the implementation process has been addressed. The results we gained show that the administrators look forward to the future regarding robotic techniques, even though their attitudes have been negative. Based on our findings we have concluded that the decision of implementing robotic techniques has been made at higher level and that the administrators lacked influence in the decision-making process. We have also made observations of what have been published in the media to see how the attitudes of the administrators were influenced by what is written.    Keywords: Social welfare, robotic techniques, attitudes, mass media, social services

Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka hur barnperspektivet beaktas i socialtjänstens handläggning av ekonomiskt bistånd. Metoden som använts är en kvalitativ intervjustudie, där sex socialsekreterare som arbetar med handläggning av ekonomiskt bistånd inom en viss kommun har intervjuats. Studien utgår från handlingsutrymme som teoretisk tolkningsram. Studien är av relevans för socialt arbete då barn som befinner sig i familjer med ekonomiskt bistånd utgör en utsatt grupp som riskerar att hamna i fortsatt social utsatthet även i vuxen ålder. Studien visar att en majoritet av socialsekreterarna uppfattar barnperspektivet som otydligt angivet och att det finns en osäkerhet i hur man ska arbeta utifrån detta. Studien visar även att barn tenderar bli osynliga i handläggningen av ekonomiskt bistånd, samt att socialsekreterarna uppfattar att de inte har tillräckliga förutsättningar att arbeta utifrån ett barnperspektiv. Studien visar vidare att majoriteten av socialsekreterarna hyser önskemål om att arbeta mer utifrån ett barnperspektiv. / The purpose of the essay is to investigate how the child perspective is taken into consideration in the social services' management of financial assistance. The method used is a qualitative interview study. Six social workers within financial assistance have been interviewed. The study is based on the theory of discretion, and is of relevance to social work since children in families who receive financial assistance constitute a vulnerable group who is at risk of ending socially vulnerable even in adulthood. The results of the study show that most of the social workers perceive the child perspective as unclear. The study also shows that children tend to be invisible in financial assistance, and that the social workers perceive that they do not have sufficient conditions to work from a child perspective. The study further shows that most of the social workers have a request to work more from a child perspective.

The aim of this study was to explore job-coaches and work consultant’s discretion in work with activation of social assistance recipients. Semistructured interviews have been conducted with 4 job-coaches and 4 work consultants within 2 different municipalities. The interviews have been analyzed using Lipsky's theory on street-level bureaucracy and new institutional organization theory. The results of the study showed that job-coaches and work consultant’s report having a large discretion in the work with activation. Further results show that their experienced discretion in their work is not assessed as being affected by the level of education and age but that the work experience is seen essential. On an organizational level a large supply of activation measures and routines giving support was viewed as important. On a political level political priorities was viewed as an important aspect in regards to the discretion. / Syftet med den föreliggande studien har varit att undersöka jobbcoachers och arbetskonsulenters handlingsutrymme i aktiveringsarbetet med socialbidragsklienter. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med 8 jobbcoacher och arbetskonsulenter i två kommuner. Intervjumaterialet har analyserats med hjälp av Lipsky´s teori om fornlinjebyråkrati och nyinstitutionell organisationsteori.  Studiens resultat visade att jobbcoacher och arbetskonsulenter upplever en stor handlingsfrihet i arbetet med aktivering. Vidare resultat visar att det upplevda handlingsutrymmet i arbetet bedöms inte påverkas av utbildningsnivå och ålder men att yrkeserfarenhet upplevs som betydelsefull. På organisationsnivå ansågs ett stort utbud av aktiveringsåtgärder och stöd inom verksamheten vara av vikt. På politisk nivå ansågs politiska prioriteringar som en viktig aspekt när det gäller handlingsutrymme.