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The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of resource schools 1 as a human services organization and institution, based on teachers and principals’ perspectives. The purpose of resource schools is to provide the students tools and resources to enable them to return to the regular school within two years. The study also aims to examine more closely how this objective applies to the studied resource schools in the studied municipality, as well as highlighting the success factors and barriers that exist to achieve the goal. Previous studies show that this kind of differential practice tends to become a permanent solution. The categorization of the children concerned may also affect their future negatively. Four interviews were conducted with six teachers and principals at three of the municipalities’ four resource schools. The results shows that teachers and principals are defending resource school as an institution because they fulfill a need that regular schools do not. Staff expertise and pedagogical design are described as success factors. The study also shows that the objective to return to regular school rarely is reached. The barriers described include lack of collaboration between the resource schools and regular schools and their inability to adapt the working environment for the target group of students. Teachers and principals can also be seen as barriers as explained by neo-institutional organization theory

The purpose of this study was to analyze how the key staff concept is used in residential care for children and young people and which role the key staff concept plays in the organization. The study was based on semi-structured qualitative interviews with six key staff and two managers from two different residential care facilities for children and young people. The theoretical perspective used was the neo-institutional theory and Hasenfeld´s term Human service organizations. One of the conclusions of the study was that the key staff describe that they have a central role when it comes to the treatment of the children. Another conclusion showed the variety of tasks that the key staff have, like the administrative work that they do. They also have an educational role, similar to the one that parents normally have which means that they are responsible of parenting the children. They also described themselves as a link between the children and their social network. The people interviewed justified the use of the key staff concept as it gives structure for the work, security to the children and serves as a guide on how to create and maintain relationships. The institutional processes shown in the key staff concept are: the coercive, which can be seen by the obligation to follow the treatment plans. The mimetic, since it exists only a few ways to organize the work and the normative which shows that their education and/or the level of education can affect the approach that they have towards the children.

<p>Personal assistance from a welfare perspective, offering a variety of reasons is perceived as a different design assistance than is usually there in the public social assistance depending on the strong foundations of the handicap principle autonomy and influence is in terms of how, what and when the operation is performed. The aim of our study was to highlight the handicap principle influence and autonomy in the operation of personal assistance. It is intended both to illustrate the legislature's intentions and ideologues expectations and also to examine a number of managers and personal assistants experiences of the conditions that exist for realize these principles. In order to answer our purpose and our issues, we have chosen a qualitative approach. We have first conducted a literature review and secondly implemented six interviews with personal assistants and managers. As theoretical analysis concepts are used formulations in the process and legislation as well as previous research on the handicap principle influence and self-determination and also Hasenfelds theory of human service organizations. We chose an integrated performance analysis and reporting of our study materials. The results showed that the proportion of the disability, relationships and the organization is of importance for the realization of the handicap principle influence and autonomy. This indicates an intent which is diverse and complex since there are several aspects to consider in organizations where people are the raw material.</p>

Statistics about violence experienced by women with disabilities are alarming, and yet, the reporting of this specific form of violence is neglected. Previous research indicates that though interpersonal violence affects women with disabilities like a hidden “epidemic”, the phenomenon is severely underreported. Women with disabilities frequently come in contact with human service providers; however, provider-based prejudice coupled with lack of education about women’s issues result in failing to screen for violence, or error in reporting. This study focused on measuring disability service providers’ competence in understanding and reporting interpersonal violence as experienced by women with disabilities. The objective of this study was to develop a self-assessment instrument to quantify service providers’ expertise in understanding, screening and reporting of interpersonal violence as experienced by women with disabilities. Data were collected in two phases. In the first phase, for the pilot study, data were acquired from 15 expert members; in the second phase, for the main study, data were obtained from 203 Masters level human service providers. Once collected, data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis with Promax rotation to establish validity. The instrument thus generated was designated as SPCV-WD (Human Service Provider Competence about reporting Violence on Women with Disability scale), and it comprised of four factors (perception, training, screening and reporting, and awareness). These four factors loaded on 40 items, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha value of .833, explaining 45% of the total variance. Four dimensions of competency were identified from the qualitative data collected through the comments of participating service providers in the main study: absence of training, learning from personal interest, necessity of addressing violence, relevance of addressing abuse. This scale can be considered a reliable and valid measure to evaluate service provider competence in understanding and reporting violence as experienced by women with disabilities. It has the potential to be used for intervention and reform in academic and professional training pertaining to interpersonal violence. As this was an initial, exploratory study, future studies are essential to verify and confirm the factor structure and the psychometric properties of SPCV-WD. Keywords: instrument development, competence measurement, violence, women with disabilities, human service providers

The purpose of this essay is to investigate the factors that influence the middle-managers' way of handling challenging situations at work. The questions include in which way managers handle the demands and expectations of the professional role, but also what factors they consider as important to be able to cope with these challenges. The material that forms the basis for this study is four dissertations which all deal with issues concerning the leadership that is conducted at the operational level. The theoretical basis of the study includes various theoretical concepts such as social action, coping strategies and social support. Also, parts from the dramatic perspective have been retrieved where Erving Goffman's theory about “the mediator” is relevant to current essay. Previous research explains how middle managers get in a difficult position between the different actors' interests within the organization. The research also describes the complexity of middle-level leadership. The results of the present study shows that managers handle difficult situations at work by balancing loyalties, seeking support at work, and relate to the leadership role in a certain way. The factors that affect whether managers can handle challenges are due to personal or organizational factors, such as the orientation of the organization, the amount of social support or the influence of the personal life. / Studien syftar till att undersöka vilka faktorer som har betydelse för hur mellanchefer hanterar de utmaningar som präglar ledarskapet.Forskningsfrågorna besvarar på vilket sätt cheferna hanterar de krav och förväntningar som ställs på yrkesrollen, men också vilka faktorer som de anser skapar förutsättningar för att kunna hantera dessa krav och förväntningar. Det material som analyserats och som utgör grunden för studien är fyra avhandlingar som alla behandlar frågeställningar kring det ledarskap som bedrivs närmast verksamheten inom vård och omsorg. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkter innefattar olika teoretiska begrepp såsom socialt handlande, copingstrategier samt socialt stöd. Även delar från det dramaturgiska perspektivet har hämtats där Erving Goffmans teori ommedlaren utgör relevans för föreliggande studie. Tidigare forskning redogör för hur mellanchefer hamnar i en klämd position mellan olika aktörers intressen inom organisationen, forskningen beskriver också den komplexitet som ett ledarskap på mellannivå innebär. Föreliggande studies resultat visar att chefer hanterar svåra situationer i arbetet genom att balansera lojaliteter, söka stöd i arbetet och förhålla sig på ett visst sätt till ledarrollen. De faktorer som påverkar huruvida cheferna anser att de kan hantera utmaningar beror på personliga alternativt organisatoriska faktorer, såsom verksamhetens inriktning, upplevt stöd och privatlivets karaktär.

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The increase of standardized working methods in social work is a well discussed topic due to the fact that the social workers have to practice social discretion in their profession. Previous research into the topic of work methods for social work and work involving human service organizations has been extensive. Many previous works have appraised standardized working methods as this is believed to effectivize and legitimize social work further. However, another school of thought argues that standardized methods may limit the worker and prevent them from making crucial decisions based on their own judgment. This study presents and discusses how standardized working methods may affect the social workers liberty to act of their own accord by using their professional discretion. Furthermore, the study discusses how standardized methods of work may affect the overall profession of social work altogether. The findings suggest that, although standardized working methods may be very effective, they must still allow room for individual judgment as well. This will ensure that rules and regulations are followed and the goals of the organization are being met, without compromising on the important relationship between social workers and their clients. A recurring theme throughout this study is the complexity of social work.

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The study aims to describe and analyse the relationship between norm and practice regarding social services casework on honour-related problems. The relationship between norm and practice involves the difference between the way it is intended that social workers shall operate in these cases and how they perceive that this works in practice. We interviewed two focus groups of eight Swedish social workers, four in each group. We also held an individual interview with a social services business developer. Focus group interviews were based on two vignettes; one depicting an honour-related case and the second an "ordinary" case. The purpose of the vignettes was to investigate whether there is a difference in the assessment and handling of ordinary versus honour-related cases. The results of the interviews were analysed using Hasenfeld's theory on Human service organizations. We also used Lipsky's theory on street-level bureaucracy. We displayed similarities to previous research showing that social workers are unsure of how to assess and act on honour-related cases. It was evident that the social workers we interviewed were confident working "ordinary" cases involving child abuse, but felt uncertain dealing with honour-related cases. Because they are less frequent they have developed neither routines nor guidelines for them. The study showed that social workers’ lack of knowledge of honour-related problems and differences in culture limits their effectiveness in these cases. The results suggest that the social workers we interviewed rely on outside expertise when they are insecure, and consequently feel that they have no need for action plans or guidelines in honour-related cases. Lack of guidance and inadequate knowledge presents difficulties for social workers to meet the girls’ needs for help and support.