The present study explores how members of staff at HVB for unaccompanied minors experience their work tasks, their roles as care givers, and what they mean it takes to meet the needs of the children. The data consists of six semi-structured interviews conducted at three different HVB. The interviews were analysed using reports made by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) and the health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO), and theories about resilience from mental illness. Furthermore, the current paper draws on previous research on the needs of unaccompanied minors and on international professionals’ roles and work tasks. The results show that the staff’s main task is to meet some of the needs of the children as their need of security, support, stability and sense of belonging. Time, knowledge, personal suitability and formal training were emphasized as important characteristics in order for them to adequately respond to the children’s needs. / Denna kvalitativa studie undersöker hur personal - på hem för vård eller boende (HVB) för ensamkommande barn - upplever sina arbetsuppgifter, sin yrkesroll samt vad de menar behövs för att kunna bemöta barnens behov. Empirin består av 6 st semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomförda på 3 olika HVB. Intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån Socialstyrelsens och Inspektionen för vård och omsorgs (IVO´s) tidigare rapporter, forskning om ensamkommande barns behov, internationell personals roll och arbetsuppgifter samt teorier om vad som hjälper människor i återhämtning från psykisk ohälsa. Resultatet visar att personalens huvudsakliga arbetsuppgifter är att möta några av barnens behov, nämligen barnens behov av trygghet, vuxenstöd, vardaglig stabilitet och att känna sig hemma. För detta krävs tid och rätt kompetens. För att personalen ska kunna bemöta dessa behov framhölls personlig lämplighet, engagemang och formell kunskap som viktigt.

<p>The purpose of the study was, with initial position from two particular youth homes, to survey the staff’s experiences regarding different youth cultures that might occur at the institutions and how they react to them. The question formulations were as follows: What kind of youth cultures might occur at the institution and how are they being expressed, according to some of the staff members? How do the same staff members, individually, see their role and prospect to influence the type of youth culture that is developing on the institution? Earlier research in the field were used as theoretical starting positions as well as the concepts of “looking-glass self“, “the generalized other” and ”the overtaking of roles” in the symbolic-interactionism. Qualitative research interviews were carried through with three of the employees at the two youth homes and the results of the study evinced that both positive and negative youth cul-tures develops at both of the institutions, concluding the fact that youths affect each other both ways. The results of the positive culture is that the youths identifies themselves with other youths, support each other and by comprehending more might change their attitude toward different matters. The negative culture might be expressed with youths who bring their trou-bles to the institution, youths who discuss divergent subjects within the group, exposure to bad influence which leads to negative behaviour. Henceforth, the personnel considered that they have a propitious potential to influence the youths and the conditions between them. It was deemed crucial that the personnel group acted alike and kept a jointly approach toward the youths.</p>

The purpose of the study was, with initial position from two particular youth homes, to survey the staff’s experiences regarding different youth cultures that might occur at the institutions and how they react to them. The question formulations were as follows: What kind of youth cultures might occur at the institution and how are they being expressed, according to some of the staff members? How do the same staff members, individually, see their role and prospect to influence the type of youth culture that is developing on the institution? Earlier research in the field were used as theoretical starting positions as well as the concepts of “looking-glass self“, “the generalized other” and ”the overtaking of roles” in the symbolic-interactionism. Qualitative research interviews were carried through with three of the employees at the two youth homes and the results of the study evinced that both positive and negative youth cul-tures develops at both of the institutions, concluding the fact that youths affect each other both ways. The results of the positive culture is that the youths identifies themselves with other youths, support each other and by comprehending more might change their attitude toward different matters. The negative culture might be expressed with youths who bring their trou-bles to the institution, youths who discuss divergent subjects within the group, exposure to bad influence which leads to negative behaviour. Henceforth, the personnel considered that they have a propitious potential to influence the youths and the conditions between them. It was deemed crucial that the personnel group acted alike and kept a jointly approach toward the youths.