Online interactions, collaborations, and user-generated content are increasing at an exponential rate, and the rapid adoption of these Web 2.0 applications is putting an ever increasing pressure on public entities to adapt and adopt. �Governing bodies are exploring the benefits and possibilities of Web 2.0 applications, and are developing strategies for integration into the public process. Previous studies have researched the promising use of these tools in planning and community development departments serving the largest cities in the United States. Relatively little study has been done on the use and incorporation of these tools in planning and community development departments that serve smaller, less densely populated areas; areas that by their remote or sparsely populated nature could benefit greatly from easily accessed information exchange. The purpose of this work is to provide a benchmark study for how online, e-participation tools are currently used within planning and community development departments serving communities of 100,000 in population or less. The research also analyzes the demographic characteristics of the populations served by the departments using e-participation tools to explore developing trends in use. Finally, the study examines current barriers for incorporation of these tools into public processes, and attempts to offer developing and future solutions to these barriers. The goal of this research is to help planning departments serving relatively small populations make informed choices as how to best incorporate web-based, e-participation tools into their public process and daily functions. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Undersökningar påvisar att barns delaktighet i socialtjänstens utredningar är bristfällig (Inspektionen för vård och omsorg, 2014). Barns åsikter beskrivs som lågt prioriterade i förhållande till vuxna (Östberg, 2010). Syftet med studien var följaktligen att undersöka hur socialsekreterare uppfattar barns delaktighet i utredningar där barn misstänkts blivit utsatta för våld i hemmet. Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ ansats i form av fokusgruppsintervjuer med socialsekreterare. Delaktighetsmodeller och professionsteori utifrån begreppen jurisdiktion samt handlingsutrymme har tillämpats i analysen av empirin. Resultatet visar att det råder en samstämmighet i hur informanterna definierar barns delaktighet, dock har detta en komplex innebörd i praktiken. Informanterna beskriver att metoder kan främja barns delaktighet. Däremot framträder hinder såsom barns ålder, föräldrars inblandning, hög arbetsbelastning och tidsbrist. Vidare synliggörs att socialsekreterarna ser barn som aktiva deltagare i utredningsarbetet. Skyddsaspekten framhävs dock som starkt styrande för barns delaktighet. Föreliggande studie belyser således att det råder både hinder samt möjligheter i det praktiska arbetet gällande barns delaktighet. / Studies show that children's participation in social services inquiries are flawed (Inspektionen för vård och omsorg, 2014). Children's views are described as a low priority compared to adults (Östberg, 2010). The aim of this study was therefore to examine how social workers perceive children's participation in inquiries where children are suspected of being victims of domestic violence. The study has been conducted with a qualitative approach in the form of focus group interviews with social workers. Participation models and theory of professions based on the concepts of jurisdiction and discretion has been applied in the analysis of empirical data. The result shows that there is a consistency in how the informants define children's participation but that it has a complex meaning in practice. The informants describe that methods can facilitate children's participation. However, it also appears that there are obstacles such as the children’s age, parent’s involvement, high workload and lack of time. Furthermore, the study shows that social workers perceive children as active participants in inquiries. However, the protection aspect is emphasized as a main factor for children's participation. This study thus highlights that there are both obstacles and opportunities in the practical work regarding children's participation.

According to the Conventions on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to make their voices heard and express their opinion in situations concerning them. With this paper the authors have chosen to explore social worker’s view’s on children’s participation and influence, and how these are manifested through the entire case process. The focus in this study has also been the positive and negative effects the children’s influence may have. To investigate this, a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews has been conducted. The interviews of social workers has shown that children have influence, but the extent may vary due to various factors. There are different perceptions of what participation and influence really relate, something that both the interviewed social workers and previous research has pointed out. In doing so, it may be of great importance that social workers continue to talk about children's influence, as well as developing new and more effective methods to make children more involved and give them more influence. This is especially important because of the devastating effects it can have when children are excluded from the decision-making.