The aim of the study was to create a greater understanding concerning social workers'experience and their discretion to balance between voluntary and compulsoryinterventions in child welfare. Furthermore, we wanted to investigate social workers'attitudes regarding the implementation of an intermediate compulsory care accordingto the law regarding compulsory care of children and adolescents. Previous researchhas identified a problem where the child is between voluntary and compulsorylegislation which can lead to the child continuing living in harmful conditions. Theempirical data is based on nine interviews with social workers in child welfareinvestigations units in Sweden. Lipsky's (2010) theory of street-level bureaucrats andthe term discretion were used to analyze the data and interpret the results obtainedfrom the study. The results showed that social workers' experience limited discretion.Strategies that were most successful were the relationship-building between socialworker and caregivers, communicative skills, and the application of the law. Thestudy also revealed that social workers had different points of view regarding animplementation of an intermediate care. Some find the implementation hard toenforce in practice, even though it could result in increased child protection. Theconclusion of the study was that the social workers would rather add moreinterventions than an implementation of an additional compulsory law. / Syftet med studien var att skapa en förståelse för socialsekreterares erfarenheter och deras förmåga att balansera mellan frivilliga och tvingande insatser inom den sociala barnavården. Dessutom ville vi undersöka socialsekreterares inställning till implementeringen av ett mellanvårdstvång enligt 2 § i lagen om särskilda bestämmelser om vård av unga. Tidigare forskning har identifierat ett problem där barnet befinner sig mellan frivilliga- och tvångsinsatser, vilket kan leda till att barnet fortsätter att leva under skadliga förhållanden. Empirin baseras på nio intervjuer med socialsekreterare inom den sociala barnavården i Sverige. Lipskys (2010) teori om street-level bureaucrats och begreppet handlingsutrymme användes för att analysera data och tolka de resultat som erhållits från studien. Resultaten visade att socialsekreterarna upplevde ett begränsat handlingsutrymme. Strategier som var mest framgångsrika var relationsskapande mellan socialsekreterare och vårdnadshavare, kommunikativa färdigheter och tillämpning av lagen. Studien visade också att socialsekreterare hade olika inställningar om implementeringen av ett mellanvårdstvång. Vissa tycker att det är svårt att genomföra i praktiken, även om det skulle kunna leda till ökat skydd för barnet. Slutsatsen av studien var att socialsekreterare hellre vill ha tillgång till fler insatser än en implementering av ytterligare en tvångslagstiftning.

In cases where children and youths are in need of support from various activities in order to have their needs met, authorities shall collaborate towards the common goal: the child’s best interests. The concept lacks an unambiguous definition and professionals should make decisions adjusted to the child’s individual needs. Within the Mobile team, which is an interprofessional form of collaboration between the school and social services, the different professional groups could be characterized by different perspectives. This may lead to different interpretations which can pose a challenge to agree on a joint decision for the child’s best interests. The study is based on a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with six professionals within a mobile team. The theories used to analyze the empirical material is collaboration theory and theory about discretion in decision making. Several noteworthy results were find. The mobile team work early and preventive both generally and with more concrete interventions for the child’s best interests. The work within collaboration can be divided into resourse-, information- and knowledge exchange which creates the opportunity to get at better overall picture of the child. Further, to work for the child’s best interests the mobile team focuses on school, spare time and family, as different areas that are important for the child. Their approach is also characterized by understanding and supporting individual needs. Finally, there are factors that need to be considered to fulfil a successful collaboration. For example, the professionals must be aware of each other’s duties, roles, activities and regulatory systems.