The study presents how school leaders think about relational work within the school (teacher-student), that is, interpersonal meetings in the school and what significance they think they have for students' schooling. The focus is on the relationship between teacher and pupil and on the social climate, where attitudes and approaches that permeate the business is in focus. We have also investigated the principal's responsibilities and the views of pupils with school difficulties. Topics that are raised in connection are attitudes and thoughts about individual and general accommodations and what significance socio-economic background can have for the student's school situation. The study is qualitative with interview as method. The study involved 5 school leaders who are all educated and have worked a long time whithin the schoolsystem. As a theoretical starting point, we have been partly inspired by Bronfennbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory is about how different people and things in the student's microsystem affect their development. We have been inspired by a phenomenographic approach in interpreting the results to explain and analyze the thoughts and opinions that are the same and different. The results of the interviews indicate that relational work within the school (teacher-student) is considered to be important for student' schooling, but that there are factors that sometimes make this work more difficult. Some difficulties described are the teachers' workload and inexperienced or untrained teachers. Furthermore, the interviewees see that there is a great responsibility of the principals and how they lead the school both organizationally and by creating a school culture and a good social climate. The interviewees also describe that teaching outside the classroom can sometimes be needed, but it must not be a permanent solution. After the results we discuss the thoughts and experiences that emerged in the interviews through the previous research is presented. The conclusion is that more collaboration is needed between different professions within the school but also with other authorities. The workload of teachers and principals needs to strike a balance so that relational work within the school (teacher-student) can take as much space as the work towards knowledge acquisition. Also, the we need educated teachers who can do this.

Med utgångspunkt i begreppet relationskompetens har vi genomfört en kvalitativ studie som försöker belysa lärares resonemang kring det relationella arbete som sker då de möter utsatta barn. Vår empiri bestod av fem kvalitativa intervjuer med lärare som resonerade kring sin relationskompetens och hur den används, i synnerhet i mötet med barn, men även i samverkan med arbetslag, kollegor och föräldrar. Vi valde att använda ett relationellt perspektiv i vår analys, och det hjälpte oss att tolka lärarnas resonemang, samt få en bild av den relationella pedagogikens betydelse i möten med barn som far illa. Max van Manens begrepp mensenkennis (människokännedom) gav oss vidare perspektiv på en lärares relationella arbete och professionalitet. Relationskompetens är fortfarande en underskattad kompetens, trots att diskussionen kring begreppet blivit allt större. Det blev dock tydligt i vår studie att det relationella arbetet är integrerat i lärarnas dagliga arbete. Då kanske mer omedvetet än medvetet. Vi vill hävda att lärarna är medvetna om vikten av en god relation, i synnerhet med utsatta barn, men trots det hamnar det relationella arbetet i skymundan för andra aspekter av lärarens uppdrag.