This study is about the child’s perspective when it comes to work with financial assistance. The purpose of the study was partly to describe how social workers regard the child’s perspective in their work with financial assistance and partly to look into whether they impose a child’s perspective in their practical work. To fulfill this purpose the authors used a quantitative method and sent out a web based survey to all the social workers actively working with financial assistance in Stockholm town. This study is based on the results of 93 replies. The results show that the social workers believe to a great extent that they have an understanding for the child’s perspective. They also claim to practice the child’s perspective to a relatively great extent. The social workers are less inclined to acknowledge the principle of children’s right to make themselves heard. According to the Convention on the Rights of Children as well as Swedish law children have the right, when it comes to matters that involve them, to express their opinion and have it taken into consideration, with regards to their age and maturity, but in the financial assistance procedure that right is not being met

The aim of this study was to get a greater comprehension of social welfare secretaries’ notion of "good parenting" and furthermore how this is expressed in evaluations of investigations regarding care of children. The empirics in this qualitative study were collected with the help of a vignette containing relevant questions. Moreover interview questions were answered at seven occasions. The interviewees were social welfare secretaries that worked with evaluations of care of children. The theoretical approach in the study was Yeheskel Hasenfelds theory on human service organizations along with grassroots bureaucracy that Roine Johansson’s translated and interpreted based on Michael Lipsky’s theory on street-level- bureaucracy. The result showed that good parenting according to social welfare secretaries is based on moral values that are reflected in society. In regards to how social welfare secretaries manage their room for action it is done differently in the context of freedom and limitations of the work involved.

2023 genomförde SVT en granskning av hem för vård eller boende, HVB-hem.Granskningen visade att verksamheterna idag måste prioritera ungdomarnas integritetoch självbestämmande före deras säkerhet, detta utifrån IVO:s nya tolkning avlagstiftningen. Både HVB-personal och IVO uttrycker dock enligt SVT att dagensregelverk inte är tillräckligt för att skydda eller vårda placerade ungdomar. Utifrånmediabevakning och tillika tidigare forskning väcktes frågan om personalen verkligenhar tillräckliga möjligheter att utföra sitt yrkesuppdrag i förhållande till lagstiftningen.Syftet med studien är sålunda att undersöka HVB-personalens upplevelse av sitthandlingsutrymme gällande att skydda och begränsa placerade ungdomar, samt hurlagstiftning och eventuella andra faktorer kan påverka detta. Studien genomfördes medsemistrukturerade intervjuer med fem HVB-personal. Intervjuerna har sedan tematiserasoch analyserats. Resultatet visade att rollen som ställföreträdande förälder kunde beskrivapersonalens arbete, men att intervjupersonerna upplevde att de inte fullt ut kunde utövaden på grund av begränsningar i lagstiftningen. Det framkom också att en godklientrelation gav personalen större mandat hos ungdomarna vid begränsande beslut.Slutligen sågs också att dagens ökade problematik på HVB:n härrörs från IVO:somtolkning av lagen, där samtycke, integritet och självbestämmanderätt prioriteras överungdomarnas behov av skydd. Samtliga intervjupersoner beskrev situationer därungdomar idag tillåts försätta sig själva i fara, men där personal inte tillåts agera trots sittskyddsuppdrag. Slutsatsen blev att intervjupersonerna förhöll sig accepterande inför sittbegränsade handlingsutrymme, då ett ökat handlingsutrymme i att skydda och begränsaockså skulle kunna öka risken för maktmissbruk. Det fanns heller inte utrymme iverksamheten för att ge den mängd kärlek som behövs för att ge ungdomarna rätt stöd.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate how individuals engaged in social work with socially vulnerable women in Bali perceive their room for action. Our participants' clients are widows, divorced women, unmarried women, or women with children born out of wedlock. In our thesis, we refer to these women as jandas. In an environment influenced by cultural and patriarchal norms, we explore in this essay how they perceive their professional roles in terms of roomfor action, challenges, motivational drivers, and approaches to promoting empowerment. Our aim is to enrich the understanding of the diverse spectrum within which our participants operate. This inquiry aims to uncover the motivating factors influencing our interview subjects, to discern the hurdles they encounter concerning agency in the context of Bali, and to illuminate their strategies for facilitating empowerment. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research has been conducted through semi-structured interviews involving six seasoned respondents with extensive experience in the field of social work in Bali. Drawing upon prior scholarship concerning Bali's cultural and historical milieu, coupled with theoretical frameworks of socio-legal paradigms and empowerment, we have meticulously analyzed the collected data. The findings from the study reveal that religious and spiritual awakenings significantly underpin the dedication of our participants. Furthermore, it emerges that informal norms rooted in religious customs and patriarchal traditions often wield more influence than formal legal statutes, thereby intricately complicating the landscape of social work. Additionally, the study underscores the prominence of varied approaches to empowerment, which our respondents identify as the most effective means of providing support in the Bali context.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the social workers work with the best interests of the child has changed since the incorporation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child(CRC) in 2020. It was also to see how their work with the child's right to participation, and how the social workersroom for action has been affected by the incorporation of the CRC. To answer the questions of the study, we chose a qualitative method. The collected data came from interviews with social workers who work in different areas and in different parts of Sweden. As a theoretical frame of reference, we used the concept of room for action and Lipsky´s theory of grassroots bureaucrats. The results showed that the more the respondents worked with children, the smaller the difference and the less they worked with children, the bigger the difference.Something that has changed since the CRC became law is that there has been greater clarity around the best interests of the child. Something that the study shows is how lack of resources has affected the work with the best interests of the child. The reason why those who work with children did not experience any difference in their work before and after the CRC became law is to some extent due to the social workers working method, the childs need in center (BBIC). / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur socionomernas arbete med barnets bästa förändrats sedan inkorporeringen av barnkonventionen 2020. Syftet var också att undersöka hur socionomerna arbetade med barnets rätt till delaktighet, samt hur socionomernas handlingsutrymme påverkades av inkorporeringen av barnkonventionen. Som teoretisk referensram använde vi oss av begreppet handlingsutrymme samt Lipskys teori om gräsrotsbyråkrater. För att besvara studiens frågeställningar valde vi att använda oss av en kvalitativ metod. Empirin samlades in genom intervjuer med sju socionomer som arbetade inom olika områden inom socialtjänsten och i olika delar av Sverige. Resultatet visade att i de verksamheter respondenterna arbetade direkt med barn blev skillnaden i arbetet mindre medande som arbetade i verksamheter som inte vände sig direkt mot barn märkte större skillnad. En av skillnaderna respondenterna såg sedan inkorporeringen var att det blivit tydligare vad som är barnets bästa. Något som under studiens gång tydligt framkom var hur resursbrister påverkade arbetet med barnets bästa. Anledningen till att de som arbetar med barn inte upplevde någon markant skillnad i arbetet före och efter inkorporeringen av barnkonventionen som lag beror till viss del på arbetsmodellen Barns behov i centrum (BBIC).

Syftet med studien är att genom en kvalitativ undersökning öka kunskapen om socionomkonsulters erfarenheter och upplevelser av sitt arbete med barnavårdsutredningar inom socialtjänsten. Empirin baseras på socionomkonsulters egna erfarenheter och upplevelser av sin roll och påverkan på barnavårdsutredningar inom socialtjänsten. Datainsamlingen har skett via tio semistrukturerade intervjuer av socionomkonsulter verksamma med barnavårdsutredningar inom Barn och unga. Tidigare forskning har till stor del gjorts utifrån chefer och ordinaries socialsekreterares perspektiv. Den forskning jag funnit intressant och relevant för syftet med min studie är bland annat den som genomförts av Mattsson (2019), Järkestig-Berggren m.fl. (2021) och Högström 2022. Enligt Järkestig m.fl. är det anmärkningsvärt att den ökade användningen av socionomkonsulter inom barnavårdsutredningar inte diskuterats utifrån ett klientens perspektiv. Högströms studie visar att cheferna inom socialtjänsten anser att konsulter inom barnavården riskerar arbetskvaliteten på flera punkter men att de även är nödvändiga för verksamhetens överlevnad. De teoretiska ramverk som använts för att analysera empirin är gräsrotsbyråkrater som bygger på Lipsky (2010) Street-level bureaucracy. Gällande forskning om privatiseringen inom socialt arbete har jag till största del avgränsat till den forskning som berör socionomkonsulters roll i barnavårdsutredningar inom socialtjänsten i Sverige. Genom respondenternas utsagor ville jag få fram förståelse och öka kunskapen hur de ser på sitt handlingsutrymme i det dagliga arbete som socionomkonsult och hur anställningsformen socionomkonsult eventuellt skiljer sig åt från att vara ordinarie socialsekreterare inom kommunen. Resultatet visar att valet att bli konsult ofta är sprunget ur ett missnöje med socialtjänsten som arbetsgivare och ur en längtan efter ökad flexibel med sin tid. Gemensamt för alla respondenterna som deltar i forskningen är en önskan om att använda sin arbetstid till socialt arbete i form av barnavårdsutredningar och de barn och familjer som berörs, inte till administration, APT (arbetsplatsträff) och planeringsmöten. Lönen förs fram som en bonus av jobbet men endast en respondent anger det som huvudanledning till övergången till konsultrollen. Resultaten visar att socionomkonsulter handlingsutrymme innebär möjligheter och begränsningar och ser olika ut beroende på kommun. Socionomkonsulter i studien uppger att det är ett djupgående problem att behovet av deras tjänster i socialtjänsten är så stort. Deras gemensamma övertygelse är att det behövs en grundläggande, långsiktig förändring i socialtjänsten för att bygga upp personalgruppen och ta vara på kompetensen. / The purpose of the study is to, through a qualitative study, increase knowledge about social work consultants experiences when working with childcare investigations within the Swedish social services. The study is based on the social work consultants experiences, knowledge and impact on working with childcare investigations. Data collection has taken place through ten semi-structured interviews. All consultants had experiences both working as social work consultants and as regular full-time employees. Previous research has largely been done from the perspective of social work managers and full-time employees within Swedish Social Services Units. The research I have found that was interesting and relevant for the purpose of my study was carried out by Mattsson (2019), Järkestig-Berggren et al. (2021) and Högström (2022). According to Järkestig et al. it is remarkable that the increased use of consultant social in childcare investigations has not been discussed from a clients perspective. Högström's study shows that managers in social services believe that consultants in childcare risk the quality of work on several points, but that they are also necessary for the survival of the organization. The theoretical framework I used to analyze the results is “Grassroots bureaucracy” based on Lipsky (2010). Street-level bureaucracy. Regarding research on the privatization of social work, I have for the most part limited it to the research that concerns consultants in childcare investigations within the social services in Sweden. Through the respondents story, I wanted to understand and increase knowledge of how the consultants see their space of action in their daily work and how it may differ from regular full time employment. And also, how the work differs between municipalities. The results show that the choice to become a consultant often arrives from dissatisfaction with social services as an employer and from a desire to be more flexible with their time. Common to all respondents participating in the research is the desire to use their working time for social work directed to children and families affected, not for administration, planning and internal meetings. The salary is presented as a bonus of the job, but only one respondent states it as the main reason for the transition to the consultant role. The results show that a social work consultant has room for action that involves opportunities but also limitations, it is different depending on the municipality they are working for. Consultants in the study state that it is a profound problem that the need for their services in social services is so great. Their common belief is that a fundamental, long-term change is needed to build up the staff group and take care of the competence.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka om och i så fall hur, socialsekreterarnas handlingsutrymme i familjehemsprocessen påverkar inkluderingen av de biologiska barnen i familjehemmen. Barns bästa är ett centralt begrepp i familjehemsvården, men det inkluderar inte de biologiska barnens bästa utan fokuserar på de placerade barnens bästa.  Genom en kvalitativ metod som metodval har vi med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfört nio intervjuer med barn-och familjehemssekreterare. Urvalsgruppen arbetar inom och på uppdrag av tre olika kommuner inom familjehemsvården. Tidigare forskning om de biologiska barnen i familjehem är ytterst begränsad. Forskning om familjehemsvården som utgår från ett barnperspektiv har fokuserat på de placerade barnen, inte de biologiska barnen i familjehemmen. Forskning om familjehem har främst haft ett vuxenperspektiv och utgått i från föräldrarnas upplevelser av uppdraget. De biologiska barnen i familjehem ses som en helhet med familjen och inte som subjektiva aktörer.  Socialsekreterarnas handlingsutrymme inom familjehemsprocessen bidrar till skillnader för de biologiska barnen i hur mycket och under vilka delar av familjehemprocessen de inkluderas.  Studiens resultat visar på att det finns behov av att göra de biologiska barnen mer inkluderade i familjehemsprocessen och lyssna på deras upplevelser av familjehemsvården. Det finns behov av mer forskning om och med de biologiska barnen i familjehem som utgår i från deras perspektiv. / This essay focuses on the lack of inclusion of biological children in the foster care process, based on the discretion of social workers. The study aims to investigate whether and how the discretion of social workers in the foster care process affects the inclusion of biological children. While the best interest of the child is a central concept in foster care, it does not encompass the best interest of biological children but rather focuses on the best interest of the placed children.  Title: "Part of a Whole". A qualitative study on how social workers include the biological children in various stage of the foster care process.  Using a qualitative approach, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with child and family welfare social workers. The sample group works within and on behalf of three different municipalities involved in foster care. Previous research on biological children in foster care is extremely limited. Research on foster care from a child's perspective has focused on placed children rather than biological children in foster care. Research on foster care has primarily taken an adult perspective and relied on parents' experiences of the assignment. Biological children in foster care are seen as part of the family as a whole and not as subjective actors.  The discretion of social workers in the foster care process contributes to differences for biological children in how much and during which parts of the foster care process they are included.  The results of the study indicate the need to include biological children more in the foster care process and to listen to their experiences of foster care. There is a need for more research about and involving biological children in foster care that is based on their perspective as children.

This is a qualitative study inquiring ”What does it entail to be a sex worker in Sweden today?” Four female sex workers were interviewed in semi-structured interviews. Using methods for reflexive analysis, interpreting the interviews and their context theoretically through notions of Competence and Stigma, the results of this study shows that sex workers may be both competent agents and stigmatized. This informs the understanding of sex work, stigma and how learning, subjective room for action and social agency can be aggravated or hindered by stigma. The results are viewed in the context of Swedish legislation against sex purchase in relation to previous research which shows that said legislation is problematic. This study recommends; further studies on varieties of competence, room for action and social agency among sex workers; further studies on how sex workers subjective room for action is affected by the Swedish law against sex purchase; further studies on how the Swedish law against sex purchase affect sex workers prospects for learning; studies on how stigma and discrimination against people in socially vulnerable and/or excluded groups affect individual learning; as well as updated estimations on the prevalence of male, female and transgender sex workers in Sweden. It is also suggested that Sweden could look to other countries for constructive ideas on how to reform sex purchase laws. In this context, New Zealand and Germany are mentioned specifically.

De första 18 åren av en människas liv präglas av fysiska förändringar som bidrar till nya mentala tankeprocesser kring sex, sexualitet och relationer. Denna förändringsprocess som människan går igenom skapar en nyfunnen medvetenhet om sin egen och andras sexualitet. I en tid som definieras av förändringar på denna nivå är det inte ovanligt att privata och intima frågor dyker upp och det kan då vara skönt att ha en opartisk vuxen att prata med. Denna opartiska vuxen kan vara skolkurator.  Denna studie ämnar att, med hjälp av kvalitativa intervjuer, få en ökad förståelse för hur ett urval av skolkuratorer i Sverige väljer att arbeta med frågor kring sexualitet och sexuell hälsa. Studien avser även att undersöka om samtalet kring sexualitet och sexuell hälsa bör ske i en skolmiljö och om det är relevant för skolkuratorns yrke. Resultaten visar att skolkuratorerna som deltagit i studien har olika syn på relevansen av sexualitet och sexuell hälsa för deras arbete. Det framkom finnas ett samband mellan tidigare yrkeserfarenheter och hur en skolkurator väljer att utforma sitt arbete. En annan slutsats som kom fram i denna studie var att skolkuratorernas arbetsbeskrivning inte anger några tydliga ramar kring vad som ska ingå i arbetet, vilket ger yrkesutövaren stort utrymme att forma sina egna arbetssätt. / The first 18 years of a human being's life is characterized by physical changes that contribute to new mental thought processes concerning sex, sexuality and relationships. This process of change that the human goes through creates a newfound awareness of one’s own and others’ sexuality. In a time that is defined by changes on this level, it is not uncommon for private and intimate questions to arise and it can be nice to have an impartial adult to talk to. This impartial adult can be the school counselor.  The aim of this study is to, with the help of qualitative interviews, gain an increased understanding of how a selection of school counselors in Sweden choose to work with issues surrounding sexuality and sexual health. The study also intends to investigate whether the conversation regarding sexuality and sexual health is supposed to take place in a school environment and whether it is relevant to the school counselor's profession. The results show that the school counselors who participated in the study have different views on the relevance of sexuality and sexual health to their work. There seemed to be a correlation between previous professional experiences and how a school counselor chooses to design their work. Another conclusion that was reached in this study was that the school counselors' job description does not specify any clear framework around what should be included in the work, which gives the professional a lot of room to mold their own working methods.

A society for everybody mean that everybody shall participate in the society on equal terms. Individuals with disabilities shall reach a high level of participation in the society, especially in their own home. Previous science show there are difficulties for the individuals in an LSS home for adults to reach participation due to the law LSS (1993:387) about support and service for people with disabilitys. The purpose of this study is to examine the professionals experience of working with the right of participation for individuals at LSS homes for adults. To fulfill the aims of this study qualitative semistructured interwiews have been conducted. The selection passed one chief on low level, one care educator, three support pedagoges and two assistants.  The respondents were selected through the snowball method.  The theory of Grassroots bureaucracy and the theoretical concept Room for action and Empowerment were used. The theory and the theoretical concepts were used since they are connected to the aim of the study, previous science and the analyzed results of the study. The result shows that people with disabilities have difficulties to achieve participation in a LSS home for adults. Sometimes the lack of competence among staff about the user’s ability’s and how the staff must guideline the room for competence can be a hindered factor for user to participate in their LSS home for support and service.