The main purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of social workers working with unaccompanied children within municipal social service in Sweden. In particular, this study seeked better understanding of the possibilities and challenges social workers experience in their work and also highlight the differences and similarities in the work with unaccompanied children and children who are not unaccompanied. An abductive approach was used, moving between empirics and theories. The empirical data was collected through qualitative interviews with ten social workers with experience of working with both unaccompanied and children who are not accompanied. The results showed that the social workers working with the target group unaccompanied children felt that the work was more rewarding, in comparison to those who didnt work with the target group. Further, the social workers experienced that the unaccompanied children were not as prioritised as other children and that the language within the social services categorized the unaccompanied children as an own group. Accordingly the social workers felt there were more challenges in working with unaccompanied children. The hope is that this study will be an eye opener for the social work, and stop the separation of unaccompanied children into its own group.

Studien handlar om upplevelser av socialsekreterare som jobbar med barnavårdsutredningar med sin makt gentemot föräldrarna och deras strategier för attminska maktobalansen som finns i relationen. För att besvara studiens frågeställningar genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med tre socialsekreterare i en mellanstor kommun. Intervjumaterialet analyserades med tematisk analys. Studien visade att socialsekreterare upplever att föräldrarna kan känna rädsla eller ilska i deras kontakt med socialtjänsten och socialsekreterare. Socialsekreterare upplevde även att föräldrarnas känslor inför socialsekreterares makt i vissa fall leder till att föräldrarna tackar ja till föreslagna insatser trots de inte vill på grund av rädsla för konsekvenserna eller att inte framstå som dåliga föräldrar inför socialsekreterare. En annan viktig slutsats som kom fram var att socialsekreterare kan använda sin makt annorlundautifrån hur hög eller låg oro de har för barnets situation. Graden av oro som socialsekreterare har visade sig även påverka hur delaktiga föräldrarna tillåts vara i utredningar och i skriftliga rapporter. Det framkom också att socialsekreterare tyckte att tydlighet, att göra föräldrarna delaktiga i utredningar och vissa personliga egenskaper hjälpte till att minska maktobalansen mellan dem och föräldrarna.

Many South African families are beset by social, psychological and economic challenges placing children at risk. Family preservation services, capitalising on families’ strengths to resolve their problems, are crucial to avoid the removal of children from their homes. Using a qualitative approach, this study reveals the experiences and perceptions of twelve social workers providing family preservation services in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan of Gauteng Province. These social workers articulate their understanding of and experiences with the Children’s Act (Act No. 38) of 2005. They are generally optimistic that family preservation services can offer a helping process with the potential to improve family functioning. Nevertheless, there are stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as the kinds of social problems experienced by families, lack of funding, high caseloads, lack of resources and little co-operation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)

Many South African families are beset by social, psychological and economic challenges placing children at risk. Family preservation services, capitalising on families’ strengths to resolve their problems, are crucial to avoid the removal of children from their homes. Using a qualitative approach, this study reveals the experiences and perceptions of twelve social workers providing family preservation services in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan of Gauteng Province. These social workers articulate their understanding of and experiences with the Children’s Act (Act No. 38) of 2005. They are generally optimistic that family preservation services can offer a helping process with the potential to improve family functioning. Nevertheless, there are stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as the kinds of social problems experienced by families, lack of funding, high caseloads, lack of resources and little co-operation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for practice, policy and further research. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Work)

Among all the types of violence against women the economic abuse does not always appear that often in the context of domestic abuse. Previous research interprets and categorizes economic abuse as physical violence and controlling behavior and is not distinguished for what it can imply for the life of the woman. Men’s economic abuse against women can therefore affect women’s life in a lifelong and/or life sacrificing way. The aim of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of social workers experiences of men’s economic abuse against women in heterosexual relationships and which consequences it may have for the women. The study is based on eight individual qualitative interviews with social workers and women shelter employees, both with and without a bachelor’s degree in social work. The empirical findings have been thematically analyzed with Yvonne Hirdman’s theory of gender system as a foundation. The result shows that the connection between the theory of gender system and men’s economic abuse against women, forms for example in gender contracts. The result also shows that social workers' experiences are that abused women suffer from multiple consequences of economic abuse, even after a separation, which can have lifelong negative impact for women as victims of violence.  The gender perspective is useful in social work, to understand and interpret men’s economic abuse against women, and to prevent reproducing these systems. It is also important to acknowledge the consequences, for women, that emerge after the separation to create a stronger safety network for women that have been victims of men’s economic abuse.