Title: ”Respect the client and believe what is said” – A study of social worker’s treatment of clients who have been exposed to domestic violence. Authors: Rebecka Broman Pettersson & Emelie Hammarström. The purpose of this study has been to evaluate how social workers, both with and without expertise regarding clients who have been exposed to domestic violence, work in an aspect of client-treatment towards these clients. We have investigated the social workers knowledge about domestic violence and their investigation methods regarding these clients. The study has been implemented through four semi-structured interviews with social workers operating in different municipalities. The collected data has been processed through a hermeneutical approach and analyzed based on empowerment theory and theoretical concepts of violence and encounters. A result show that the client-treatment vary depending on the situation and that there are no clear guidelines or action plans regarding how the social workers should act. Also that the investigation methods very depending on where the social worker work and on the clients situation. The study also highlights the importance of expertise in the work regarding the client group and social workers awareness of violence and exposure to violence. There is a great need for expertise in social work in order to meet and work with clients who are victims of domestic violence. There is a lack of knowledge about this phenomenon that can lead to that the client is not receiving the necessary assistance, because the social worker did not know how to respond to the client.

The aim of this study is to examine and contribute more knowledge about men in prostitution. The study is, therefore, based on six interviews with social workers in Sweden who have experience in working with such men. The study further seeks to understand how these social workers perceive the men and to see what difficulties and improvements they have witnessed during their professional work with men in prostitution. Goffman's theory about stigma is used to understand and analyze the result of the findings in combination with Queer theory. The main result from this study shows that men in prostitution are a neglected group in today’s society. This reflects on social work in general where there is a lack of knowledge about such men. One specific difficulty that has come to light is that these men are difficult to find, because they tend not to ask for help due to social stigma and male norms. It is also clearly difficult for other social work professionals to ask their male clients questions as to whether they have ever received payment for sex, monetary or otherwise. This situation needs to improve alongside more education and focus on this particular group.

Work-related violence is a growing problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which social workers are exposed to threats and physical violence in Sweden, and comparing exposure units. The study also investigated attitudes that exists about threats and / or physical violence within the social services, whether it is a normalized phenomenon in the social services and how this affects the reporting inclination of social workers. The survey is based on a survey of 139 social workers working within the social services. The results showed that more than half of the respondents have been exposed to threats and / or physical violence and that threats were more common than physical violence. The results indicated that there is a relationship between which unit the social worker worked on and the extent they were subjected to threats and physical violence. There was a greater tolerance to threats than to physical violence, even though the study indicated there were negative consequences of threats. The lower frequency of reporting threats by social workers could be because of they have normalized the problem. The study highlights that normalization of threats needs to be addressed in order to prevent the problem. / Arbetsrelaterat våld är ett växande problem. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka i vilken omfattning socialarbetare utsätts för hot och fysiskt våld från klienter inom socialtjänsten i Sverige och jämföra utsattheten enheter emellan. Syftet är även att undersöka attityder som finns om hot och/eller fysiskt våld inom socialtjänsten, om det är ett normaliserat fenomen inom socialtjänsten samt hur detta påverkar anmälningsbenägenheten hos socialarbetare. Undersökningen bygger på en enkätundersökning bland 139 socialarbetare som arbetade inom socialtjänsten. Resultatet visade att över hälften av respondenterna har varit utsatta för hot och/eller fysiskt våld och där hot var mer vanligt förekommande än fysiskt våld. Resultatet visade att det finns ett samband mellan vilken enhet socialarbetaren arbetade på och vilken utsträckning de utsattes för hot och fysiskt våld. Det fanns en större tolerans gentemot hot än för fysiskt våld trots att det förekommer negativa konsekvenser av hot. Anmälningsbenägenheten av hot var låg bland socialarbetarna och normalisering av problemet kan vara en bakomliggande faktor. Studien vill belysa att normalisering av hot är ett problem som måste uppmärksammas för att kunna förebygga problemet.

The purpose of this study was to investigate social workers' impact of emotional work with their clients and what strategies they use to deal with it. Swedish research in this area is very limited. International research shows that both social workers and (primarily) healthcare professionals are emotionally affected. The importance of awareness was emphasized and the requirement for more knowledge. This study was based on seven qualitative interviews conducted with social workers. The theoretical approach included the concepts of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction and the theory of coping-strategies. We analyzed the material thematically which resulted in the conclusion that social workers are both positively and negatively affected emotionally by their work. The impact has been shown primarily through evidence of exhaustion. Each social worker interviewed managed the negative impact of their work with individual strategies. The general strategy was to prioritize their health and create time for recovery. The results illustrated  the need for an increase in understanding of the importance of valuing the well-being of social workers. This would benefit not just social workers, but also the clients they serve.

Although alcohol consumption among the elderly is rising this is still modestly noted. Care managers in elderly care come in contact with elderly people. The purpose with the study was therefore to examine how care managers experience the work with elderly people with alcohol problems and six qualitative interviews have been conducted. Empirical data has been analyzed with thematic analysis and linked to previous research and Hasenfelds theory about people-processing, people-sustaining and people-changing. The results show that care managers experience routines regarding elderly with alcohol problems, does not differ much from traditional elderly cases. These cases demand a higher level of cooperation between different departments, because they lack resources to help the elderly. Important factors in the work are considered to be motivational work, building a trust and a functioning interaction. They request more knowledge about elderly and alcohol, support from colleagues and the substance abuse unit are considered important. / Även om alkoholkonsumtionen bland den äldre generationen stiger är detta fortfarande blygsamt uppmärksammat. Biståndshandläggare inom äldreomsorgen kommer i kontakt med många äldre i sitt arbete. Syftet med studien var därför att undersöka hur biståndshandläggare upplever arbetet med äldre som har en alkoholproblematik. För att besvara studiens syfte har kvalitativa intervjuer genomförts med sex biståndshandläggare i skilda kommuner. Empirin har analyserats med tematisk analys och kopplats till tidigare forskning samt Hasenfelds teori om people-processing, people-sustaining och people-changing. Resultatet visar att biståndshandläggare upplever att det som skiljer ärenden rörande äldre med alkoholproblematik rutinmässigt från traditionella äldreomsorgsärenden är att de kräver en högre grad av samverkan mellan olika funktioner då biståndshandläggare inte besitter resurser att hjälpa dessa äldre. Viktiga faktorer i arbetet anses vara motivationsarbete, skapa en förtroendefull relation och uppnå en fungerande samverkan. Biståndshandläggarna efterfrågar mer kunskap om äldre och alkohol och stöd från kollegor samt missbruksenheten upplevs vara viktigt.

Denna studie har gjorts i syfte att undersöka nyexaminerade socialarbetares arbetssituation samt för att skapa förståelse för vilka utmaningar de möter i arbetet och hur de hanterar dessa. Med anledning av att resultatet speglas av höga arbetskrav och olika strategier användes krav-kontroll- stödmodellen samt coping för att analysera empirin. I studien har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod använts och intervjuer har gjorts med fem nyexaminerade socialarbetare. Vidare har tidigare forskning inom området som socialarbetares första tid i yrkesrollen, kollegialt stöd, socialarbetares kravfyllda arbetsmiljö, verktyg för att hantera arbetsmiljön samt konsekvenser av den analyserats och använts i arbetet. Resultatet visade att det finns en koppling mellan en bra introduktion och upplevelsen av en god arbetsmiljö. Respondenterna vars upplevelser av en bristfällig introduktion, gav uttryck för en känsla av hög arbetsbelastning och stress. Stressupplevelser varierar samtidigt som respondenterna visar på olika metoder för att hantera sin arbetssituation. Beskrivningar har getts av arbetsplatsens förebyggande arbete för att skapa god arbetsmiljö samt respondenternas upplevelser av det kollegiala stödet. Vidare framgick deras känsla av otillräcklighet inför klienterna. / This study has been conducted with the aim of examining the work situation of newly graduated social workers. This to create an understanding of the challenges they face at work and how they handle them. The requirements-control-support model and coping were used to analyze the empirical data, reflecting the high workload and different strategies of the social workers. Furthermore, has previous research in the field as a social worker ́s demanded work environment, tools for managing the work environment and consequences of it been analyzed and used in the study. The result showed that there is a link between a good introduction and the experience of a good working environment. The respondents, whose experiences of a poor introduction, expressed a feeling of high workload and stress. At the same time stress experiences vary as respondents show different methods for managing their work situation. Descriptions have been given of the workplaces preventive work to create a good working environment and respondent ́s experiences of the collegial support. Furthermore, their sense of inadequacy was apparent to clients.

<p>The purpose of this study was to examine and increase the knowledge about the way young, newly graduated social workers view their professional role considering their age and professional experience, how they experience the relation to their clients and colleagues and how these experiences all together affect the way the young social workers handle their professional role. Seven social workers in the ages between 23 and 25, who graduated from Socialhögskolan, Stockholm University, in January 2007, where interviewed. They also answered a questionnaire covering the similar questions as the interview. Little research had previously been made in this particular area, why the triangulation of methods was helpful in analyzing the results, with ata coming from two different resources. To analyze the data a multidimensional theory was used, containing coping theory, an experiential perspective, Antonovskys theory a sense of coherence, cognitive theory and role theory. In summary, the results showed that young newly graduated social workers experienced expectations both coming from them selves and their surroundings. Finding meaning in their work helped the respondents to handle stress. The relation to their clients and colleagues and the expectations all together participated in the development of their professional role.</p>

<p>The purpose of this study was to examine and increase the knowledge about the way young, newly graduated social workers view their professional role considering their age and professional experience, how they experience the relation to their clients and colleagues and how these experiences all together affect the way the young social workers handle their professional role. Seven social workers in the ages between 23 and 25, who graduated from Socialhögskolan, Stockholm University, in January 2007, where interviewed. They also answered a questionnaire covering the similar questions as the interview. Little research had previously been made in this particular area, why the triangulation of methods was helpful in analyzing the results, with data coming from two different resources. To analyze the data a multidimensional theory was used, containing coping theory, an experiential perspective, Antonovskys theory a sense of coherence, cognitive theory and role theory. In summary, the results showed that young newly graduated social workers experienced expectations both coming from them selves and their surroundings. Finding meaning in their work helped the respondents to handle stress. The relation to their clients and colleagues and the expectations all together participated in the development of their professional role.</p>

<p>The purpose of this study is to examine what professionals tell about stress, rewards, impact and treatment in the professional treatment with young sexual offenders. Eleven qualitative interviews of half-structured design brought up results about the professional role in the treatment process. During the interviews the professionals described which methods of treatment they work with. We examined the methods through literature research, which was added to the study whit the purpose of strengthening the interview data. The professionals consider their work important and meaningful and they feel safe in their working role. They differentiated between the person and the actions in their view of a young offender, which non professionals many times are incapable of doing. There was no single factor causing the development of offensive behaviour, but rather a combination of factors. It was something that the professionals and researchers in the field agreed upon. In the professional work place they experienced both strains and rewards. Signs of stress could occur in terms of powerlessness, not feeling complete in their work. This could be due to work being a burdensome in itself and lack of professionalism working with the young offenders. The rewards in working with youth took many forms, including satisfaction when making progress, and motivated them to continue whit their work and to develop it even more. Methods of treatment for young sexual offenders were cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic theory, individual therapy, group therapy, environmental therapy, aggression replacement training and network therapy. The professionals found themselves having a lot of room for professionalism in their work although it also had challenges. The professionals said that it is always a challenge working whit young sexual offenders.</p> / <p><p>Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vad professionella berättar om påfrestningar, belöningar, påverkan och behandling i det professionella behandlingsarbetet med unga sexuella förövare. Utifrån elva kvalitativa intervjuer med en halvstrukturerad design framkom resultat om den professionella rollen i behandlingsarbetet. I intervjuerna tog de professionella upp vilka behandlingsmetoder de arbetade med, som vi undersökte genom litteratursökningar som tillkommit i studien med syfte att förstärka intervjudatan. De professionella ansåg sitt arbete viktigt och meningsfullt samt att de kände sig trygga i sin arbetsroll. De skiljde på person och handling i sin syn på en ung förövare, vilket de inte upplevde allmänheten hade förmåga till alla gånger. Det var ingen ensam faktor som gjorde att ett förövarbeteende utvecklades. Snarare var det en kombination av faktorer. Det var något som styrktes både av de professionella och forskare inom området. I det professionella arbetet kände de av både påfrestningar och belöningar. Påfrestningarna kunde yttra sig i vanmakt av att inte känna sig klara i sitt arbete, det kunde bero på det tunga området i sig samt brist på fler professionella som arbetade med de unga förövarna. Belöningar fanns i arbetet, som tog sig många former, bland annat glädje över olika framsteg med de unga som motiverade dem till att fortsätta med det arbete som tidigare gjorts samt utveckla det mer. Arbetet innebar en viss påverkan, både positivt och negativt beroende på vilken situation de befann sig i. Behandlingsmetoder för unga sexuella förövare var kognitiv beteendeterapi, psykodynamisk teori, individuell terapi, gruppterapi, miljöterapi, aggression replacement training samt nätverksarbete. I behandlingsarbetet upplevde de professionella sig ha stort utrymme för professionalitet som även innebar utmaningar.</p></p>

The aim of this study was to enlighten social workers experiences of social networks direct influence in Swedish social services, and in which ways those influences are manifested. Some of the issues that are being explored in this study are: The separation of the private sphere and professional duties; boundaries and dual relationships that occurs inside social networks; the use of social networks as a control-instrument in authority exercise towards clients; and social networks arising impact on social work. The empirical material was collected with nine qualitative interviews with social workers stationed at different social service departments in a Swedish municipality. Also one qualitative e-survey was sent out to, and answered by four social workers with a managerial position in the same municipality. The results reveal that several informants have experienced different problematic situations involving clients within the social networks. This study shows that the informants are very restrictive with what information (text and pictures) they publish on their facebook-profiles, because of their position of authority and the awareness of the possibility of always being watched. Several informants reveal a strong attitude against the use of social networks in social work and argue that information about clients fetched at social networks cannot be used. Yet some social workers use social networks at work to search information about clients and verify suspicions, for example in decision-making of governmental economical support. The power that the social workers hold against their clients is being exterritorialised inside the social networks and makes further way for an expanding control-society.