”Ekonomin sprack totalt” : En kvalitativ studie av insatsen ”egna medels” betydelse för brukare ur ett självständighetsperspektiv

Sammanfattning: This study aims to examine the service “egna medel” provided by Swedish social services. A client using this service provides a mandate to the social services to manage their income and pay necessary outgoings in their place. This study aims to explore the underlying needs which makes the client require the service, what the service signifies in the client’s life and whether the clients using this service feel that “egna medel” provides them a possibility to live an independent life. The empirical data was collected by means of seven qualitative interviews with clients in Stockholm county. The results were analysed with a theoretical framework circuiting around the notions of independence and normalization. The results show that the service provides the clients with a sense of security and keeps them from falling back into mental illness or drug abuse. In addition the results show that the clients perceive themselves as independent despite having conceded the control over their economy to the social services. The results also show that the clients are constrained from living like others due to their low income, not due to the service “egna medel”.