"Man ska inte gå runt och vara en myndighetsperson" : En kvalitativ studie om socialsekreterares erfarenheter av att bo och arbeta i en mindre kommun

Sammanfattning: The purpose of the study was to study social workers' experiences of living and working in a smaller municipality based on how they handle their occupational role during and after working hours in relation to the proximity of clients and other community members in smaller municipalities. The empirical basis for the study has been gathered through a qualitative method implemented through interviews. To analyze the results of the study we have used a social psychological perspective and Goffman's theory of roles. The analysis shows that there is an "everyone knows everyone" spirit in smaller municipalities and that this spirit permeates the work and thoughts of the social secrets. The study shows that there are expectations both from clients but also from social workers themselves on how they should be in their professional role but also when they are in their private role after working hours. Which means that it may be difficult to be private after working hours as there is a greater inclination to encounter clients in a smaller municipality. The result shows that the occupation as social workers in child and youth welfare and economic aid includes many aspects of dealing with and adding the aspect to being active in a smaller municipality means that social secretaries often carry an awareness of how they present themselves in the professional role and in private role.