”Vi hade en tom verktygslåda, fyllde på den på egen hand och nu är vi specialister på honom” : En fenomenologisk studie om makt och jurisdiktion bland yrkesverksamma i förskolan i arbete med barn som har ASD.

Sammanfattning: This study aimed to examine power among professionals in preschools who work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Furthermore, the study examined divisions of labor between different professionals, as well as professionals’ experiences and competence in relation to working with children with ASD. According to previous research, there are different forms of power and division of labor between different professionals working with children with ASD suggesting that the professionals who have education, competence, and knowledge in the field of ASD have the ultimate responsibility and power over the design of the work. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were used in the current study to investigate the perspectives of professionals. Eight professionals working in pre-schools were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed with interpretive phenomenological analysis to understand the participants’ individual thoughts and reflections. To interpret and discuss the results, theories of power and jurisdiction were used. The phenomenological analysis resulted in five themes: Diagnosis of ASD and professionals, Power over the identification of children with a diagnosis of ASD, Power over the design of work with children with ASD, Collaboration and division of labor, Challenges in working with children with ASD. Based on the results, the conclusions emerged that special knowledge about ASD was needed among professionals, for the children to receive a good education in preschool. Such knowledge was not acquired through preschool teacher or childcare training, but the participants gained it through courses that were specifically aimed at the area of ASD. All professionals in the present study described different positions of power in relation to working with children with ASD, and how power was manifested in preschool activities, in a way that was largely consistent with previous research. The majority of the participants in this study described that even though they had a lot of knowledge, different professionals had different amounts of power and, thus, the participants’ knowledge was not experienced as equally valuable. Especially professionals who did not have a preschool teacher diploma described that they had less power. Most believed that there were hierarchies of power based on knowledge and education; the person who was most competent and held a preschool teacher diploma was felt to be entitled to more power over the design of the work with children with ASD than other professionals were. The present study contributed with knowledge about how power is exercised by professionals, in relation to the work with children with ASD, and with knowledge about collaboration and division of labor between professionals in the work with the children.