Vem skyddar barnet? - En kvalitativ innehållsanalys om barns risk och skydd i vårdnadstvister där det förekommer uppgifter om våld

Sammanfattning: Up to 5% of children in Sweden experience domestic violence at home. A common misunderstanding when it comes to children being exposed to domestic violence is that they are not being harmed by the exposure. As a result of this, children are not being adequately protected against the potentially harmful outcomes that follow. The aim of this study was therefore to explore how and if children’s risk for, and protection against, harm is expressed in child custody reports established by social workers in custody disputes where there is information about violence. The selected method for this study was a qualitative content analysis of five child custody reports requested from one court in Sweden. Whilst analysing our empirical data, the three planet model by Marianne Hester was applied as a theoretical framework. The three planet model aims to explain professionals' sets of thoughts within the role of their profession, focusing on professionals working with women and children that have been exposed to domestic violence. Findings of this study shows that great emphasis is placed on the role of mothers as protectors of their children in situations where domestic violence has occured. Although, the same emphasis is not placed on the role of fathers as protectors of their children. This creates an imbalance between the expectations of mothers and fathers’ roles as protectors of their children. This study also found that even though children have a need, and a right, to be protected against being exposed to domestic violence, it is not entirely uncommon that the child’s needs are being overshadowed and undermined by other factors in the child's life. For example, social workers may make the assessment that the exposure to domestic violence is not harmful for the child because of the child's resilience. The findings of this study points toward the fact that the different discourses on the various planets collide, and as a result, the children may not be adequately protected against being harmed. We can therefore see the possible beneficial effects of an improved understanding and collaboration between the different discourses on the various planets.