Ett rimligt självbestämmande - En kvalitativ intervjustudie om boendepersonals perspektiv på självbestämmande inom LSS, personkrets 1

Sammanfattning: The law from 1994, the Swedish Act concerning support and service for persons with certain functional impairments (LSS) is an entitlement law that is meant to guarantee good living conditions and self-determination for different groups with disabilities. However, studies have shown that coercive measures still occur within organizations bound by the law. The aim of this study was to examine the residential caregivers’ perspective on self-determination. Their view of self-determination as well as their experience from works related issues and potential conflicts regarding the concept. We conducted eight interviews with staff from three different organizations, all working as residential caregivers. Later, we analysed the interviews using theories regarding authority and support; also normality and normalization. We found that the residential caregivers spoke about a reasonable self-determination. They spoke positively about self-determination as long as the residents didn’t make what they called “bad decisions”. The caregivers also told of experience regarding conflicts with previous co-workers and legal guardians in their work, especially when parents were given the role as a legal guardian. We also found that coercive measures were used in some of the municipals, often because the caregivers were put in a situation where they felt forced to act, trying to ensure the health of the residents.