How to contribute without assuming you have the ultimate solutions : Social workers’understanding of the relationship between their expertise and the involvement of the client and his family network regarding child protection social work

Sammanfattning: This master-thesis examines the understanding among social workers regarding the relationship between their expertise and the involvement of the clients and their family networks regarding child protection social work. The participants consist of eight women age 26 to 62 working at a social service office in a smaller city in northern Sweden. Three of them works with investigation comprising assessments and five of them works with outpatient care with family treatment within child protection. The methods used are phenomenographic semi structured interviews and content analysis focusing on how the informants perceive things based on their lived experience and the living world. Main results shows that influence for the client is situational and at the same time negotiated in a tension between the images of the client as the expert yet alternatively as unable. The analysis showed three main themes; the client as an expert, influence for the client is situational and the function of the social worker. It further showed that the balance of relationship while also being the one doing the assessments is challenging. The importance of taking charge in the role by giving structure and a frame was also shown and empathy was found as the underlying basis to manage social work. It is important to not underestimate the professionalism of the client and his or her family network regarding their life situation. One conclusion is that it is important to go from accepting user involvement as a phenomenon to act upon it accordingly.