Exploring School Health Counsellor's Knowledge And Cultural Competence On Female Genital Cutting In Sweden. A Qualitative Study.        

Sammanfattning: This qualitative study explores the factual knowledge base and cultural competence of school health counsellors regarding Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in a school setting in Sweden. Through four semi-structured interviews, the research explored participants’ understanding of FGC and their cultural competence in addressing this sensitive issue. Thematic analysis and the lens of social convention theory were applied to interpret the collected data. Results indicate that the school health counsellor’s team demonstrated to some extent factual knowledge and cultural competence regarding FGC. However, challenges such as time constraints, language barriers, and fear of evoking trauma emerged during their work with this concept in a school environment. Aligning with social convention theory, the participant's effort was seen as challenging the continuation of FGC within the Swedish context. The study contributes to the broader discourse on the role of school health counsellors in promoting awareness, prevention, and support for culturally sensitive topics related to the well-being of the student. The study concludes by advocating for culturally inclusive resources within the school to effectively tackle and disseminate knowledge on FGC, emphasizing the importance of addressing this issue within the educational system.