“Det blir ju ibland svårdefinierbart vad som är barnets bästa, utifrån att alla barn är individer och sanningen är subjektiv” : En kvalitativ studie om hur socialtjänsten och Migrationsverket tolkar principen om barnets bästa

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this thesis is to understand how the Swedish Migration Board and the Social Services interpret the principle of "the best interests ofthe child" based on the specific conditions and tasks of the authorities. The essay strives to deepen the understanding of the street-level bureaucrats'room for action when they interpret and apply the principle of the child'sbest interests, as well as the impact these interpretations can have on thechildren. Scientific research shows that street-level bureaucrats may havelimited room for action when they have to investigate “the best interests of the child”, due to the existing legal framework, which leads to physical orpsychological consequences for the children. This paper will focus on howstreet-level bureaucrats interpret the principle of “the best interests of thechild” and how various legal frameworks of the authorities affect the scopeof action for the social workers. This study is based on nine interviews (fivefrom the Social Services and four from the Swedish Migration Board). It shows the experiences of how these street-level bureaucrats can accommodate the child's best interests in their daily work.