Personals definition av delaktighet och dess komplexitet i praktiken – En kvalitativ studie om personals upplevelser avseende HVB-hemsplacerade ungdomars delaktighet

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to inquire how staff that works with youth that are placed in out of home care reason around the definition of participation. We also examined how they felt about their possibility to influence youth participation during their placement regarding the daily routines. We also looked into how the staff felt regarding their possibility to influence their work with the youth’s participation. We conducted six semi structured interviews with staff that are working with youth that are placed in out of home care in the southern parts of Sweden. As a theoretical framework we used Lipsky’s theory of Street-level bureaucracy and discretion. We also used the Self-determination theory by Dice and Ryan. The findings indicate that the term participation had two meanings. The first is from the perspective of the staff’s efforts to make the youths participate in daily routines and activities. The second perspective regarded the youth’s involvement and participation in the decision-making process in matters that concern them. A lack of commitment and motivation was seen among the youth when it came to the daily routines and activities. To make the youth participate there was a need of extrinsic motivation. The study showed that decisions were made with no or little participation from the youth. The decisions were made by the socialworker. It was justified with that the youth didn’t know what is best for them and thereby their participation was of second concern. The staff felt that they had a limited room of flexibility regarding decisions. They felt that they could control the daily routines and activities but not when it came to decision making regarding the youth.