Ett nödvändigt begränsat agerande - En kvalitativ studie om socialsekreterares upplevelse av handlingsutrymme
Social workers in the Social Services are seen as professionals and they are associatedwith a substantial degree of freedom to carry out their work in order to interpret theSocial Services Act and make decisions. This freedom is referred to as discretion andis a central aspect of the role of the social worker. But the social worker is employedwithin an organisation that exists in an environment influenced of political decisionswhich sets boundaries to how far the freedom stretches. The general aim with thisthesis is to gain insight in how social workers within the Social Services experiencetheir discretion. Secondary this thesis also aims to explore how discretion is shapedand negotiated. My research questions guiding my aim concerns which factors influenceand promotes discretion and how social workers describe their discretion.This thesis presents findings from a qualitative study based on individual interviewswith six social workers within different units of the Social Services. The empiricalmaterial was analyzed with a systems theoretical and social ecological perspective. Ialso used Kouzes & Mico?s Domain Theory as well as Lundquist?s concept of autonomyand the concept of subjective and objective discretion. This study shows thatmultiple factors on different structural levels including relational, organizational,local community and societal levels, are influencing discretion but it does not necessarilymean that it leads to the experience of discretion as being limited. The factorsare rather seen as a framework which the social worker acts within. Promoting factorswere related to the individual and relational level and concerned the practioners competenceand professional experience as well as the ability to create trustful relations toclients. This thesis suggests that a systems- and social ecological perspective is ofvalue in understanding how discretion is shaped as well as to gain an understandingof the professionals possibility and ability to act within the context of the SocialServices.