MAKT, EN FÖRUTSÄTTNING FÖR HJÄLP?
prykiatrihandläggares maktposition gentemot klienten
AbstractAuthor: Ellinor Carlsson and Renate HöjdTitle: "When you can make a difference and when you can´t" the power relation between psychiatricdisability social worker and client [translated title]Supervisor: Eva SkogmanAssessor: Norma MontesinoOne branch of the social works field of research is the relation between social worker andclient. Research has shown that the power and inequality in the relation between helper andperson being helped is needed for the helper to provide help. Power is often mentioned undernegative circumstances such as social workers abuse of their power position, violating theperson being helped. However, Michel Foucault suggests that power is something neutral thatexists in every social interaction. The negative aspects of power are effects of the parties notreaching agreement. Through Michel Foucault and Max Weber we have described how thesocial system affects people seeking help. With a qualitative research we have studied howsocial workers experience the power relation between them and their clients. We have focusedon the group of people with psychiatric disability and interviewed six social workers workingwith that target group. Our purpose was to describe and analyze how psychiatric social workersexperience their power position. Our findings suggested that the social workers have theirpower position in mind but not in their everyday work. They recognize both positive and negativeaspects of power for them and for their clients and describes situations were they don'thave power to help. This because of how the system is built and because of the client's rightto say no to help. With the results in mind we have argued that social workers have a greatimpact on their client and his/hers experience of the encounter with the social system. Thereforeit's of great importance that the power relation is discussed and taken into consideration.