Socialsekreterares kompetens i arbetet med ensamkommande barn
The purpose of this study was to investigate what competence social workers have, don´t have and ask for in the work with unaccompanied children, how a lack of competence and guidelines has been compensated in the practical work and how the social workers view the future work with unaccompanied children. This has been done through eight semi-structured interviews with social workers who work with unaccompanied children. The result has been analyzed with help of the theoretical perspective globalization connected to social work and showed that none of the social workers felt not having the competence to work with the children. However, everyone mention one or more areas where they ask for competence development. The study showed that lack of education has been compensated through practical experiences, knowledge exchange with others and that guidelines now have been formed. The social workers thought that the amount of unaccompanied children will keep rising and to handle this there is a need for more resources but also competence development. The social work education is a general education and it is hard to get knowledge in all areas. Our study shows a need of the possibility of immersed knowledge after the education, but possibly even during the studies.