Svenskt och norskt barnavårdsarbete
en jämförande studie av socialtjänstens konkreta barnavårdsarbete
NordenSocialtjänstNorgeSverigeSocialt arbete med barnBarnavårdOrganisationsarbeteSocial problems and welfareNational insuranceSociala problemSocial välfärdSocialförsäkringLaw and Political Science
This essay aims to examine and compare Swedish and Norwegian social work with children. It is a comparative study between two social welfare offices, in districts with similar population and problems, one located in Stockholm and one in Oslo. The main questions were; how is the work organized and carried out, what type of help and assistance is available and what kind of discretion and powers do the social workers have. In our essay we used qualitative methods mostly based on interviews, vignette questionnaires and documents, but also written research. In our analysis we used modern organisation theory and street level bureaucracy to seek explanations.The two welfare offices have similarities and differences. The office in Oslo is more specialized and has a more specific child care law. It also has a larger budget then the office in Stockholm. In Stockholm they tend to focus more on the investigation of the case and more on the clients self-determination right. Stockholm has a tendency not to grant as much help as they do in Oslo, which can be a result of the design of the law, size of the budget and surrounding environmental influences. In relation to this, Oslo is more focused on family-methods. Social workers in both offices state that they have discretion in their work. There are limitations of the social workers power, which is mainly controlled by the organization.