Vågor mot klippan? ? en intervjustudie av godmanskapet inom funktionshinderomsorgen och dess praktik
TrusteeStigmaSocial controlSocial roleGoffmanDisability care.God manStigmaMaktRollGoffmanFunktionshinderomsorg
Being a trustee within the disability care will, in most cases, put big responsibility on the trustee both as a representative for the klient but also as a representative for the standards of the society. The assignment as a trustee is to strengthen the client and ease his/her way of living in the society. The Swedish legislation that controls the process and the regulation of the trustees, is by the authors of this paper preceived as kind of vauge, leaving a lot of room for interpretation. So how do trustees comprehend their assignment and how do they actually interpret it? Using material from eight interviews with trustees within the disability care, this paper aims to examine these questions, and focuses only on the trustees and their experiences. We have delibirately chosen this focus and narrowed it down to the perspective of those, leaving out the perspective of clients and those employees of the state, regulating the trustees. Analysing the material and presenting the trustees experiences and definition of their assignement we have chosen to use Erving Goffman?s theories regarding stigma, social control, dramaturgical interaction and social roles. The trusteés are, aware of or unaware of, incorporating the unspoken social rules and the way of living in society to their clients, some living in special homes and some living in society with professional assistance within their homes. In the process of conducting their assignment as trustees some actually reduce the independency of the client, further alienating them from society. It becomes a paradox, considering the purpose of the assignment is to strengthen the client in his or her everyday life.