Accounting for the Clients’ Troublesome Behaviour in a Supported Housing Unit Blames, Excuses and Responsibility in Professionals ’ Talk

Summary: The article studies how professionals working in a Finnish supported housing unit explain the behaviour of clients which they define as troublesome in regard to rehabilitation expectations. The clients of the unit suffer from mental health and substance abuse problems. The research data consist of 23 meetings where clients’ progress is discussed and were analysed using accounts analysis. Findings: There were 225 episodes where the professionals explain clients ’ troublesome behaviour. Three ways of accounting appeared with similar frequency: 1) blaming clients for their behaviour, 2) excusing clients ’ behaviour, 3) excusing clients and blaming others for the clients’ behaviour. Detailed analysis of the data shows how these ways of accounting are used in the meeting talk and how blame, excuses and responsibility are combined in different ways. Another important finding is that the same troublesome behaviour can be accounted for in several ways in the course of meeting conversations. Applications: The analysis displays the complex ways in which policy imperatives and professional ethics are routinely managed in everyday situations. While concepts like self-determination and choice promote clients ’ control of their care, in practice client careers are affected by locally negotiated judgements. The study of policy implementation can benefit from discourse-oriented approaches. Keywords accounts analysis rehabilitation self-determination social work troublesome behaviour Copyright © The Author(s) 2009. Reprints and permissions