”Tur att man inte är arbetslös” : En kvalitativ studie av socialtjänstens arbete med långtidsarbetslösa i två kommuner/stadsdelar

Unemployment and long term unemployment is a reality for a large number of people in Sweden. This may be the result of structural changes in the labor market, but involves a wide range of issues. Along with other actors, the social services are obliged to support the long term unemployed to find a job. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the work done by social workers towards the long term unemployed, 25-49 years old, in two municipalities. We performed altogether six qualitative interviews. In each municipality we selected two social workers and the head of the work unit. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. We used a social constructionist perspective and organizational theory for the analysis. Results show that the social workers believe that they have almost twice as many clients as they can handle with a good quality in social work. We also present, in the study that a considerable coordination with other units of the social services and other authorities is taking place, but that the social workers are partly negative towards its functioning