Hur gör vi med barnen? En kvalitativ studie om socialsekreterares syn på barnperspektivet inom ekonomiskt bistånd

In previous research the lack of usage of a child perspective and child participation has been a recurring theme. The purpose of this study is to examine the usage of a child perspective within social assistance where the target group is adults and the main goal of the work is to support households to self-sufficiency. This study’s aim is to further highlight the presence of a child perspective, child participation and how social workers collaborate with other units within matters concerning children. This qualitative study has used research interviews as it’s data collecting method, the empirical material consists of interviews with six social workers who all work within one social assistance unit at a social services office. The results show the difficulties of defining what it means to practice a child perspective within one’s work. It also puts focus on the dilemma of wanting to practice a child perspective and their increased participation, versus how the respondents view their task as social workers within social assistance. The conclusions of this study further raise a question on how children's participation and a child perspective can be integrated into the practical work of social assistance