Att byta trygghet mot frihet - eget företagande som professionaliseringsstrategi bland socionomer

Authors: Amanda Haraldsson and Jennica Bjurman Title: From safety to freedom - entrepreneurship as a professionalization strategy among social workers [translated title] Supervisor: Karin Kullberg The aim of this study was to examine outcomes/results of Social Workers’ choice to commence working in private practice. We wanted to identify the advantages and disadvantages respondents believe exist and if being in private practice has any impact on social workers professional role compared to working in the public sector? In order to answer our questions we used semi-structured interviews and chose to interview seven social workers all of whom are all sole practitioners in private practice. We used the theory of profession to analyze the empirical material. The study revealed that the respondents primarily decided to work in private practice to escape from bureaucratically controlled organizations and to achieve personal development and freedom. Several of the respondents reported believing they have achieved a more distinct professional role through working in private practice, which can be interpreted as a professionalization strategy. We also found a conflict between the freedom that comes with being in private practice and economic insecurity which is a result of competition from larger companies. However having financial security is also a significant priority which makes it difficult for respondents to stay in private practice, maintaining the highly valued freedom and more distinctive professional role. The result is that many of the respondents were/may be forced to return to work in an organization to achieve financial security