"... the parents are perhaps not so eager to let us meet the child." : A study about social workers experiences in their work with children who has experienced domestic violence.

Uppsatsens syfte var att undersöka upplevelser hos socialarbetare inom socialtjänst och kvinnojour, vilka kommer i kontakt med barn som utsätts för våld i nära relationer, utifrån två teman; stödinsatser samt barnperspektivet. Fem socialarbetare som arbetar med barn som upplevt våld i nära relationer intervjuades. Det empiriska materialet har analyserats utifrån systemteori och handlingsutrymme. Resultatet visar att flera stödinsatser erbjuds till familjer där det förekommer våld, men enbart ett fåtal riktas mot barnet. Informanterna förmedlar vikten av samverkan samt olika aspekter av hur barnperspektivet tillämpas i arbetet. Resultatet visar även att informanterna upplever dilemman i arbetet, exempelvis kravet på föräldrarnas samtycke för att barnet ska få stödinsatser och gränslandet mellan frivillig och tvingande lagstiftning som utsätter barn för risk. Avslutningsvis redovisas informanternas upplevelser av brister och utvecklingsområden i arbetet med våldsutsatta barn.The purpose of the thesis was to investigate experiences of social workers regarding children who has experienced domestic violence with focus on two themes; support and the child's perspective. Five professionals who work in the same municipality and are in contact with children who have experienced domestic violence have participated in qualitative interviews. The result of the interviews have been analyzed on the basis of systems theory and room for manoeuvre. The result shows that there are several support offered to families who experience violence, but only a few are directed to the child. The informants convey the importance of collaboration and various aspects of how the children's perspective is applied in work. The result also shows that the informants experience different dilemmas, such as the need for parental consent for the child to receive support and the borderland that exists between voluntary and mandatory legislation that puts children at risk of harm. Finally, the informants' experiences of deficiencies and developmental areas are reported in the work with children who have experienced domestic violence