Små barns delaktighet i umgängesplanering : En kvalitativ studie utifrån socialarbetares perspektiv

When placed in foster care, according to the Swedish social service act, children are entitled to preserve a standing relationship with their birth parents. The aim of this study was to examine which aspects according to social workers are vital in the making of social plans between children in the age of 0-3 placed in foster care and their birth parents. The study also examines how social workers make children between 0-3 participate in the making of their social plans. Nine qualitative semi-structured interviews with social workers have been analyzed based on Laura Lundys model of participation and the model of Maria Eriksson and Elisabet Näsman about social workers focus in working with children. The results show that the planning of social plans is based on what will benefit the child and what will not. The social workers analyze the abilities of the birth parent and to the best of their abilities they take in information about children reaction to make an assessment of what is best for the child. The main conclusion is that the work surrounding social plans is heavily based on the purpose of the placement in foster care. Whether the child has a chance to return to its birth parents or not has a big impact on the making of social plans.