Balancing in grey areas : A qualitative study of staff ́s experience of self-determination within housing with special service

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge of how staff within housing with special service handled the space between providing self- determination and help and the power that follows with the professional assignment. The study used a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews with seven interviewees, who work as care professionals in three municipalities in the south of Sweden. The study had a hermeneutic approach with the purpose of finding out the experiences of the care professionals. The method of the analysis was thematic and based on theories of power and empowerment. The study results were also analyzed in relation to earlier studies in the field. The result showed that the care professionals had a consistent view upon self-determination and what this means for the users. Furthermore, the study illustrates the complex experience for the staff around individuals with intellectual disabilities of self-determination and how this is challenged by the relationship with responsibility to ensure the health of the users. Despite guidelines and the LSS-law the staff experience is that theory and practice sometimes is far apart due to different factors, which makes is more difficult to provide an accurate self-determination for the users in their everyday life.