Why choose one´s profession? : -a qualitative study onf social workers path to the work with children

The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of what makes people choose to work with children in the context of social work. Thereby deepening the knowledge of what motivates people to work within social services with children. The study uses a qualitative method of semi structured interviews with six social workers who work with children primarily. The social workers were asked questions about their motives, their understanding of what is essential in their work, their notion of children and their thoughts of the meaning of gender in social work. The studies result and analysis is constructed from a thematic analysis alongside a theoretical framework using Erving Goffman dramaturgical perspective and gender as a theoretical concept. The result shows that the reason for entering social work with children is complex and consists of multiple levels. The strongest contributing factor was a wish to help people and having personal experience of needing support from the welfare system or in other ways having personal experience from one's surroundings. Secondary was a wish to have an emotionell rewarding career and at the same time a career that functions with one's personal life. All the factors however correlate with one and other. It is also concluded that the social workers have a notion that gender plays a role in choosing to enter social work with children in that the stereotypical role of men do not correlate with the stereotypical role of a social worker with children. It is also concluded that the social workers' understanding of their work and work rolls plays a role in their choice.