Summary
Will there be any difference for young people leaving care if they get support from child
welfare services or social services? The theme of the thesis is social workers considerations
regarding support for young people leaving care in transition to adulthood.
Professional work is characterized by a freedom to make discretionary judgements. However
representing an organization also constrains work. Young people aged between 18 and 23
years leaving care can be supported by both the child welfare services and social services.
These organizations have two different target groups; to help and protect vulnerable children
and youth, and to provide welfare services for adults. The research question considers the
organizations significance with regards to the social workers judgements.
The child welfare services and social services are human service organizations with special
characteristics: They are working with people and are considered institutional organizations.
Institutional theory and especially theory of institutional logics have constituted an important
framework for the analyses of the social workers considerations. Their considerations also
points to normative questions about how extensive support these two welfare services should
give to youths leaving care. To discuss these questions normative political theory has been
used.
Many youths leaving care struggle in the transition to adulthood. They have a lower
educational level than others their age, are more often unemployed and they also receive
social assistance benefits to a greater extent. The transition to adulthood is described as
accelerated and compressed compared with other young people. Young people leaving care
often have needs that are not being met by their families, and are therefore in need of public
support.
The thesis is based on qualitative interviews with social workers from both services. Vignettes
were used as part of the interviews. The social workers were asked to consider short stories,
vignettes, about youths leaving care which were meant to resemble situations in social work
practice.
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Interviews with young people who have received support from child welfare services and a
review of the history of aftercare services contribute to an understanding of the context in
which the social workers considerations are taking place.
The analysis revealed three main elements that were of special importance when the social
workers examined the situation of the youths and considered giving support. The first main
issue was the process of categorization. The social workers in child welfare services
emphasized a special responsibility for youths who had been in care, as opposed to youths
getting support at home, while, social workers in social services placed particular weight on
distinguishing between the youths as either sick or healthy. The second main issue was related
to the objectives of the work. The goal of education and independence was underlined by both
social workers in child welfare services and social services. However, the objective of making
sure the youth had continuing relations with former carers were emphasized only by the social
workers from child welfare services. The considerations given by the social workers can be
related to international discussions on what should be the government's goal and
responsibility towards young people with a child welfare background: Interdependence or
independence. The third finding considered to what degree the social workers identity was
influenced respectively by a public or a private logic.
The differences in judgments between social workers in child welfare services and social
services are perceived to be related to the services being characterized by different
institutional logics. Institutional logics are understood as organizing principles that guides the
participant’s actions: A child welfare logic characterized by a parent like organizing principle
and a social services logic with an organizing principle based on its function as a safety net.
Institutional logics give attention to certain conditions. In this situation, there are differences
in what is perceived as relevant categories, goals and identities.
Every context is influenced by several logics. A public and private logic also had significance
for the assessments. A public logic emphasizing organizational and administrative conditions,
considering the generalized other, and a private logic emphasizing flexibility, uniqueness,
considering the concrete other and interdependence towards other people. When comparing
judgments in child welfare services and social services, the assessments in child welfare
services appear closer to a private logic. However, when comparing the judgments in child
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protection against thinking in the private sphere, the public logic also appears influential in
child welfare services.
The thesis is not an evaluation of regimes of support in child welfare services and social
services, but provides insight into important differences about what is emphasized in
considering the youth’s needs for support. Based on an understanding of the different logics
guiding the social workers considerations in the two organizations, it is discussed how
important living conditions will be monitored based on the two logics. In conclusion the
organization matters with regards to the judgments taking place. It would be difficult for
social services to replace child welfare services without any significant loss.
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