Barnfattigdom i Sverige: En kvalitativ studie om socialsekreterares implementering av Barnkonventionens principer om barnets bästa och skälig levnadsstandard i beslut om försörjningsstöd

Sammanfattning

The study examines how social workers in the welfare financial assistance meet and implement the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1989) on the best and fair standard of living for the child in decisions on social support, and how power and justice are expressed in the social workers' daily work with families in need of welfare financial assistance. Empirical evidence is collected through six semi-structured qualitative interviews with social workers in the welfare financial assistance unit. Thematic analysis is used to process the material, and implementation theory and the concepts of power and justice are used as theoretical starting points. The results show that the social workers have some knowledge of child poverty and the CRC (1989). The social workers have the CRC (1989) in mind when making decisions on welfare financial assistance where children are involved. However, there are divided opinions about the extent to which the social workers believe that the convention is implemented in practice. Social workers sometimes have the opportunity to make special assessments in decisions about welfare financial assistance where children are involved. A challenge occurs as there are variations between municipalities in how special assessments are made and how decisions are made. Lack of time, control and guidelines limit the work of social workers, when it comes to, among other things, having conversations with children about the family's financial situation. The results also show that there are power differences between social workers and parents receiving welfare financial assistance. Power differences affect children, since these differences can determine the extent to which parents follow the planning required to be granted income support. Finally, the results show that children's right to justice is ensured to a certain extent depending on who the justice is compared to.