"Det handlar om att träffas, det är då som saker händer" - En kvalitativ intervjustudie av socialarbetares upplevelse av uppsökande verksamhet

Sammanfattning

This study aimed to increase the understanding of social workers’ experience of outreach activities aimed at adults who do not actively seek community support. The study is based on a qualitative approach through interviews with four social workers. The study shows that outreach work aimed at a target group with complex problems and that the work itself was unpredictable. The target group was described as people with low functions or little knowledge of the social support system. On the one hand, outreach work could be a way to offer the target group adequate support, on the other hand, the respondents described the importance of respecting the individual´s integrity. Social workers in this study experienced their work as unpredictable and exciting but also experienced that the unpredictability could result in dangerous situations. Furthermore, the study showed that the respondents often bypassed the bureaucratic structure of the organization in carrying out the day-to-day work.