I skuggan av föräldrars alkoholmissbruk: Socialsekreterares perspektiv på barns delaktighet

Sammanfattning

This study aimed to examine how social workers facilitate children's participation in investigations and decision-making processes concerning children whose parents have ongoing alcohol misuse, and identify factors influencing opportunities for participation. The study was based on a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews with social workers working within child welfare services. The empirical material was analyzed through thematic analysis and interpreted using Shier’s model of participation, Eriksson and Näsman’s perspective on children’s positions, and the concept of professional discretion. The findings show that children’s participation cannot be understood exclusively as giving children the opportunity to express their views. Instead, participation emerged as a complex process shaped by relational, organizational, and professional factors. Trusting relationships between children and social workers were identified as essential for enabling children to express their experiences. Children’s age, loyalty toward parents, organizational constraints such as time limitations, and professional interpretations influenced the extent of participation. The findings further indicate that children's narratives are frequently interpreted and supplemented by other actors, which affects the legitimacy and influence of children's perspectives in decision-making processes. The study concludes that children’s participation is closely connected to issues of power, recognition, and professional interpretation within child welfare practice.