Mellan rättighet och praktik : Barns delaktighet i barnavårdsutredningar

Sammanfattning

The purpose of the study was to examine how social workers describe the ways in which they involve children in child welfare investigations and how this can be understood in relation to children's rights. The study is based on a qualitative approach, and data were collected through six semi-structured interviews. These were then analyzed thematically, resulting in three main themes with corresponding subthemes. The findings of the study show that social workers place a high value on children's participation and view it as a right. The results also demonstrate how they adapt their working methods and the information they provide according to the child's age and maturity in order to meet the children's needs. Despite this, there are practical obstacles to participation. These include organizational demands, legal frameworks, and power-related aspects that must be taken into consideration. The study highlights how professional assessments in relation to the best interests of the child give professionals interpretive precedence, which makes children's participation conditional.