Våld i nära relationer och biståndshandläggarens uppdrag : En kvalitativ studie om biståndshandläggarnas arbete med våld i nära relationer mot individer med funktionsnedsättning

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study is to examine how social care caseworkers address intimate partner violence affecting children and adults with physical, psychological, or intellectual disabilities. The study also seeks to highlight how violence is identified and managed in practice, what challenges and opportunities exist in the work, and how collaboration with other actors is present in their professional practice. This study is based on a qualitative research approach and was conducted through a semi-structured group interview with six different caseworkers, as well as two individual interviews. In total, eight caseworkers participated, all working with services under the Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS) and the Social Services Act (SoL). The collected data in this study were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that the identification of violence rarely appears directly from the individual's statements, but instead occurs primarily through relationship-building, observations on behavioral changes, and routine questions asked in private settings with the client. There is a strong emphasis on self-determination and voluntariness, meaning that support interventions cannot be imposed but require the individual's participation. At the same time, several challenges in the work are highlighted. The target groups dependent on relatives or caregivers may contribute to the normalization of violence and make detection more difficult. Communication difficulties and a lack of competence in adapted communication methods form additional barriers. In cases of suspected or confirmed violence, caseworkers rely on internal procedures and collaboration with external actors. However, such collaboration is limited by organizational barriers, differences in professional expertise, and resource constraints, particularly the lack of adapted sheltered housing and access to treatment-oriented interventions for individuals with disabilities. The findings highlight the need for increased professional training and improved inter-agency coordination to ensure that individuals with disabilities receive appropriate support to escape situations of violence.