Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine and get an insight how social workers in social service consider about the use of discretion in their role as a professional. The study was based on interviews with seven social workers from two different local authorities working with economic aid or other kind of assistance in social service. Data of the interviews were coded and divided into three themes which were Concept define, Strategies and Control of work. These themes were then analyzed with the New Institutional Organization theory. The result showed that the social workers experienced that they had essential discretion in their day work, but in different way among the municipals. Implicating factors on discretion were the number of clients every social worker working with. The social workers with a small number of cases felt their discretion were more superior to social workers with large caseloads. Other implicating elements were the individual estimation of clients that every social worker needs to do. The professionals need to make a decision consider to the client, the employer (organization) and what the social worker think is moderate. The conclusion is that a well done estimation for every decision is the social workers instrument for a larger discretion.
Author: Pierre Tillmar
Language: English
Subfield: Public Administration
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1734951780