A1 Journal article (refereed)
Palvelujärjestelmään liittyvät rakenteelliset haasteet ja työntekijöiden toimintamahdollisuudet julkisen sektorin lastensuojelutyössä (2022)
Structural challenges related to the service system and employees’ capabilities in public child welfare work

Mänttäri-van der Kuip, M. (2022). Palvelujärjestelmään liittyvät rakenteelliset haasteet ja työntekijöiden toimintamahdollisuudet julkisen sektorin lastensuojelutyössä. Janus: sosiaalipolitiikan ja sosiaalityön tutkimuksen aikakauslehti, 30(1), 21-43. https://doi.org/10.30668/janus.107864

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Mänttäri-van der Kuip, Maija

Journal or series: Janus: sosiaalipolitiikan ja sosiaalityön tutkimuksen aikakauslehti

ISSN: 1235-7812

eISSN: 2489-4990

Publication year: 2022

Volume: 30

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 21-43

Publisher: Sosiaalipoliittinen yhdistys

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30668/janus.107864

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/80275

Additional information: Artikkelit

Abstract

This article uses the capabilities approach to examine the work and working conditions of child welfare professionals. The study explores what structural factors related to the service system hamper the implementation of employees’ capabilities in public child welfare work, and how these challenges manifest in their work. The term capabilities refers to the possibilities to work in a way the employees regard as valuable and desirable in child welfare work. The research data consisted of three group interviews, which were conducted at the initial stage of participatory action research in three different work communities. The data were analysed using theory-guided content analysis. The analysis produced the following three intertwining categories of challenges related to the service system: complexity, fragmentation, and scarcity of resources in the service system. The manifestations of the challenges all hindered humane, holistic, systematic child welfare work carried out in cooperation with other professionals.

Keywords: social work; child protection; service systems; employees; working conditions; prerequisites; challenges

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2022

JUFO rating: 1