Abstract

The use of private consultants in child protection investigations in Sweden is an evolving practice that occurs under the radar; it is not in the political agenda and it is obscure in relation to legislation. The aim of this article is to analyse the contextual forces, facilitators and intentions behind the ongoing implementation of privatisation in child protection investigations. For this article, both quantitative and qualitative data for the years 2013–2017 were obtained through a telephone questionnaire. Managers of 32 social services departments were interviewed. Statistical data of the year 2018 collected by the National Board of Health and Welfare was also included in the analysis. Applying a mixed-method design, the article shows that some prerequisites in legislation make it possible for privatisation to develop. There are societal changes that act as contextual forces, and there are structures in place from earlier stages of the development of privatisation that facilitate the new practice. Also, there are professional intentions that drive the process. The implementation of private consultants in child protection takes place during a period of high workload for social services. The article concludes with a discussion about the consequences for children and families of this new trend in privatisation.

中文翻译：

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儿童保护调查中私人顾问的起飞——瑞典是如何到达这里的？

摘要

在瑞典，在儿童保护调查中使用私人顾问是一种不断发展的做法；它不在政治议程中，在立法方面也模糊不清。本文的目的是分析在儿童保护调查中持续实施私有化背后的背景力量、促进因素和意图。对于本文，2013-2017 年的定量和定性数据均通过电话问卷获得。采访了 32 个社会服务部门的管理人员。国家卫生与福利委员会收集的 2018 年统计数据也包括在分析中。本文采用混合方法设计，表明立法中的一些先决条件使私有化得以发展。社会变革作为背景力量发挥作用，私有化发展早期阶段的结构促进了新的实践。此外，还有推动这个过程的专业意图。儿童保护方面的私人顾问的实施发生在社会服务工作量大的时期。文章最后讨论了这种私有化新趋势对儿童和家庭的影响。