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Flexible Rigidity and Caring Distance. : How discretion works in compulsory care.

Svensson, Kerstin LU and Ponnert, Lina LU (2022) In British Journal of Social Work 52(2). p.946-963
Abstract
The aim of this article was to develop the understanding of discretion in compulsory care for youth and the influence of emotional aspects in developing a collective discretionary practice. The empirical material consists of group interviews with staff at these institutions. The theoretical concepts of emotional labour and emotional energy are used to understand discretion and face-to-face interaction in this specific setting. The results show how the staff navigate between rigidity and flexibility in order to uphold institutional rules, whilst also being able to meet youths’ different needs in specific situations in a personal, yet not private, manner. Professionalism is understood as providing a caring distance, in other words, a... (More)
The aim of this article was to develop the understanding of discretion in compulsory care for youth and the influence of emotional aspects in developing a collective discretionary practice. The empirical material consists of group interviews with staff at these institutions. The theoretical concepts of emotional labour and emotional energy are used to understand discretion and face-to-face interaction in this specific setting. The results show how the staff navigate between rigidity and flexibility in order to uphold institutional rules, whilst also being able to meet youths’ different needs in specific situations in a personal, yet not private, manner. Professionalism is understood as providing a caring distance, in other words, a temporary emotional involvement with the youth. The staffs’ reasoning and understanding of their work show how to manage emotional labour in a setting where the youth can be seen as both dangerous and vulnerable. The emotional energy is primarily connected to the long-lasting relation amongst staff and not to the youth, and hence, it is of primary importance to form a shared collective discretionary practice.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
discretion, emotional energy, emotional labour, involuntary clients, street-level bureaucrats
in
British Journal of Social Work
volume
52
issue
2
pages
18 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85142287308
ISSN
0045-3102
DOI
10.1093/bjsw/bcab076
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a3f2f6d4-a631-469b-a307-bb8ed6c17b68
date added to LUP
2021-04-28 12:21:04
date last changed
2022-12-29 13:17:52
@article{a3f2f6d4-a631-469b-a307-bb8ed6c17b68,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this article was to develop the understanding of discretion in compulsory care for youth and the influence of emotional aspects in developing a collective discretionary practice. The empirical material consists of group interviews with staff at these institutions. The theoretical concepts of emotional labour and emotional energy are used to understand discretion and face-to-face interaction in this specific setting. The results show how the staff navigate between rigidity and flexibility in order to uphold institutional rules, whilst also being able to meet youths’ different needs in specific situations in a personal, yet not private, manner. Professionalism is understood as providing a caring distance, in other words, a temporary emotional involvement with the youth. The staffs’ reasoning and understanding of their work show how to manage emotional labour in a setting where the youth can be seen as both dangerous and vulnerable. The emotional energy is primarily connected to the long-lasting relation amongst staff and not to the youth, and hence, it is of primary importance to form a shared collective discretionary practice.<br/><br/>}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Kerstin and Ponnert, Lina}},
  issn         = {{0045-3102}},
  keywords     = {{discretion; emotional energy; emotional labour; involuntary clients; street-level bureaucrats}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{946--963}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{British Journal of Social Work}},
  title        = {{Flexible Rigidity and Caring Distance. : How discretion works in compulsory care.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab076}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/bjsw/bcab076}},
  volume       = {{52}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}