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Strengths-based social work with unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families: A qualitative study of Barn i Start

Bolender, Malte LU (2016) SIMV08 20161
Graduate School
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis explores strengths-based social work with unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families in Lund, Sweden, through a qualitative study based on par-ticipant observation and interviews at Barn i Start (BiS), a program for refugees. Previous research claims that welfare provision in Sweden has changed from a purely state-run service provider toward a heterogenic landscape of various public, private and non-governmental actors, and that different normative discourses in-form social work with migrants. This study explores the practice of strengths-based social work in a mixed public/non-governmental organization, against the back-drop of challenges related to the social integration of refugees in Sweden. Combin-ing theoretical... (More)
This thesis explores strengths-based social work with unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families in Lund, Sweden, through a qualitative study based on par-ticipant observation and interviews at Barn i Start (BiS), a program for refugees. Previous research claims that welfare provision in Sweden has changed from a purely state-run service provider toward a heterogenic landscape of various public, private and non-governmental actors, and that different normative discourses in-form social work with migrants. This study explores the practice of strengths-based social work in a mixed public/non-governmental organization, against the back-drop of challenges related to the social integration of refugees in Sweden. Combin-ing theoretical foundations from both the concept of social integration and the pro-fessional field of social work provides an effective basis in the analysis of the situ-ation of unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families in Sweden. Findings suggest certain structural benefits to a mixed public/non-governmental approach, as well as apparent practical gains of the strengths-based social work performed by BiS in Lund as a family-centered approach aiming at the strengths and capabil-ities of participants. Considering a wide range of obstacles when having arrived in Sweden, BiS offers unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families safe and re-liable services and group workshops promoting both self-awareness and practical information through discussion, exercises and reflection. (Less)
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author
Bolender, Malte LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV08 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Social work, Migration, Social integration, Strengths-based social work, Unaccompanied minors, Newly-arrived families, Refugees, Public/non-governmental partnerships
language
English
id
8889642
date added to LUP
2016-09-29 16:22:50
date last changed
2016-09-29 16:22:50
@misc{8889642,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores strengths-based social work with unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families in Lund, Sweden, through a qualitative study based on par-ticipant observation and interviews at Barn i Start (BiS), a program for refugees. Previous research claims that welfare provision in Sweden has changed from a purely state-run service provider toward a heterogenic landscape of various public, private and non-governmental actors, and that different normative discourses in-form social work with migrants. This study explores the practice of strengths-based social work in a mixed public/non-governmental organization, against the back-drop of challenges related to the social integration of refugees in Sweden. Combin-ing theoretical foundations from both the concept of social integration and the pro-fessional field of social work provides an effective basis in the analysis of the situ-ation of unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families in Sweden. Findings suggest certain structural benefits to a mixed public/non-governmental approach, as well as apparent practical gains of the strengths-based social work performed by BiS in Lund as a family-centered approach aiming at the strengths and capabil-ities of participants. Considering a wide range of obstacles when having arrived in Sweden, BiS offers unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families safe and re-liable services and group workshops promoting both self-awareness and practical information through discussion, exercises and reflection.}},
  author       = {{Bolender, Malte}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Strengths-based social work with unaccompanied minors and newly-arrived families: A qualitative study of Barn i Start}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}