The client's view on cooperation in the context of social welfare

This study focused on the cooperation of professional social workers with their clients in the context of social welfare with the intention to give both perspectives the same weight. There were 12 users and their social... [ view full abstract ]

This study focused on the cooperation of professional social workers with their clients in the context of social welfare with the intention to give both perspectives the same weight. There were 12 users and their social workers in three different social services involved. The sample was formed by cases indicated by the social workers, which the characterized as a difficult cooperation or with difficulties in the past – from which we have chosen a smaller sample (N=12) respecting different criterias. We observed and registered (audio) a consultation and interviewed individually the users as well as the professionals to point out their perceptions and views of their interaction and cooperation including the institutional frame. The qualitative analysis of the collected material was put in connection and led to a typology of patterns of interaction as well as a model of fields of tensions caused be the needs and life problems of the clients and the institutional conditions of social work. The user’s view with their definitions, interpretations and explications of the difficulties regarding the cooperation with their social workers showed that they fear for their dignity, the pressure of financial problems, their helplessness to fullfill the expectations etc. and the gap with the requirement of the social services. Due to the status difference and cognitive ressources/skills of users and professionals, the research process required challenging confrontation of the two perspectives to give them the same weight and to treat the two groups as « equally » as possible.