Unauthorized influence on the Swedish social services

Introduction

Improper influence on public professionals has become a phenomenon that has received increased attention in recent years. The concept of "improper influence" was coined by the Swedish Council for Crime Prevention (BRÅ) in 2005 because they identified a need for a concept that would address different types of attempts to influence the decision-making process of public officials. Improper influence includes threats, harassment, vandalism, unauthorized offers and unauthorized relationships.
Social work is faced with several attempts at influence on a daily basis that need to be handled in different ways. One element that has had an impact both directly and indirectly is the so-called LVU campaign where national and international actors claim that "social services are kidnapping Muslim children". But there is also an "everyday" subtle form of unauthorized influence where actors try to influence social services' decisions by pressuring, intimidating or directing more indirect (softly packaged) threats against decision-makers. These activities make it difficult for social services to carry out their tasks impartially. Those who do so are, for example, individuals, clans or organized networks.

Purpose and research question
Project title and summary

The project aims to describe and analyze the phenomenon of undue influence and by whom and how it is carried out, as well as how it is perceived and responded to by social workers who investigate the care needs of children and young people. To answer the purpose, the research project has been divided into two sub-studies, with associated research questions.

Data and method

The project is structured around two sub-studies:
In sub-study 1, the ambition is to understand the exercise of undue influence. In this study, we will describe and analyze how, when and why different actors try to exercise undue influence against social services. How is this perceived by social services? What do they do to respond to undue influence? The study is based on a case study of an area where social services feel exposed to various forms of undue influence. The methods for collecting data include focus groups, individual interviews and observations.
In sub-study 2, a national survey is conducted aimed at social workers who carry out child investigations in a random sample of 100 Swedish municipalities. Through this, we will get a generalizable result regarding when it happens, for example when in the investigation process, where (types of municipalities), what (what form of undue influence), who is behind it (which groups or individuals), who is targeted (age, experience, gender), how often it happens and what strategies they have to address this.