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Perlinski, M., Jansson, P. & Evertsson, L. (2024). Swedish school counsellors − demographics, professional practices, educational background and working life history. Nordic Social Work Research
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Swedish school counsellors − demographics, professional practices, educational background and working life history
2024 (English)In: Nordic Social Work Research, ISSN 2156-857X, E-ISSN 2156-8588Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

This article presents findings from a survey conducted on all school counsellors in Sweden. The focus of the article is on Swedish school counsellors’ demographics, professional practice, educational background, working life history and professional autonomy. The survey was web-based and contained 91 questions of both quantitative and qualitative nature. The results show that Swedish school counsellors are predominantly experienced female social workers with academic education in social work and several years’ experience of social work in areas other than school. Employment as a school counsellor is not an entry-level job. The professional practice of Swedish school counsellors predominately focus on remedial work with individual students. Their professional practice focus to a lesser extent on preventive and health promoting work despite the prominent position that preventive and health promoting work are given in the Swedish school act and in the national guidelines. The professional focus of Swedish school counsellors raises questions whether the emphasis on individual remedial work is to be interpreted as a lack of organizational awareness and resources, or if it is an expression of a professional ‘heritage’ from school counsellors prior experience of professional social work within other welfare areas were remedial work are custom. We argue that the focus on remedial work makes it valid to describe the character of Swedish school counsellors’ professional practice as a reflection of Swedish social services in general.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis Group, 2024
Keywords
School counsellor, School social work, professional practices, education background, demographics
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-223007 (URN)10.1080/2156857X.2024.2331803 (DOI)001196533600001 ()2-s2.0-85189877545 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Umeå University
Available from: 2024-04-05 Created: 2024-04-05 Last updated: 2025-05-16
Samén, A., Perlinski, M. & Andersson, K. (2024). Äldre vuxnas perspektiv på välfärdsteknikens påverkan inom äldreomsorgen: individuella förväntningar på självständighet, sociala möten och ensamhet: [Older adults’ perspective on the effects of welfare technology in eldercare: individual expectations on independence, social meetings and loneliness]. Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, 31(1), 175-192
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Äldre vuxnas perspektiv på välfärdsteknikens påverkan inom äldreomsorgen: individuella förväntningar på självständighet, sociala möten och ensamhet: [Older adults’ perspective on the effects of welfare technology in eldercare: individual expectations on independence, social meetings and loneliness]
2024 (Swedish)In: Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, ISSN 1104-1420, E-ISSN 2003-5624, Vol. 31, no 1, p. 175-192Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Welfare technology (WT) has been identified as a potential solution for challenges within eldercare, with policymakers emphasising its capacity to reduce reliance on care staff. Policy discussions surrounding WT also highlight other anticipated benefits, such as mitigating loneliness, facilitating increased social interaction between caregivers and care recipients, and promoting greater independence for the latter. These expectations are permeated by a techno-optimism. Needing care means being vulnerable, and care builds on relationship and interdependence. How older adults think about WT and its consequences for social aspects of care is important for a successful implementation. The individual perspective is relatively unknown. This study aims to investigate how potential users perceive WT and its consequences for feelings of loneliness, opportunities for social interaction in care settings, and levels of independence. To accomplish this, a questionnaire was administered to approximately 5000 individuals between the ages of 65 and 90 residing in Västerbotten. The findings suggest that the techno-optimism visible at the national level is not widely shared by older adults. A majority expressed skepticism regarding the potential of WT to positively influence social aspects of care, and most of the respondents believe that WT will contribute to increased feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, a majority did not perceive a need for various technologies in eldercare and expressed a preference for care provided by human caregivers rather than technology-based alternatives. These attitudes where not effected by age. The group of 65-year-olds that have grown up with technology and are more digital were as skeptical towards WT as the older age groups. We interpret these results to indicate that the inherent relational nature of care can make it unsuitable for direct replacement with technology. An increased expected frailty and vulnerability that follows from needing to receive care may mean that technology is an inappropriate solution.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Linköping University Electronic Press, 2024
Keywords
Welfare technology, care, older adults, attitudes, loneliness, independence, social meetings
National Category
Social Work
Research subject
Sociology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-228844 (URN)10.3384/SVT.2024.31.1.4872 (DOI)
Available from: 2024-08-26 Created: 2024-08-26 Last updated: 2024-08-26Bibliographically approved
Perlinski, M., Jansson, P. & Evertsson, L. (2022). Skolkuratorers professionella praktik, utbildnings- och yrkesbakgrund – en nationell kartläggning: [Swedish school counselors - on Swedish school counselor's professional practice, educational background and working life history]. In: Nationella paperkonferensen i socialt arbete: book of abstract. Paper presented at Nationell papperskonferens i socialt arbete (NaPSa), Linnéuniversitetet, Växjö, Sverige, 16-17 mars, 2022. Linnéuniversitetet
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Skolkuratorers professionella praktik, utbildnings- och yrkesbakgrund – en nationell kartläggning: [Swedish school counselors - on Swedish school counselor's professional practice, educational background and working life history]
2022 (English)In: Nationella paperkonferensen i socialt arbete: book of abstract, Linnéuniversitetet , 2022Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

This paper presents some results from a unique survey conducted on all school counselorsin Sweden. More precisely, the focus of this paper is on Swedish school counselors'professional practice, educational background and working life history. By professionalpractice we mean the concrete activities that school counselors engage in in their workand the scope of these activities. Organizational frameworks and work managementissues are also studied.The survey was web-based (online) and contained 91 questions of both quantitative andqualitative nature. This paper concerns only a limited part of the data material generatedby the survey.Data analyzes used in the script are mainly statistical descriptions.The results of the analyzes show that Swedish school counselors are predominantlyexperienced social workers with academic education in social work and several years'experience of social work in areas other than school. Employment as a school counseloris rather the highlight of a career as a social worker than the beginning of such a career.

Abstract [sv]

Syftet är att utifrån en nationellt distribuerad enkät till yrkesverksamma skolkuratorer i Sverige studera skolkuratorers professionella praktik, utbildnings- och yrkesbakgrund samt positionera skolsocialt arbete i Sverige i ett internationellt perspektiv av sociala insatser inom skolans område. Socialt arbete i skolan har en lång tradition både nationellt och internationellt. I Sverige är det sedan 2010 lag på att samtliga skolor i Sverige ska ha tillgång till främjande, förbyggande och åtgärdande psykosociala insatser i syfte att ge elever goda förutsättningar att uppnå de av skolan uppsatta kunskapsmålen. Lagen och de styrdokument som ska vara vägledande för skolkuratorernas kompetens och professionella praktik är emellertid otydliga. I denna artikel reser vi frågan om denna avsaknad av tydliga riktlinjer har kommit att innebära variationer i skolkuratorernas professionella praktik, utbildnings- och yrkesbakgrund.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Linnéuniversitetet, 2022
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-193639 (URN)978-91-89460-12-6 (ISBN)
Conference
Nationell papperskonferens i socialt arbete (NaPSa), Linnéuniversitetet, Växjö, Sverige, 16-17 mars, 2022
Available from: 2022-04-08 Created: 2022-04-08 Last updated: 2022-04-11Bibliographically approved
Perlinski, M. (2021). Allt annat lika: några tips för kvantitativt inriktade examensarbeten (2ed.). In: Petra Ahnlund, Lennart Sauer (Ed.), Att forska i socialt arbete: utmaningar, förhållningssätt och metoder (pp. 59-80). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Allt annat lika: några tips för kvantitativt inriktade examensarbeten
2021 (Swedish)In: Att forska i socialt arbete: utmaningar, förhållningssätt och metoder / [ed] Petra Ahnlund, Lennart Sauer, Lund: Studentlitteratur AB, 2021, 2, p. 59-80Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Lund: Studentlitteratur AB, 2021 Edition: 2
National Category
Social Work
Research subject
Sociology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-187627 (URN)9789144131603 (ISBN)
Available from: 2021-09-15 Created: 2021-09-15 Last updated: 2021-09-17Bibliographically approved
Perlinski, M. (2021). Kvantitativ metod sedd inifrån köket (2ed.). In: Petra Ahnlund, Lennart Sauer (Ed.), Att forska i socialt arbete: utmaningar, förhållningssätt och metoder (pp. 31-58). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Kvantitativ metod sedd inifrån köket
2021 (Swedish)In: Att forska i socialt arbete: utmaningar, förhållningssätt och metoder / [ed] Petra Ahnlund, Lennart Sauer, Lund: Studentlitteratur AB, 2021, 2, p. 31-58Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Lund: Studentlitteratur AB, 2021 Edition: 2
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-187628 (URN)9789144131603 (ISBN)
Available from: 2021-09-15 Created: 2021-09-15 Last updated: 2021-09-17Bibliographically approved
Jansson, P., Evertsson, L. & Perlinski, M. (2021). Skolkurator sökes: skolhuvudmäns beskrivning i platsannonser av skolkuratorns uppdrag, arbetsuppgifter, organisation, kvalifikationer och färdigheter: [School social worker wanted: descriptions of the school social worker’s assignments, tasks, organization, qualifications and skills in job advertisements]. Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, 28(3), 289-312
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Skolkurator sökes: skolhuvudmäns beskrivning i platsannonser av skolkuratorns uppdrag, arbetsuppgifter, organisation, kvalifikationer och färdigheter: [School social worker wanted: descriptions of the school social worker’s assignments, tasks, organization, qualifications and skills in job advertisements]
2021 (Swedish)In: Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift, ISSN 1104-1420, E-ISSN 2003-5624, Vol. 28, no 3, p. 289-312Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [sv]

Införandet av en samlad elevhälsa har medfört att psykosocialt arbete inom skolan givits en tydligare position i skolornas elevhälsoarbete. Trots detta vittnar tidigare studier om att skolkuratorer uppfattar sitt professionella uppdrag och sina arbetsuppgifter som otydliga. Tidigare forskning har fokuserat på skolkuratorers egen beskrivning av sitt professionella uppdrag och arbetsuppgifter. Syftet med denna artikel är att studera skolhuvudmäns beskrivning av skolkuratorers uppdrag, arbetsuppgifter, organisation samt kvalifikationer och färdigheter. Studiens empiriska material utgörs av samtliga platsannonser som publicerades hos Arbetsförmedlingen under 2017 där skolhuvudmän sökte efter skolkuratorer. I studien användes kvalitativ innehållsanalys med en tematisk ansats. Resultatet visar att skolhuvudmännen i platsannonserna beskriver en tydlig skolkurativ jurisdiktion men att denna är under- eller sidoordnad den pedagogiska verksamhetens mål, organisation och styrning.

Abstract [en]

The introduction of a multidisciplinary student health unit has meant that psychosocial work within schools has been given a clearer position in addressing student health in Swedish schools. Despite this, previous studies show that school social workers perceive their professional job responsibilities and tasks as unclear. Previous research has focused on school social workers’ own descriptions of their professional job responsibility and tasks. The purpose of this article is to study school superintendents’ and school boards’ descriptions of school social workers’ assignments, tasks, organization and competencies and skills. The empirical material of this study consists of all job advertisements published by the Swedish Public Employment Service in 2017, where school districts had job openings for school social workers. The study used qualitative content analysis with a thematic approach. The results show that the school districts describe a clear school social jurisdiction in the job advertisements, but that this is subordinate to the goals, organization and governance of the educational activities.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Linköping: Linköping University Electronic Press, 2021
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-193666 (URN)10.3384/svt.2021.28.3.4263 (DOI)
Available from: 2022-04-11 Created: 2022-04-11 Last updated: 2025-05-16Bibliographically approved
Kivipelto, M., Jokela, M., Blomgren, S. & Perlinski, M. (2019). Social sustainability and the organization of social work from the perspective of Finnish adult social work practitioners (1ed.). In: Sakari Hänninen, Kirsi-Marja Lehtelä, Paula Saikkonen (Ed.), The relational nordic welfare state: between utopia and ideology (pp. 184-201). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Social sustainability and the organization of social work from the perspective of Finnish adult social work practitioners
2019 (English)In: The relational nordic welfare state: between utopia and ideology / [ed] Sakari Hänninen, Kirsi-Marja Lehtelä, Paula Saikkonen, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019, 1, p. 184-201Chapter in book (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

The chapter by Minna Kivipelto, Merita Jokela, Sanna Blomgren and Marek Perlinski asks how the lives and welfare of the most vulnerable people are managed by the state at different administrative levels and in cooperation with other agencies. The chapter examines professional social work in Finland by means of the domain theory. Although examples are derived from the Finnish social welfare agencies and analysed with a theory originally developed to understand Swedish social welfare services, the analysis is contextualized, and the results are evaluated more generally in the Nordic setting. Despite their shared values and common traits, Sweden and Finland also display significant differences, for instance, regarding the professional status of social work, as well as differences in tasks and governance. The aim of this study is to help understand social sustainability as the security and welfare of all citizens from a relational perspective.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019 Edition: 1
National Category
Social Work Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Research subject
Sociology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-187623 (URN)10.4337/9781788974653.00019 (DOI)2-s2.0-85136426697 (Scopus ID)9781788974646 (ISBN)9781788974653 (ISBN)
Available from: 2021-09-15 Created: 2021-09-15 Last updated: 2022-09-28Bibliographically approved
Evertsson, L., Blom, B., Perlinski, M. & Rexvid, D. (2017). Can complexity in welfare professionals' work be handled with standardised professional knowledge?. In: Björn Blom, Lars Evertsson and Marek Perlinski (Ed.), Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practices (pp. 209-221). Bristol: Policy Press
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Can complexity in welfare professionals' work be handled with standardised professional knowledge?
2017 (English)In: Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practices / [ed] Björn Blom, Lars Evertsson and Marek Perlinski, Bristol: Policy Press, 2017, p. 209-221Chapter in book (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Bristol: Policy Press, 2017
Keywords
social, caring, professions
National Category
Social Work Peace and Conflict Studies Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-130696 (URN)10.2307/j.ctt1t89cpc.19 (DOI)2-s2.0-85021071484 (Scopus ID)978-1-4473-2719-6 (ISBN)978-1-4473-2721-9 (ISBN)
Funder
Forte, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare
Available from: 2017-01-27 Created: 2017-01-27 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved
Mandrysz, W., Perlinski, M. & Evertsson, L. (2017). Challenges of municipal community work. In: Björn Blom, Lars Evertsson and Marek Perlinski (Ed.), Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practices (pp. 175-189). Bristol: Policy Press
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Challenges of municipal community work
2017 (English)In: Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practices / [ed] Björn Blom, Lars Evertsson and Marek Perlinski, Bristol: Policy Press, 2017, p. 175-189Chapter in book (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Bristol: Policy Press, 2017
Keywords
community work, social professions, professions, social work
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-130709 (URN)978-1-4473-2719-6 (ISBN)
Funder
Forte, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare
Available from: 2017-01-30 Created: 2017-01-29 Last updated: 2018-06-09Bibliographically approved
Blom, B., Evertsson, L. & Perlinski, M. (2017). European social and caring professions in transition. In: Björn Blom, Lars Evertsson and Marek Perlinski (Ed.), Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practicies (pp. 1-17). Bristol: Policy Press
Open this publication in new window or tab >>European social and caring professions in transition
2017 (English)In: Social and caring professions in European welfare states: policies, services and professional practicies / [ed] Björn Blom, Lars Evertsson and Marek Perlinski, Bristol: Policy Press, 2017, p. 1-17Chapter in book (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Bristol: Policy Press, 2017
Keywords
social caring professions
National Category
Social Work Peace and Conflict Studies Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-130695 (URN)978-1-4473-2719-6 (ISBN)978-1-4473-3651-8 (ISBN)
Funder
Forte, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare
Available from: 2017-01-27 Created: 2017-01-27 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-0650-8484

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