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Social work faces challenges from demographic shifts, economic limitations, and a shortage of trained professionals. A solution that has emerged is the integration of digitalization, including the implementation of automated social assistance. It facilitates the automation of repetitive and administrative tasks, minimizing reliance on manual human labor. This shift can cut costs, redistribute workload, as well as enabling social workers to focus more on “real social work”. While there are strong arguments supporting the proposed change, there are also concerns voiced. These revolve around the potential transformation of social work and social workers’ roles, and its implications for beneficiaries of social assistance, specifically in terms of ensuring equality and upholding legal justice.

In this single case study, we delve into the preparations for implementing automated social assistance in a Swedish municipality. Our objective was to scrutinize the national and local policies influencing the implementation process, as well as to identify the barriers and facilitators crucial for achieving a successful implementation. Key actors within the organization, directly involved in the implementation preparations, were interviewed. The focus was particularly on policies, decisions, and preparations leading up to the implementation phase. The data underwent analysis using a directed qualitative content analysis, employing Matland’s ambiguity-conflict model and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. The results reveal that, despite a clear goal for implementation, the organization grapples with unclear decisions, ambiguous policies, and a pervasive sense of uncertainty. We explore these findings and discuss how challenges arise from the inherent ambiguity in the process.