Social workers' anger: "Do not think long-term"

On Tuesday, SVT Nyheter Väst reported on how the social secretary at Norra Hisingen's children and family unit thinks that they are not allowed to grant the interventions they think are needed.

Efforts from the social services must be preceded by an investigation.

All serious information about misconduct must be investigated.

But even here, the district has become more restrictive, say several social secretaries at the children and family unit in the district. 

- It was decided two years ago that it would be more restrictive to initiate investigations.

But one must not talk about finances as a reason for not granting a contribution.

It is statutory that if there is a need, an effort must be granted.

So it's not something you say, it's purely illegal, says one of them.

The head of the children and family unit is Alexis Ljungkvist.

He does not share the image of social workers. 

- I do not know that any such decision has been made, he states. 

"A more normal level"  

But in his own presentation, which was held for politicians in the district committee in June, he writes that the proportion of reports that lead to an investigation has fallen, from 46 percent in 2017 to 30 percent in 2019: more normal level in relation to the city ”. 

But it is not obviously a progress that fewer reports are investigated?   

- No, it is not.

We have a reception that decides that.

We will investigate where it needs to be investigated, not for the sake of the investigation.    

But you write that it is good that you match other districts?   

- We should have an equal social service, as equal as possible, says Alexis Ljungkvist, and has therefore proposed that the district should reduce the number of investigating social secretaries.   

"No financial issue"

Five people have already left and will not be replaced.

The reason is that the number of cases per social secretary is lower than the districts next door.  

- It is not a financial issue that we adapt the investigator side of children and young people.

It is based on the fact that they should be in a reasonable number of cases per administrator, he says. 

"Different neighborhoods can not be compared"  

Several of the social secretaries believe that it is wrong to compare figures from Norra Hisingen with other parts of Gothenburg.   

- Figures can not show what it is we are sitting on for business.

A case can take eight hours in a working day or it takes no time at all.

It is very different, says a social secretary.  

Via email, Alexis Ljungkvist wants to clarify that he does not think it is a success to receive reports leading to an investigation: "It is an interpretation that you make that I think is directly incorrect", he writes.

SVT Nyheter Väst has spoken to several social secretaries at the children and family unit, who all want to remain anonymous, with reference to colleagues who questioned the work situation have previously been reprimanded.