Barns behovs i centrum (BBIC): Uniformity - an unreachable goal?

Abstract: Abstract. Author: Julie Bergman Title: Barns behov i centrum (BBIC). Uniform system – an unreachable goal? Supervisor: Alexandru Panican Assessor: Torbjörn Hjort Previously during the 1990s, national studies and reports made by the Swedish provincial government revealed severe deficiencies in child welfare investigation policies. In 2005, a system of inquiry developed in England was in part implemented into the Swedish child welfare system. The system in Sweden is known as BBIC or Barns behov i centrum. A direct translation of this could be Children’s need in focus. The aim of the Social Services was to create a uniform system of investigation between social workers located in the whole of Sweden, make the investigative process more understandable for the child and family and to guide the social worker to primarily view the needs of the child. Using a qualitative method supported by Lipskys theory on street-level bureaucrats, I have attempted to determine if this is a realistic goal. Five social workers were interviewed in councils situated in Southern Sweden. I have chosen to only concentrate on how social workers that work on a daily basis with BBIC relate to the Social Services previously mentioned goals. The results of the study show that a uniform system of inquiry seems to be an unreachable goal. The problems surrounding child welfare inquiry combined with the discretion of the social worker provoke a situation that prohibits this form of social work to be moulded into a uniform system of inquiry. Keywords: Discretion, time, resources, decision making.