Crossing borders - for a knowledge-driven and competent social service in sparsely populated areas for the benefit of the client

The project focuses on the individual and family care (IFO) of social services in small municipalities in sparsely populated areas and aims overall to explore, analyse and create in-depth knowledge of the conditions and challenges of interacting across municipal boundaries for common competence and an equal knowledge-driven social service of high quality for the benefit of the client.

Eight small sparsely populated municipalities in Västerbotten are included. Small municipalities have equivalent small social services without room for their own specialist functions.

This means that social workers are generalists and handle all cases involved, which places high demands on breadth of knowledge and competence.

The overall natural perspective has several advantages, while requires specific expertise and excellence in ´infrequent´ cases and for specific actions.

Creating a structure and strategy where several municipalities´ IFO interacts across municipal boundaries has great potential for knowledge-based activities.

The project´s focus is based on parts of the results of a Vinnova-funded project carried out in 2017-2019 in the same geographical area.

During 2020, the research group in collaboration and in dialogue meetings with IFO managers and workshops with employees in the municipalities has then taken the results further into ongoing Forte-funded planning projects.

Five different tracks have been identified: collaboration, knowledge and competence, client, resource and digital track.

By examining and testing forms, structures and methods for collaboration across municipal boundaries and following the process of developing a common digital collaboration area, the project is expected to contribute to valuable knowledge of challenges, obstacles and opportunities for common collaboration structures within social services.

The extent to which a change in working methods affects client benefits, the supply of skills and how resource use is affected is also in the project.