Open care as an intervention for children at risk in the social services: Working methods, children´s participation and the outcome of care

An overwhelming majority of children at risk who receive an intervention receive an intervention in the open care, but hardly any study of open care exists.

A broad purpose of this study is to increase our knowledge about open care, as an integrated part of the chain of authority and the process in which the social services provide protection and support to children at risk.

The principal concern of the project lies with children’s participation in open care, and whether the open care intervention has been of help to the child. Three municipalities of different sizes will participate in the study.

The focus of research stays close to practice and the different parts of the project are carried out in close cooperation with the social services.The project has four different tasks. The first part describes the organization of open care and its working methods.

The second part examines how and to what extent children participate in family treatment and other open care interventions. The third part measures if the open care intervention has been of help to the child. It will be measured in three different ways.

The participating municipalities will apply a set of indicators of change in the child’s situation estimated by the child him- or herself at the end of intervention. Data consists of written documentation and interviews with family workers.

Lastly, on the basis of the findings of the project and the participating municipalities own priorities, development work will be carried out.The findings of the study will increase our knowledge of children’s participation in family treatment and other open care interventions, and if it has been of help to the child.

One important contribution of the study is that outcome of open care is measured through a set of indicators of change in the child’s situation, to be estimated by the child him- or herself.

The study aims to ultimately benefit vulnerable children who have the right to protection and support from social services.