– It can be about children who have been exposed to violence, criminality by parents and young people, explains Helena Nyström, first social secretary Osby municipality.
What is difficult then as a social worker when you have these cases?
– It’s enough, for all his affairs. To be able to see the complexity of it, says Helena Nyström, first social secretary of Osby municipality.
The majority of social services have more incoming cases
The pressure on the country’s social services is increasing. This is shown by TV4 Nyheterna’s survey, where 201 social services responded. For 62 percent, the number of incoming cases has increased in the past year. The survey also shows that the number of cases per social worker has increased in many municipalities.
In Osby municipality, the incoming cases, the so-called updates, have increased by 43 percent compared to two years ago.
– It can be about reports of concern, but it can also be about applications from individuals or information can be received in other ways, for example from the police. All this must be handled by a social worker. It is clear that it places new demands on the business to be able to meet, because everything has to be managed. We cannot prioritize away, says Emma Frostensson, head of administration work and welfare Osby municipality.
– Society is also better at seeing and paying attention to these children who were not noticed before. It is also positive that preschools, schools, healthcare see it in a different way today, says Helena Nyström, first social secretary Osby Municipality.
Difficult to recruit social workers
At the same time, it is increasingly difficult to recruit and retain competent staff, shows TV4 Nyheterna’s investigation. 68 percent respond that the difficulty has increased. This mainly applies to social workers.
– We compete for sociologists who have a very broad labor market. They can apply for jobs within the municipality, region, state and the private sector, so we compete for the same employees, says Emma Frostensson, head of administration work and welfare Osby municipality.
Two social workers per case
In Osby, the newly hired social workers often have no or very little experience. The municipality therefore brings in consultants and has two case managers linked to each case.
– It is also to secure, to get good quality in our work and so that it will not be so heavy for the individual case manager. Also the risk of missing something is reduced when there are two people involved in a case, says Helena Nyström, first social secretary Osby Municipality.