"It's a delight mingled with terror" : A qualitative interview study on social workers experiences of working with parents whose children are placed in foster care

The aim of this study has been to examine how social workers experience working with parents of children placed in foster homes. The study has particularly focused on professional approach, support interventions, and how the relationship between professionals and parents is influenced by organizational and discursive frameworks. Using a qualitative methodological approach, six semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals working within social services. The collected material was analyzed through a narrative and discourse-theoretical lens, using concepts such as positioning, recognition, and relational work. The results show that working with parents of placed children is often characterized by ambivalence, where the desire to build relationships coexists with an assessing function. Respondents expressed that the support provided to parents is often dependent on individuals and influenced by discourses regarding, for example, parental substance abuse or mental illness. It also emerged that a lack of clear guidelines and high workloads can lead to inequality in the support offered. The conclusion is that relational approach and recognition are crucial factors in strengthening parental engagement and trust in the system. The study also highlights a need for structural changes to ensure that support for parents is not dependent on individual initiatives but is instead grounded in clear guidelines and a legally secure foundation.