Method: The aim of this study was to explore the systematic follow up of supportive activities in non-profit organizations targeted at childrenas next of kin. Managers and group leaders were interviewed, and findings were content analysed.

Result: The findings indicated that a child focus, education, safety and trust were important. These factors were observed as the primarytasks and the key reason for being involved in supportive activities. Managers expressed concern about not retaining funding, if the organization was unable to demonstrate the effects of their activities. Namely, to enhance the health and wellbeing of children. In order to continuously develop their work most organisations explained that they used some form of system for follow up. However,there was a wide variation in how non-profit organizations worked with follow ups.

Conclusion: Overall, it was evident that there was a major need for education and support in this area.

Between the Promise of Specificity and the Demand for Evidence – A study of knowledge and the approach to knowledge in socially oriented non-profit, private and public sector organizations

In the social work field it is possible to identify two parallel processes in time. On the one hand a qualitative developmental process―even towards a form of standardization―where central concepts are academisation, professionalization, scientifically produced knowledge, expertise and evidence based methods. Simultaneously, there is a drive to create the conditions for increased diversity, where hopes are especially being pinned on the non-profit sector. In spite of representations and expectations concerning the non-profit sector and its so-called specificity, however, much of existing research lacks a comparative perspective, i.e., studies where non-profit organizations are related to comparable activities in the private and public sector.

The aim of the study―with special focus on issues concerning evidence based knowledge in social work―is to compare and analyse whether and in that case how employee conceptions differ between the sectors, and whether and in what way non-profit employees and their activities can be said to fulfil the expectations of contributing to increased diversity. Data is from a questionnaire directed to about 1300 social work employees.

The results show a greater interest in research and more marked efforts at professionalization in the public sector, while above all in the non-profit sector there was skepticism about science paired with reservations about work carried out in a professional way. In the non-profit, but also in the private sector, issues of ethics, views of humanity and values were paid greater attention. Also stressed here was the importance of creating relationships, the unique human encounter, genuine commitment, and human kindness. However, there was significant uniformity across all sectors in the use of methods, where three dominated: solution focused measures, network support/therapy, and psychosocial work.

Två tidsmässigt parallella skeenden kan iakttas inom det sociala arbetet. Å ena sidan pågår en process mot att höja arbetets kvalitet. Helt centralt är här att den sociala praktiken ska styras genom enhetliga riktlinjer och bygga på vetenskaplig, forskningsbaserad kunskap. En form av standardisering som initialt har riktats mot den kommunala socialtjänsten, även om arbetet i ideell och privat sektor också har berörts. Å den andra sidan kon­trakterar stat, kommuner och landsting ut alltmer socialt inriktad verksamhet på alternativa utförare i idébaserade organisationer och på företag. En förhoppning finns om att dessa verksamheter ska bidra med ökad metodologisk och värdemässig mångfald. Inte sällan tillskrivs just de idébaserade organisationerna en särart som i sig sägs kunna skapa mervärden och som i en förlängning skulle utgöra grunden till en efterfrågad pluralism. Hur förhåller man sig i en socialt inriktad idébaserad organisation när de här två parallella utvecklingslinjerna möts, när förväntningar om särart och pluralism korsas av krav på standardisering och en evidensbaserad praktik?

 I rapporten Utrymme för flexibilitet får vi följa hur verksamma inom Credo, familjehemsvärdar som arbetar för Credo samt uppdragsgivare som anlitar Credo, utifrån sina tre specifika perspektiv beskriver Credos verksamhet. Hur tar sig värdegrunden uttryck i det praktiska arbetet, beskriver man någon form av särart i Credos verksamhet och vad för den i så fall med sig av eventuella mervärden? Hur beskriver man de metoder som Credo arbetar med och hur förhåller man sig till frågor om evidensbasering och kvalitet?