Plans for research on early interventions in social services
From left: Johan Fagerberg, Maritha Jacobson, Sofia Lindh, Siv-Britt Björktomta, Eva Randell, Katarina Alexius, Katarina Gustafson, Pia Tham och Hassan Sharif. (På bilden saknas Amir Rostami, Michael Tärnfalk och Stephen Lucas.) Photo: Emma Wallskog
Which methods work for catching children and young people at risk at an early stage, in the social services or in school, for example? This is the theme of a new, interdisciplinary research programme at Uppsala University.
“The aim is for researchers, practitioners and users in collaboration to establish a long-term model for knowledge and methods development with a focus on preventive and early interventions by the social services,” says Pia Tham, professor at the Department of social work and the programme director.
The programme involves practice-based research in four projects on preventive activities and early intervention
- for parents with infant children
- for pupils in compulsory school
- against child and youth crime
- concerning honour-related violence.
Six years of funding
The newly started research programme will be funded by Forte (the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare) for the next six years, with a grant of SEK 23.8 million. Most of the research will be conducted at the new Department of Social Work at Uppsala University.
“This gives us an opportunity to develop our research in social work and what’s more in an area that is currently highly topical and a key issue in society. We are a new department so this is particularly valuable for us,” Tham says.
Pia Tham, professor at the Department of social work. Photo: Emma Wallskog
The research programme is a collaboration with the Department of Education and the Department of Women's and Children's Health at Uppsala University and the University of Gävle. The research will be conducted in close cooperation with the social services in Uppsala and will be based on interviews and ethnographic studies.
“Collaboration between different actors is essential to be able to successfully tackle the societal challenges we face today. The social services cannot stand alone. Moreover, preventive and early interventions are required before the problems have time to grow,” Tham says.
Out on the ground
The idea is for the researchers to spend time out on the ground. They will help to develop methods and monitor effectiveness through contacts with children, young people, their parents and employees. There is a great need for research in this area, Tham notes.
“Interventions for children and young people have been a prioritised area in social work. However, the focus has often been on interventions at a later stage. There is not as much research on what can be done to prevent or put an early stop to a negative development in children and young people.”
It is largely a matter of gaining the confidence of the parents and creating good relationships, whether the interventions take place at the child health centre, in school or in the social services.
“Social work is very much about creating relationships and cooperation so that the authorities and the parents are pulling in the same direction.”
Knowledge transfer
The research programme is also about ways of transferring knowledge from research to those who work with children and young people for them to implement.
“We will give the social services continuous feedback on what we learn in the four projects, in the form of lectures and workshops, for example,” Tham concludes.
Annica Hulth
Early interventions for children and young people
Project name: “What works? Catching children and young people at risk at an early stage. Knowledge and methods development in collaboration with social services, schools, the police, child health centres and users.”
Conducted with a programme grant of SEK 23.8 million from Forte in 2024–2029.