Artikelns resultat baserar sig på en enkätstudie till handläggare inom funktionshinderområdet i Sverige och redovisar deras arbetssituation, med fokus på konsekvenser for enskildas rättssäkerhet. Det övergripande syftet med artikeln ar att belysa aspekter av rättssäkerhet i ärenden enligt LSS. Rättssäkerhet är ett begrepp som givits flera betydelser, framfär allt en formell och en materiell definition (Peczenik, 1995). Vi argumenterar för att den materiella definitionen hör bättre samman med lagmotivens, liksom funktionsrättskonventionens (CRPD) fokus på mänsklig värdighet och likvärdigt bemötande vad avser LSS tillämpning. Resultaten visar att flera LSS-handläggare inte anser att deras hemkommuner fattar rättssäkra beslut och att utförda bedömningar är lite av gissningar eftersom tydliga riktlinjer saknas. Vidare anges att arbetsledare ger instruktioner om vilka insatser som får beviljas och vilka som ska avslås, utifrån budgethänsyn snarare än bedömningar av behov. Enkätsvaren redovisar också situationer där brukare blivit kränkande bemötta. Sammantaget leder detta till en oförutsebar rättssäkerhet for brukaren.

This article investigates the need and sources of knowledge among LSS administrators in Sweden (i.e. social workers handling service and support for individuals with disability according to the Swedish Disability Act [LSS]). Changing and challenging working conditions and issues concerning professional status warrant the aim. A questionnaire distributed via gatekeepers in a number of municipalities demonstrated that knowledge about ‘disability’, ‘law’, ‘ethics’ and ‘augmentative and alternative communication’ was rated highly. This result is particularly interesting given that many social work education programmes do not have compulsory courses in disability. Colleagues appear to be relied upon as essential sources of support and knowledge, but the knowledge sharing seems unorganised. Findings are discussed in relation to communities of practice (CoP) and shows that, due to the lack of essential knowledge from formal education and the strong dependence on colleagues, a locally developed praxis might be established. Inadequate theoretical and research-based knowledge, together with this local praxis knowledge, may result in the LSS administrators’ work becoming inadequate. A specialist education in disability studies is proposed as a prerequisite for being employed as an LSS administrator, and the inclusion of a theoretical and scientific framework in the regular CoP interaction is also recommended.

Svensk välfärdsforskning fokuseras vanligen på den nationella nivån, i viss utsträckning på den lokala nivån, men sällan på den regionala nivån. Studier av fattigdom är inget undantag. Denna artikel syftar till att analysera barnfattigdom i Sverige i ett regionalt perspektiv för åren 1990 och 2010. En multivariat modell för OLS-tvärsnittsregression används för att skatta faktorer på regional nivå som orsakar barnfattigdom. Regionala makrodata används. Resultaten tyder på att gamla industriregioner har högre barnfattigdom. Den statistiska analysen visar att andelen barn som lever i hushåll med ekonomiskt bistånd ökar med andelen utlandsfödda i regionen. Andelen barn med ekonomiskt bistånd minskar med ökad regional medelinkomst.

When the issue of welfare is addressed in Sweden analysis is usually focused on the national level, in a smaller number of cases on the local level, but rarely on the regional level. Studies of poverty are no exception. The aim of this paper is to analyse child poverty in Sweden, from a regional perspective, in 1990 and 2010. A multivariate cross-section OLS regression model is used to estimate regional factors causing child poverty. Regional macro data is used. The findings indicate that old industrial regions experience greater child poverty. The statistical analysis shows that when the share of foreign-born individuals increases in the regional population, so does the regional share of children living on social assistance. Higher incomes lower the regional share of children living on social assistance.

Har kommunerna verkligen de redskap som behövs för att bekämpa barnfattigdomen? Detta kapitel visar att det finns åtta olika former av politisk ansvarsfördelning i bekämpandet av barnfattigdom i Sverige idag, och drar slutsatsen att det finns grundläggande politisk-institutionella problem rörande ansvarsfördelningen.

I kapitlet studeras vad skälig levnadsnivå för barn innebär - förr och nu. Vidare studeras Konsumentverkets hushållsbudget och riksnormen för ekonomiskt bistånd. Det finns flera oklarheter kring vad en skälig levnadsnivå för barn egentligen innebär enligt gällande lagstiftning och rättstillämpning.

This report examines the ways in which socioeconomic (SE) factors affect educational disadvantage. As a starting-point SE could be understood as a set of structural factors that influence education and could cause disadvantages for groups of children, youths and adults. Since socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) is a very complex concept, we will present a more extensive working definition. Official perceptions of SED as well as research perspectives will be discussed. SED has intersectional dimensions and these are explored here and in the other thematic reports1. There are several different factors used to measure socioeconomic conditions. Common ways of assessing SED can include parents’ educational level, social background, living conditions and social heritage. In Eurostat, parents’ educational level, living conditions, and income are measured together with other variables such as gender and ethnic group, in a multi-dimensional structure, in order to compile a comprehensive definition of SE. Although socioeconomic circumstances have an important effect on young people’s school careers, the concept of SE is not formally and uniformly defined in relation to education in EU reports and statistics.

This report examines the ways in which socioeconomic (SE) factors affect educational disadvantage. As a starting-point SE could be understood as a set of structural factors that influence education and could cause disadvantages for groups of children, youths and adults. Since socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) is a very complex concept, we will present a more extensive working definition. Official perceptions of SED as well as research perspectives will be discussed. SED has intersectional dimensions and these are explored.