Tukihenkilötoiminta lapsen ja nuoren tukena: Analyysi tukihenkilötoimintaa kuvaavista raporteista

Abstract

In my thesis, I examine professional support person activities as a support measure for open child welfare and as a service in accordance with the Social Welfare Act. As a theoretical frame of reference, I look at social support and documentation. In addition, I write about the history of support person activities, support person activities as a support measure for child welfare and as a service in accordance with the Social Welfare Act. I also highlight support person activities as a purchasing service. The purpose of the study is to find out what the support person writes in the reports and how they describe the beneficiaries. My research material consists of reports from one municipality’s professional support persons from a period of one month. There were 34 reports available. My research method is content analysis. According to the research results, the beneficiaries commit to professional support person activities and the activities are productive. Support persons see the beneficiaries as active, cheerful and happy, as well as sometimes restless children and adolescents. In support person activities, the social support takes the form of discussions and doing together, as well as physical intimacy. The social support in support person activities occurs especially as support for schooling, guiding and encouraging the beneficiary and supporting the parents of the beneficiary. Through support person activities, children and adolescents could be supported not only in individual meetings but also as group activities. In that case, the activity would have a peer support perspective.