A selection from Stockholm University publication database

• The coordinated individual plan

  2018. David Matscheck (et al.). Nordic Social Work Research

  Article

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• Beyond formalized plans

  2019. David Matscheck, Amanda Ljungberg, Alain Topor. International Journal of Social Psychiatry

  Article

  Background:

  User involvement, based on respect and carried out through dialogue, has been shown to lead to increased self-respect, self-confidence and positive identity. In Sweden, the Social Service Act requires that interventions be designed and implemented together with the individual concerned. The basic criterion for social support is prolonged severe mental illness (usually at least 6 months), with no criteria for specific diagnosis or institutional history. The most common form of social support is ‘support in daily living’, a community care intervention for people aged 18 years or older who have their own homes and living arrangements.

  Aim:

  This article aims to deepen our understanding of user involvement at the individual level in the provision of an ongoing social work intervention. What elements of user involvement can be found in users’ and support workers’ descriptions of helpful support in daily living?

  Method:

  Qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 users, who had experienced support in daily living as helpful, and 16 interviews with the users’ support workers.

  Results:

  Three major, interconnected themes emerged: Constant dialogue; Framing the flexibility, in relation to formalized intervention plans and regulations; The importance of ‘small things’, decisions concerning daily life.

  Conclusion:

  Both users and support workers described user involvement at the individual, micro-level to be an integral part of helpful support in daily living. It was possible to create a space for dialogue and co-creation in which users were involved in formulating and deciding the contents of their support at an informal level, to influence their own everyday lives. While a formal framework of rules, restrictions and plans surrounds meetings between users and professionals, a facilitating factor may be the absence of too detailed plans and regulations, leaving trust to users and professionals and their capacity to manage most of the choices they have to make.

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• Evidensbaserad metod eller praktisk verksamhet? Supported employment utan IPS

  2019. David Matscheck. Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift 26 (1), 87-108

  Article

  Evidence-based method or practical support for users? Supported Employment without IPS

  Since the Mental Health Reform of 1995, the social service in Sweden is required to offer ”meaningful activities” to persons with mental health impairments. This requirement has usually been met by the social service’s ”daily activities” centres, which do not have contact with the competitive labour market. ”Supported Employment” (SE) is a method which can be used to help people with mental health, neuropsychiatric or intellectual impairments to regular work places. Based on international research, the SE model ”Individual Placement and Support” (IPS) is recommended in national guidelines as an evidence-based method. However, IPS can be difficult to implement, since the model requires integrated teams, while in the Swedish system health care, social service and vocational rehabilitation belong to different sectors. Another reason is that subsidized forms of employment and internship are more usual in Sweden than in many other countries. This study investigates SE practices in three municipalities which do not follow all of the IPS model’s eight ”basic principles”. The results show that after 18 months many persons who had been totally without regular activities, or had access only to a daily activities centre, had some form of work or internship at regular workplaces. Twenty per cent had paid employment. The author interprets IPS as a ”packaging” of SE which the municipalities have ”translated” locally to offer SE activities which benefit users. This can also be seen as evidence-based practice (EBP), in which the best available research has been combined with the wishes of users and the professionals’ judgement of what is possible to offer in practice. Further research is needed concerning the value for users of prolonged internships which do not lead to paid employment.

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• Does BBIC Make a Difference? Structured Assessment of Child Protection and Support

  2015. David Matscheck, Lotta Berg Eklundh. Nordic Social Work Research 5 (3), 193-211

  Article

  Assessments of children in need in Sweden have been criticized for inadequate investigation and documentation and for not allowing children enough participation. In an effort to achieve greater systematization and to make assessments more ‘child-centred’, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare has sanctioned the development of BBIC (Children’s Needs in Focus). BBIC is inspired by the ‘Framework for Assessment of Children in Need’ used in England and Wales. In a study of BBIC in seven municipalities, method triangulation was used. A quantitative file study, evaluating written assessments, was complemented by a survey study and interviews with practitioners who conduct assessments. The results show improved, though uneven, illumination of the child’s needs in assessments and some improvement concerning the parents’ capacity to meet the child’s needs. More relevant information was also collected concerning the child’s family situation and environment, and there were more contacts made with collaborative partners. The results show clear tendencies to greater focus on the child. Social workers found that BBIC leads to better assessments, though at the expense of increased administration.

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• Arenas for contact

  2012. David Matscheck, Runo Axelsson. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration 16 (2), 93-113

  Article

  Samverkan inom fältet mental hälsa berör institutioner med skilda organisationsstrukturer och tillhörande olika administrativa och politiska huvudmän. Hos respektive institution finns yrkesgrupper med varierande roller såsom läkare, sjuksköterskor, psykologer, socialsekreterare, arbetsterapeuter, boendestödjare m.fl.

  Syftet med denna artikel är att beskriva och analysera hur psykiatrin och socialtjänsten i en svensk kommun kan samverka, trots uppenbara skillnader i organisationsformer, lagstiftning och regelverk samt yrkesbakgrund och professionell grundsyn. En dokumentstudie av avtal och rutiner för samverkan tillsammans med en intervjustudie riktad mot personer med olika professionella roller inom respektive organisation visar på vikten av en övergripande strategi baserad på en helhetssyn omfattande individen/patienten/klientens sammansatta behov. En sådan strategi kräver en övergripande struktur som omfattar inte bara skriftliga överenskommelser och rutiner, utan även arenor för kontakt på samtliga nivåer inom de berörda organisationerna. Ledarskapets roll blir då att stärka och befästa strukturerna för samverkan samt att stödja samarbetet för att ordna vård och stöd kring enskilda patienter och klienter.

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• Integrated care for individuals with mental illness and substance abuse

  2020. David Matscheck, Katarina Piuva. European Journal of Social Work

  Article

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Show all publications by David Robert Matscheck at Stockholm University