Research presentation
Sven Trygged
Professor
Research subject: Social Work
Email: sven.trygged@hig.se
Telephone: +46 70 734 14 61
Sven Trygged is a Professor of Social Work at University of Gävle. His research relates to vulnerable positions on the labour market, to social consequences of poor health and exposure to violence, and to international social work. He has written several textbooks. His forthcoming research will focus on employees in elderly care related to privatization of public services.
CURRENT RESEARCH
Sven Trygged participates in several current research projects and more detailed information about each project can be read on the page about the research area.
- Samverkan Gävleborg 2022. The project is in progress 2023-2025 and the project funding comes from Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
- The digitalization of social services.
- Reports of concern about children.
- Interprofessional learning.
- The textbook Supportive conversations, Meetings, and Relationships in Social Work.
READ MORE ABOUT
Cooperation Gävleborg 2022
The University of Gävle is participating in the project Cooperation Gävleborg 2022, with the goal to promote the integration of third-country nationals in Gävleborg County. Through enhanced collaboration among stakeholders, the project aims to contribute to a more efficient integration process by utilizing methods and approaches that reduce the structural barriers for the target group to establish themselves in society and get closer to the labour market. The project is led by the County Administrative Board of Gävleborg with co-financing from the European Union through the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF). Other participants include several municipalities in Gävleborg and RF-SISU.
The University will conduct three sub-studies during 2023-2025. Sub-study 1 is a follow-up interview study on the experiences of third-country nationals who have studied Swedish for immigrants (SFI). Sub-study 2 targets authorities and organizations involved in recruitment, while sub-study 3 focuses on civil society and the involvement of associations in the pursuit of integration.
The University's project is led by Sven Trygged. Other researchers from the University of Gävle participating in the project are Maja Lilja and Hanna Kusterer.
Cooperation Gävleborg was preceded by the project Integration Gävleborg 2.0 (IG 2.0). A report from that project is available in Swedish language. Trygged, S., Kusterer, H. & Lilja, M. (2021). Integration Gävleborg 2.0 : Intervjustudie om upplevda möjligheter och hinder för arbetsmarknadsetablering för migranter med låg utbildning. [Interview study on perceived opportunities and obstacles for labour market establishment for migrants with low education.] Gävle: Gävle University Press. 32 s. (FOU-rapport 55)
Other texts addressing the subject of migration: Trygged, S & Righard, E (Eds.) (2019) Inequalities and migration – Challenges for the Swedish welfare state. Lund: Studentlitteratur. A textbook with international perspectives on current challenges for the Swedish welfare state. The anthology features authors from several universities. Co-editor is Erica Righard, Malmö University.
Client empowerment and increased discretion? – The digital social services under scrutiny
The digital transformation greatly affects the welfare sector. The main focus of this study is on what digitalization means for clients seeking social assistance. The voices of social workers are also highlighted since the experiences of the staff and clients are interconnected. By identifying the digital tools used, the entire digital infrastructure is made visible, including e-applications, decision support through algorithms ("robots"), and video meetings.
The study involves interviewing clients, social workers, and managers in municipalities of various sizes. The project, conducted during 2023-2024, is linked to the research program Digital Shapeshifting at the University of Gävle (HiG).
Participants: Sven Trygged (project leader), Lupita Svensson, School of Social Work, Lund University, Agneta Ranerup, Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg.
Not without concern – support and interventions of the social child welfare
Social services serve as society's safety net for children in need of protection and support. Typically, social services become aware of children at risk when someone submits a so-called report of concern about the child. Employees of certain authorities, such as schools and healthcare, are obliged to report if they suspect that a child is at risk in their work. Even private individuals can make a report of concern.
The overall aim of the research is to increase systematic knowledge about the support and interventions provided by the social child welfare for children where a report of concern has been made. This is initially done through statistical mapping and analysis of the reasons for reports of concern, the interventions employed, and the patterns that emerge regarding reports and interventions. Interviews with social services staff are also conducted.
Stiftelsen Allmänna Barnhuset has granted funding for the planning of an in-depth study on children who witness violence. There is great interest in children who witness violence, and in 2021, this crime was introduced into legislation. This project will commence in the autumn of 2023. Participants: Mattias Bengtsson (social work), Tove Bylund Grenklo (caring science), Niklas Halin (psychology), Anneli Marttila (public health science), and Sven Trygged (project leader, social work).
Textbook on conversations
In 2022, the textbook Larsson, S & Trygged, S (editors) Stödjande samtal, möten och relationer i socialt arbete [Supportive conversations, Meetings, and Relationships in Social Work] was published. Lund: Studentlitteratur. This anthology provides a theoretical and practical framework for conducting supportive conversations in client meetings in social work. The chapter contributions are written by nationally and internationally experienced researchers and educators in social work. (Published in Swedish language only).
Interprofessional learning
Focus group interviews with students from the nursing-, education- and social work programmes at University of Gävle. A pilot study on how students with different educational backgrounds reflect in homogenous and mixed groups about a young person in need of support from many different professional groups. (Hopefully this could prepare students to understand and make use of different competencies in order to support vulnerable clients/patients with multiple difficulties in their future professional life).
Trygged S, Björkman A & Lindgren Ödén B (2022) Body. Grade. Relations. Understanding children’s needs through interprofessional learning Nordic Social Work Research.