Enabling and Preserving Situational Social Work in Barnahus: A Vulnerable Jurisdiction Caught in the Crossfire Between Juridification and Psychologisation

Abstract

This chapter examines the situational social work practice of “interstitial work” that is observable within the Norwegian Barnahus model. Interstitial work provides children and families with interventions that are customised to their particular situations and needs. This chapter examines which structural conditions have enabled this practice to emerge, what factors could threaten the practice’s future existence, and how the practice may be sustained over time. Based on interview data with ten Barnahus staff members and a leader, this chapter notes that a high degree of professional autonomy through an absence of detailed regulation may be crucial in the formative years of situational practices. Once a situational practice is established, however, increased but not overly detailed regulation seems necessary for the practice’s preservation over time.