Yhteiskuntapolitiikka, the leading journal in social science in Finland has just published two articles from TreAdd group. Articles are written in Finnish, but see abstracts in English below.
Katja Kuusisto & Eeva Ekqvist & Laura Kalliomaa-Puha: Social workers’ interpretations of substance abusing clients in need of special support (Erityistä tukea tarvitsevat päihteitä ongelmallisesti käyttävät asiakkaat sosiaalityöntekijöiden tulkinnoissa)
Although the welfare state is founded on the premise of equal access to social welfare and health services, people with substance abuse problems have long faced significant challenges securing this access. The new Social Welfare Act (1301/2014) introduced a novel category of clients in need of special support, to whom social workers are both entitled and obliged to offer more resources than to others. The act specifically mentions people with substance abuse problems as one typical group who often meet the special needs criteria. It is plausible that a substance abuse problem in particular can complicate the task of finding and accessing appropriate services. This article examines social workers’ interpretations of substance abusing clients in need of special support and examines the practical implications of the identification of this group. The data was collected in 2017 by a semi-structured questionnaire among social workers (N=144) who encounter substance abusing clients in their work. The data was analysed by using quantitative (frequencies) and qualitative (content analysis) methods. Social workers’ interpretation of the distinctive features of people in need of special support is central in terms of access to services. This interpretation also determines the degree of support and range of services made available to clients. It was found that social workers did recognize the new category of clients, but were not familiar with the new tools specified in the act to help those clients, even though the act had been in force for two years at the time. In other words, the act has failed to deliver what it promised to clients in need of special care, at least in the substance abuse context. Professional development is needed.
Keywords: social welfare act, special support, substance using client, social work, social worker.
Tuija Karsimus & Kirsi Günther: Responsibilities and threats caused by mandatory identification in declarant comments to government proposal to amend the Lotteries Act (Pakollisen tunnistautumisen tuomat vastuut ja uhat arpajaislain lakimuutosesitykseen annetuissa lausunnoissa)
Questions of responsibility and the allocation of responsibility have received growing attention in recent public debate about the harmful effects and problems caused by gambling. In this article we examine the responsibilities and responsibilization associated with gambling. Our research questions consider which and what kind of responsibilities declarants attach to mandatory identification and how they are justified in their comments (N=35) regarding the government proposal (HE 213/2018) to amend the Lotteries Act (1047/2001). We analysed these comments by means of content analysis and rhetorical reading. Our findings indicated that gambling policy is constructed in a contradictory relationship, which is manifested in irrational and tense cause and effect relationships. The declarants find the proposal to amend the current legislation alarming, precipitate and excessive. They also think that the harmful effects of gambling are being tackled without a proper background investigation of the pros and cons of gambling. The questions of responsibility and allocation of accountability in gambling appear illogical and contradictory. Based on our research, it can be argued that gamblers are responsible for major industrial policy and societal issues. However, the problems of gamblers remain secondary when viewed from the perspective of the negative societal effects that gambling restrictions create. In their comments, the beneficiaries of gambling revenues consider these threats by arguing them to be facts and bringing up cause and effect relationships in a negative light.
Keywords: responsibility, gambling, government bill, beneficiary, identification, gambling problem.