Above all, fewer people fall through the cracks, says Jenny Storm, unit manager at Håbo’s social services department.
Sending reinforcement teams to municipalities is a new working method for the National Board of Health and Welfare, and has been introduced in ten pilot municipalities.
It was very close operational support. They weren’t working on individual cases, but helped us get a picture of the conditions in our area, says Jenny Storm.
Girls at risk
Among other things, the municipality received expert help in introducing structured collaboration between social services, schools, police and leisure activities to identify and support children and young people at risk of becoming involved in crime or substance abuse at an early stage.
The municipality is also working more closely with child and youth health services, which can now use the municipality’s premises and work on site. Instead of families being called to meetings with care services in Enköping or Uppsala, meetings can be held locally.
The biggest difference is that there is now a clear structure, says Jenny Storm.
One effect is that we have become better at identifying girls who are at risk.
Things have really changed.
“Very difficult situation”
The reinforcement team helps municipalities assess their needs and ensure that social services’ efforts reach those who need them most. The National Board of Health and Welfare aims to make social services more evidence-based.
When we began the work, society was in a very difficult situation, with an incredible number of shootings, says Annika Öquist, head of unit at the National Board of Health and Welfare.
Now things have calmed down, but there are still a lot of shootings and other serious crimes, so society cannot stop working to prevent crime. The need to develop working methods and initiatives in the municipalities remains great.
The National Board of Health and Welfare will turn the lessons learned from the project into national support.
The following 29 municipalities and city districts have been granted support by the National Board of Health and Welfare’s reinforcement team this year:
Alvesta, Avesta, Essunga, Grästorp, Habo, Helsingborg, Hisingen/Gothenburg, Härnösand, Kalix, Kristianstad, Laholm, Luleå, Lund, Malmö, Mjölby, Nyköping, Osby, Piteå, Sala, Skurup, Stenungsund, Storuman, Timrå, Tjörn, Trollhättan, Tyresö, Varberg, Älmhult and Östhammar.
The following ten municipalities previously received support in a pilot project:
Borås, Håbo, Kalmar, Sundsvall, Strängnäs, Uppsala, Växjö, Borlänge, Huddinge and Sundbyberg.