Det lilla extra - informell organisering inom Individ- och familjeomsorg

Abstract

The article describes and analyzes Swedish social service staff´s informal organization over intra- and interorganizational boundaries in complex cases. Findings from observations of the daily work in three municipal social service organizations, and group interviews conducted in 11 municipalities are presented. The results describe informal organisation in terms of information exchange, reconciliations, follow ups, coordination, improvised meetings as well as a bending of formal assignments and rules. I the light of the results informal organisation is described as an overlooked path to service integration in complex cases, with the potential to “grease the wheels” of social service organizations as well as the welfare system as whole.