Trygga barnet-tidiga samordnade insatser för barn som kan hamna i kriminalitet

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the Trygga barnet pilot project, an early coordination model inspired by the Scottish model (GIRFEC), aimed at reducing the risk of criminal behaviour among children and young people. The study investigates the interaction between different actors working with children at risk of social exclusion and crime in Malmö, Sweden. The analysis also seeks to provide broader knowledge about how such cross-sectoral collaboration processes function with regard to the best interests of the child. The research questions are:

1. What success factors can be observed regarding effective collaboration in the Trygga barnet pilot project?
2. What collaborative challenges can be identified in the Trygga barnet pilot project?
3. How do participants experience the new professional roles and work methods introduced through the project?

The results show that the Trygga barnet pilot project is considered a meaningful and useful model for supporting children at risk. The employees found that good management, co-creation and joint skills development promoted the project’s effectiveness. The challenges included differing understandings of the model among participants, a low level of child participation, and structural differences between the actors. Collaboration therefore required clear management and adequate frameworks to overcome cultural differences and organisational boundaries.

Data collection took place through participatory observation and semi-structured interviews. A total of 15 project meetings were observed, and seven interview conversations were conducted with project staff. The interviews and observations were based on how the actors communicate and how they experience their new roles and work methods in the Trygga barnet pilot project. The observations also revealed interaction dynamics and highlighted how different professional cultures can complicate collaboration.

Mallén, A., Basic, G., & Burcar Alm, V. (2023). Trygga barnet-tidiga samordnade insatser för barn som kan hamna i kriminalitet. Rapport. Lund University.