Nolbeck K, Olausson S, Lindahl G, Thodelius C, Wijk H. Be prepared and do the best you can: a focus group study with staff on the care environment at Swedish secure youth homes.
Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2023;
18:2168234. [PMID:
36727536 PMCID:
PMC9897801 DOI:
10.1080/17482631.2023.2168234]
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Abstract
PURPOSE
This study examined staff members' experiences of the institutional care environment within secure youth homes.
METHODS
Data were collected through three focus group discussions with 17 staff members at two secure youth homes. Subsequently, a thematic analysis was conducted.
RESULTS
The analysis indicated two main themes: risk management and damage control in a restricted environment and compensating and reconstructing ordinariness-trying to make the best of it; each theme had three subthemes. The care environment seems to be experienced by staff as characterized by conflicting demands, thus constituting a gap between needs and what is possible to achieve-a balancing act that constitutes a constant struggle.
CONCLUSIONS
The staff members' constant struggle could be interpreted as conflicting moral and instrumental demands; they know what the youths need, but the environment of the secure youth homes demands the decorous behaviour of sociomaterial control practices-rather than care practices.
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