‘It´s like you are on autopilot’: a Swedish qualitative case study of frontline social workers’ perspectives on EIS

Abstract

In recent decades, there has been a push for enhanced efficiency and transparency in public sector services in developed economies, leading to the integration of Electronic Information Systems (EIS) into social work practices. This study contributes to the literature on frontline social workers’ perceptions of EIS, focusing on the Swedish BBIC framework for social childcare cases. The research included a pilot study and three focus group interviews with a total of 14 frontline social workers. The findings are organized into three main themes. First, participants noted that EIS is particularly beneficial in managing complex client cases, as opposed to less complex cases. This highlights the need to consider the context in which EIS is employed, as client-specific factors can significantly influence its application in social work. Second, while the oversight provided by EIS was generally accepted in complex cases, participants faced challenges when applying it to less complex cases, which limited their discretion and ability to deliver high-quality care. Finally, participants noted that EIS often operates ‘automatically,’ leaving practitioners largely unaware of its influence, even as they adhere to its protocols.