Lindskov, C (2009) Family Centre Practice and Modernity A Qualitative Study from Sweden. Doctoral thesis, Liverpool John Moores University.

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Abstract

Family centres have become a common institution to promote health and wellbeing among young children (0-6 years of age) and their parents in Sweden. The core of the work is usually based on both maternal and child health care, a preschool and social services, all located under the same roof in the local community. The family centre in this study, known as the "Family House", was the first of its type to be built in the city of Kristianstad, Sweden. The overall aim of the thesis was to understand family centre practice through professionals' and parents' perceptions of the Family House and its relationship to modernity. The study employed a qualitative design using phenomenography as method to capture people's perceptions of the practice. The research also drew on the approach of action research, where participants and researchers co-generate knowledge through collaborative communicative processes. Data was generated from semi-structured interviews conducted with nineteen professionals and sixteen individual parents. Dialogue sessions with the professionals of the study have been held in order that they and the researcher could enter into a dialogue based on the findings of the interviews. Data was consequently also generated from these meetings. The way the professionals perceived the practice of the Family House fell into three categories, namely, as a professional service, the provision of an informal meeting place for professionals and families with young children or as a broad community based centre. Parents' perceptions fell into four categories; as a professional reception to obtain expert guidance and support, a study circle and living room to informally share experiences and socialising, and a playground for children where children could interact and learn social skills. One core finding of this thesis is that family centre practice for those involved contained a balancing act between simple modem expertise to control the world and late modem opportunities for self-realisation and reflexivity. The House enhanced both parents' and professionals' mastery of the world, supporting a stable and trusting world view under uncertain late modem conditions. Parents and professionals shared the responsibility for children's well-being and the distinction between private and public was blurred since parents used the House as a social arena for developing personal relations. It was also an arena for integration between Swedes and immigrants based on engagement for both cultural diversity and similarity

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races
Divisions:	Humanities & Social Science
Date Deposited:	14 Mar 2017 11:53
Last Modified:	03 Sep 2021 23:30
DOI or ID number:	10.24377/LJMU.t.00005930
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/5930

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