Introduction

The Swedish welfare system is known as a comprehensive and redistributive welfare state, with diverse institutions providing public support and social services. Despite the existence of a broad welfare state system, less is known of the extent to which professional social workers are active in reforming, changing, or otherwise affecting social policies in Sweden. In other words, in what way are they engaged in policy practice activities as part of their practical work? In this chapter we will present and describe the role of Swedish social workers in policy practice activities, with a specific focus on the shape and boundaries of such practices in the Swedish welfare state context. More specifically, we will discuss social work in relation to Swedish social policy, social work education and its teaching of policy practice skills, and social workers’ engagement in policy practice.

This contribution highlights the Swedish case, which is often unreflectively perceived of as an example of an interventionist and universal welfare state. In Sweden, professional social workers play a significant role in the implementation of social policy and a majority of Swedish social workers are employed within the large public welfare sector. Although public welfare institutions, such as municipal social services, are important vehicles for social policy implementation, professional social workers can also be found in other settings such as schools, mental health services, voluntary and non-profit organisations, the healthcare system, residential care units, substance abuse treatment, care of older people and people with disabilities, correctional services, employment services and immigration services. Social work is a rather large profession in Sweden; it enjoys a relatively high professional status, and social work education has a long tradition in the country (Meeuwisse and Swärd, 2007). Most social workers have a university degree, and an education in social work consists of a three and a half year programme with both theoretical and practical components.

Thus, social work is a strong and stable profession, training combines clinical skills with social policy knowledge, and the research environment is active and growing. Nevertheless it is less clear in what way social workers engage in policy practice activities in their professional and practical work. In fact, it has been argued that social workers are relatively unengaged in policy practice activities attempting to influence social policy (Dellgran, 2008; Rolfer, 2009).