Relational discretion in social work with persons with disabilities. Intersecting relations between legal, professional and organizational discourses

Abstract

This study examines discretion in social work with persons with disabilities in Finland based on texts written by social workers. Discretion is understood as relational and discursive institutional practice. The research question is: What kind of discourses and relations between them are involved in discretion in social work with persons with disabilities? The social workers’ writings are analysed using critical discourse analysis. The findings show how discretion is manifested as relational discretion influenced by a legal, a professional, and an organizational discourse. Discretion is expressed in various ways in the discourses. The discourses are complementary, but highlight tensioned power relationships. The intersecting relations of the discourses form an image of extensive and complex discretion in social work with persons with disabilities, which requires relational agency and relational expertise from social workers.

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