The cost or potential of public value? Digital administrative burdens faced by clients seeking social assistance
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| Title: | The cost or potential of public value? Digital administrative burdens faced by clients seeking social assistance |
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| Authors: | Trygged, Sven, Ranerup, Agneta, Svensson, Lupita |
| Source: | Relational Social Work. 9(2):134-156 |
| Subject Terms: | Social assistance, Client, Digitalisation, Public value, Administrative burden, Digital shapeshifting |
| Description: | Social services are adapting to an increasingly digital environment, with municipalities expectedto engage citizens through digital channels. This study investigates how clients seeking social as-sistance perceive and use digital tools as well as the challenges and opportunities that arise whenimplementing such technologies in line with public service values. The analysis draws on municipaldigitalisation documents and interviews with ten clients across three Swedish municipalities of dif-ferent sizes. Client experiences were interpreted through the framework of aspirational municipalvalue positions — efficiency, professionalism, service and engagement — as well as administrativeburdens, including learning, compliance and psychological costs. The findings show that althoughmunicipalities articulate ambitions across all value positions, service and engagement require moredirect client involvement. Clients reported benefits and difficulties when applying for assistancedigitally. Addressing these challenges requires balancing value positions while mitigating digitalburdens. Key areas for improvement include user-centred tool design, human support integration,streamlining application procedures and client and caseworker participation in system develop-ment. The study also highlights how experiences in one value position may influence others (e.g.efficiency through time savings enhancing service). Overall, the findings elucidate how digitalsocial services can move from policy to practice while promoting participation and empowerment. |
| File Description: | electronic |
| Access URL: | https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-48799 https://doi.org/10.14605/RSW922508 |
| Database: | SwePub |
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Social services are adapting to an increasingly digital environment, with municipalities expectedto engage citizens through digital channels. This study investigates how clients seeking social as-sistance perceive and use digital tools as well as the challenges and opportunities that arise whenimplementing such technologies in line with public service values. The analysis draws on municipaldigitalisation documents and interviews with ten clients across three Swedish municipalities of dif-ferent sizes. Client experiences were interpreted through the framework of aspirational municipalvalue positions — efficiency, professionalism, service and engagement — as well as administrativeburdens, including learning, compliance and psychological costs. The findings show that althoughmunicipalities articulate ambitions across all value positions, service and engagement require moredirect client involvement. Clients reported benefits and difficulties when applying for assistancedigitally. Addressing these challenges requires balancing value positions while mitigating digitalburdens. Key areas for improvement include user-centred tool design, human support integration,streamlining application procedures and client and caseworker participation in system develop-ment. The study also highlights how experiences in one value position may influence others (e.g.efficiency through time savings enhancing service). Overall, the findings elucidate how digitalsocial services can move from policy to practice while promoting participation and empowerment. |
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| ISSN: | 25323814 |
| DOI: | 10.14605/RSW922508 |