The websites of wellbeing services counties are a key means of informing citizens about services that have been reorganised in the wake of the health and social services reform, including adult social work. As information about services is increasingly provided in digital form, adult social work should be described on these websites as clearly as possible. In this article, I examine websites from the perspective of informational accessibility, one of the dimensions of accessibility outlined by Heidi Vanjusov. The aim of the study is to explore what kinds of terms are used to describe adult social work in the link labels of three wellbeing services counties’ websites and what kinds of differences exist between them. The data consist of 50 screenshots of navigational link paths leading from the main pages of the wellbeing services counties to pages on adult social work. The analysis draws on Geoffrey Bowker’s and Susan Leigh Star’s concept of the classification system, which emphasises the systematic nature of distinctions between categories. The findings show that the link paths on the websites of the wellbeing services counties describe adult social work using highly varied, often service system–oriented terminology, which is located in different sections on each county’s website.
The digitalization of public health and social services has substantially reshaped the realisation of citizens’ social rights. Opportunities for direct interaction with state-employed professionals have been reduced, while citizens are increasingly expected to manage their affairs independently through digital means. However, those in vulnerable positions often lack the capacity to act autonomously online and are therefore compelled to rely on external assistance. In this article, we examine such assistance in the use of digital public health and social services. Drawing on a case study of advisory encounters within a third-sector organisation supporting ageing immigrants, we show that the organisation’s advisor investigates, interprets and communicates clients’ needs to the state, while also representing the state to the client. In this role, the advisor – or any external actor – effectively becomes an intermediary in the citizen–state relationship. Conducting transactions through such third parties endangers the equal realization of citizens’ social rights.
This article examines the development of health social work during its early stages from 1923 to 1938. The study is based on 16 journal articles that describe the shaping of health social workers’ roles and areas of operation, as well as the profession’s societal impact. Three key dimensions emerge from the data, outlining the different aspects of the development of health social work: professional development and interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing family and network-based interventions, and societal influence.The article emphasizes the pivotal role of health social work pioneers in shaping the field, evident in their active participation in societal discussions and their significant contributions to shaping the structures and practices of the profession.
