Managing Quality within the Swedish Social Services: The Uses and Obstacles to Evaluating Outcomes

In: Evaluation: the international journal of theory, research and practice, Band 8, Heft 3, S. 388-402

Abstract

This research represents a first attempt to measure to what extent Swedish Social Services were familiar with quality assurance processes at the time of the introduction of a new article in the Social Services Act which stipulated that `measures within social services shall be of good quality'. The philosophy of total quality management is drawn upon as a reference point from which to assess the preparedness of the social services to fulfil the requirements of the new law, especially from a managerial point of view. The social service management's ability to assess the quality of organizational performance, the use of evaluation and perceived obstacles to evaluation practice, are explored and tested against evaluation activities undertaken within the social services.