Family as Framework: gendered residential treatment of troublesome youth
Authors
Tarja Pösö
University of Tampere
Abstract
This paper looks at the present social policy emphasis on residential treatment, which, if considered necessary or favorable at all, should he as family-like as possible. Based on an ethnographic study of professional social work in three Finnish reformatory schools, the paper claims that the usage of the term ‘family’ is highly dependent on each residential culture. ‘Family’ means a great variety of things. Meanwhile, the familistic approach meets the young female and male residents in different terms.
Author Biography
Tarja Pösö, University of Tampere
Tarja Pösö is Associate Professor at the Department of Social Policy and Social Work of the University of Tampere, Finland.