EN
The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of child welfare
workers in regard to immigrant and non-immigrant families by using the concept of corporal
punishment as a point of departure. There were three main questions and objectives that
focused on exploring the expectations and approaches that child welfare workers have when
working with immigrant and non-immigrant families. This study was exclusively qualitative
in nature. Data collection was done by undertaking semi-structured interviews with seven child
welfare workers from the Stavanger and Sola offices. Thematic analysis was used to generate
the findings which were discussed with the lens provided by the theoretical framework that
included the moral theories of universalism and relativism as well as the theory of street level
bureaucracy.
The results of the study indicate that child welfare workers have a child centred approach to
their practice. They do not seem to differentiate between children of immigrant and nonimmigrant
families. Their work is based on the promotion of the rights of the child stated by
the UNCRC and the Norwegian law. In addition, it was found that while child welfare workers
have a culture blind approach to the use of corporal punishment, they take culture into account
to develop a better understanding and relationship with immigrant families. This was explained
with the help of a graphic that I called “the bridge of relativism”.