The study aimed to investigate how child welfare social workers assessed the leadership of their first-line managers over a period of fifteen years and to examine whether the assessments have changed over time. More specifically, the analysis focused on the extent to which social workers perceive the leadership of their first-line managers to be empowering, supportive and fair. Data were collected in the years 2003 (n = 293), 2014 (n = 300) and 2018 (n = 309) using the same questionnaire, mainly based on QPS Nordic, which was distributed to social workers working with investigations of children and youth. The results show that the social workers assessed all measured aspects of their first-line managers’ leadership as better in 2014 compared to 2003 and significantly better in 2018 compared to 2003. In light of previous studies showing that child welfare managers experience less optimal conditions for their leadership, the results are surprising. How is it possible that the first-line managers, despite their own descriptions of a more difficult leadership situation, are seen as more supportive, empowering and fair in their leadership from the social workers’ perspective? Possible explanations for the social workers’ better assessments over the years, such as specialisation, are discussed.

中文翻译：

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儿童福利社会工作者如何评估一线管理者的领导力？ 15 年展望

该研究旨在调查儿童福利社会工作者在十五年的时间里如何评估其一线管理人员的领导力，并检查评估是否随着时间的推移而发生变化。更具体地说，分析的重点是社会工作者认为一线管理者的领导力在多大程度上是赋权、支持和公平的。使用相同的调查问卷（主要基于 QPS Nordic）收集 2003 年（n = 293）、2014 年（n = 300）和 2018 年（n = 309）的数据，该调查问卷分发给从事儿童和青少年调查的社会工作者。结果显示，社会工作者对其一线管理人员领导力的所有衡量方面进行了评估，2014 年与 2003 年相比，2018 年明显优于 2003 年。他们的领导，结果令人惊讶。尽管一线管理者自己描述了更困难的领导处境，但从社会工作者的角度来看，他们的领导能力如何被视为更具支持性、授权性和公平性？讨论了社会工作者多年来获得更好评估的可能解释，例如专业化。