FSD4008 Quality and Effectiveness of Social Work: Working-Age Client Survey 2024-2025
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Study title
Quality and Effectiveness of Social Work: Working-Age Client Survey 2024-2025
Dataset ID Number
FSD4008
Persistent identifiers
https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD4008https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd4008
Data Type
Quantitative
Authors
- Puuronen, Anne (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
- Tuominen, Tuula (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
- Taipale, Mikko (SONet BOTNIA Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
- Nyman, Katrina (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
- Lindroos, Sanni (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
Abstract
The survey examined working-age clients' experiences of social work practice within social welfare services. The data was collected as part of the SULAVA project, which studied the quality and effectiveness of social welfare services in the Inland Finland collaborative area in 2024-2025.
First, respondents were asked how long they had been clients of social work services and how often they are in contact with their social worker. In addition, the respondents' experiences of their own quality of life were explored. This was followed by questions about customer service experiences within social work and the content of social work practice. Respondents were asked about their experiences with social work services, the actions of social workers, and their interactions with them. They assessed, among other things, the expertise, understanding, and reliability of social workers, as well as their overall satisfaction with the services received.
Next, respondents were asked to evaluate their satisfaction with the support provided by different actors. They also assessed how well social work practice had met their own goals and expectations. In addition, respondents described which aspects of the work or which services had been most and least helpful to them. Finally, they evaluated how their life situation had changed during their time as clients.
Background variables include the respondent's gender, age, mother tongue, wellbeing services county, level of education, living arrangement, and economic activity.
Keywords
adults; customer service; customers; quality of life; social care; social interaction; social services; social work; social workers
Topic Classification
- Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
- Specific social services: use and availability (CESSDA Topic Classification)
- General health and well-being (CESSDA Topic Classification)
Series
Individual datasetsDistributor
Finnish Social Science Data Archive
Access
The dataset is (D) available only by permission from the data depositor/creator.
Data Collector
- Taipale, Mikko (SONet BOTNIA Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
- Nyman, Katrina (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
- Lindroos, Sanni (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare)
Funders
- European Union. NextGenerationEU (VN/29599/2023)
Time Period Covered
2024 – 2025
Collection Dates
2024-10-25 – 2025-02-15
Nation
Finland
Geographical Coverage
Finland, Inland Finland collaborative area
Analysis/Observation Unit Type
Individual
Universe
Working-age clients of social welfare services in the Inland Finland collaborative area
Time Method
Cross-section
Sampling Procedure
Probability: Simple random
Total universe/Complete enumeration
Data collection was carried out in the wellbeing services counties of Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme, and Etelä-Pohjanmaa. In two areas, simple random sampling was used, while in the third area, a complete sample was collected from all adult social work clients whose telephone numbers were found in the social services client information system. A complete sample was chosen because the response rate was low in the first two areas. The survey was sent to a total of 2,843 people. Of these, 1,200 received a paper questionnaire and a prepaid return envelope, and 1,643 received a text message with a link to the Webropol survey and two reminder messages. In the end, 255 people responded to the survey. Respondents who did not belong to the target group were removed, leaving a final number of 249 respondents.
Collection Mode
Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)
Research Instrument
Structured questionnaire
Response Rate
9
Data File Language
Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.
The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.
FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.
Data Version
1.0
Related Datasets
FSD4009 Quality and Effectiveness of Social Work: Client-Employee Discussions 2025
FSD4010 Quality and Effectiveness of Social Work: Client Survey for Families with Children 2025
FSD4018 Quality and Effectiveness of Social Work: Employee Survey 2024
Completeness of Data and Restrictions
Question 27 was presented only to respondents completing the online questionnaire.
To prevent identification, the researchers have removed names of individuals, locations, organisations, companies, and other identifying information from the data.
To prevent identification of respondents, FSD further anonymised the data by removing the names of municipalities, services, and projects from open-ended responses, as well as the name of one third party. Changes made at FSD are marked with [[double square brackets]]. In addition, two variables containing open-ended responses to the response option "Other, please specify" were removed from the data at FSD.
Weighting
There are no weight variables in the data.
Citation Requirement
The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.
Bibliographical Citation
Puuronen, Anne (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare) & Tuominen, Tuula (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare) & Taipale, Mikko (SONet BOTNIA Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare) & Nyman, Katrina (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare) & Lindroos, Sanni (Pikassos Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare): Quality and Effectiveness of Social Work: Working-Age Client Survey 2024-2025 [dataset]. Data version 1.0 (2025-10-22). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd4008; URN: https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD4008
Deposit Requirement
Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.
Special Terms and Conditions for Access
The application procedure differs from the one normally used for data archived at FSD and has two stages. The applicant needs to submit separate applications to both FSD and the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa (Pirha).
The application to Pirha - for a university-level thesis or research project - is completed through the Researcher’s Digital Service Portal: https://www.pirha.fi/ammattilaiselle/tutkimus. Please note that the portal and the related webpage are available only in Finnish. Applicants who do not speak Finnish are advised to contact Pirha’s research coordinators directly for assistance: pirhatutkimus@pirha.fi. A preliminary research plan must be attached to the application.
Pirha will inform FSD of its decision. Once the decision has been made, FSD User Services will notify the applicant whether permission to download the data has been granted.
Disclaimer
The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.
FSD has not been informed of any publications related to the data.
Study description in machine readable DDI-C 2.5 format
Metadata record is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.