How do Street-level organizations comply and cope with a new policy framework? Implementation of social space-oriented family support in a Swiss Canton

The proposed paper examines how street-level organisations comply and cope with new legal framework conditions after regulatory reform. Our cases are four social space-oriented organisations (SSO) in the Swiss Canton of Bern facing new legislation. These substantial changes in the legal-political framework challenge educational support organisations that provide flexible and networked services according to the concept of social space orientation . Based on the theoretical explanatory models of Street-level Bureaucracy and Street-level Management, the study analyses the scope for action these organisations perceive in the implementation of the new policy framework, the accountabilities (such as state requirements, the needs of the clients, professional demands, and economic pressure) they are bound by, and the way they cope with divergent requirements and conflicting priorities. Based on interview data with the management of the four SSO and the Cantonal Youth Office as regulator, we investigate the views and attitudes of the central agents. In a comparative case study design, we identify differences between the organisations and their strategies in dealing with the new framework as well as relevant contextual factors. The study shows that the SSO struggle to adapt to the new rules due to their strong commitment to their professional concept and to their clientele. On the other hand, due to their administrative and financial dependency on the regulator and service commissioners, they cannot simply continue their current practice, but must reassemble their services.