In Denmark, municipalities provide support to children, young people, and adults with disabilities, mental illnesses, substance abuse issues or social vulnerability. This takes place within the specialised social services sector, where decisions about assistance are shaped by professional discretion, financial constraints and the role of The National Social Appeals Board [Ankestyrelsen] as an appeals authority. These discretionary decisions often have far-reaching consequences for citizens’ lives, and when public debate points to errors in case processing, it raises doubts about whether decisions on support are being made well founded and in accordance with the law.

Discretion, Power, and the Rule of Law sheds light on how professional discretion, financial and legal considerations are taken into account in everyday social work. The book provides insight into the mechanisms that shape concrete decisions and citizens’ legal protections, and it shows how power is exercised in practice in encounters between citizens and the welfare state.

The book is published as part of the Danish Power Inquiry 2.0 (read more about the book series here).