The purpose of our thesis is to investigate through a survey how specialization affects the perceived scope for discretion of the social worker. The study will also examine how the social worker can customize outpatient care targeted at children and young people. The study's empirics were collected through a web survey that was sent out via email to social workers who worked with children and young people in IFO's outpatient care. 

The study examines how social workers' discretion is affected by the organization of social services such as the division of clients within the organization and the way in which they interact. The results indicate that guidelines, norms, and laws affect the social worker's discretion in a way that reduces client-customization. In addition, the study examines how the social worker can client-customize their efforts and which factors influence the degree of client-tailoring. The study shows that previous experience and education affect the scope for discretion in a way that increases client-customization. The empirical study is analysed using Lipsky's theory of street level bureaucrats.