The overall aim of this licentiate thesis is to explore what individual-based systematic follow-up of interventions (ISF) in social services means as a knowledge-producing practice. Based on the premise that knowledge is created through processes of creation and re-creation in practice, the study analyzes how these processes are expressed within the ISF practice. Conducted as a case study, it examines ISF in two cases of non-institutional social services for children and families in two Swedish municipalities, using different models for ISF: LOKE (Local Evidence) and FIT (FeedbackInformed Treatment). Empirical material was collected through interviews, observations, and documents.

The first article reveals how ISF results are transformed into knowledge when family therapists reflect on the significance of the results. Central to these reflections is the frequent relation of ISF results to the family therapists’ daily work, making the knowledge meaningful for them. The results also highlight the importance of facilitating opportunities for reflection within the ISF practice.

The second article examines how ISF is used within and by the organizations. The results show a multifaceted use of both ISU results, and the knowledge derived from them, as well as the ISF models themselves. The results also indicate that the impact of knowledge is often “creeping” and occurs over time, integrating with other information, knowledge, and practical experiences during the process.

The final discussion deepens the understanding of the results by relating them to three distinctive parts of the knowledge creation process: from data to information, from information to knowledge, and from knowledge to use. Each section concludes with thoughts on practical implementation. Here, the importance of organizationally creating favorable conditions for maintaining work methods, reflection, and knowledge use are highlighted. Additionally, it is suggested that there needs to be flexibility in ISF work methods to adapt to changes in what the organization perceives as relevant to follow up, in order to promote new knowledge.