Conversation Groups for Children of Divorced Parents: - an Emerging Social Representation for a New Service in Schools

In this article, the emergence of a new Social Representation of children of divorced parents in connection with conversation groups in Danish schools is identified and analysed. Based on an empirical study combining document analysis of training materials for teachers with focus-group interviews with functioning group leaders, the new SR is identified and analysed as part of an argument for establishing conversation groups and also expanding this service to all schools in Denmark. It is argued that defensive tactics are used in the process of negotiating and evaluating the value and necessity of these groups in order to legitimize their relevance. Social Representation Theory and Gillespie’s concept of defensive tactics are used as analytical framework for studying how this new service is established and legitimized among the parties (NGO and group leaders) based on the formation of a new SR of children with divorced parents as encountering special needs that can only be accommodated for in conversation groups. This article documents that SR of children with divorced parents are influenced by values and economic interests that make it difficult for schools to refuse to invest in establishing conversation groups.