This qualitative study examines social work interactions between homeless service users and social workers with the aim of identifying main topics discussed during interactions, how service users and social workers present themselves to each other and how consensus and collaborative problem solving is achieved.

Empirical evidence was obtained by observing interactions between social workers and service users and by conducting semi structured interviews with them at Svenstrupgård. Thematic analysis method was used to identify three main themes from the data, namely, topics of social work interactions, interpersonal dynamics of social work interactions and collaborative social work interactions. These themes were explored and reflected upon within the theoretical framework of social constructivism and Foucault’s theory of power.

Findings of this study present housing, house rules, money, work, and substance use/abuse as topics that invariably occur during social work interactions with homeless service users. This study identifies effective and motivational communication as important aspects of interpersonal dynamics in social work interactions and highlights some effective and motivational communication strategies and techniques used by social workers at Svenstrupgård. The findings also identify possibilities and challenges of collaborative social work interactions and uncovers some working methods used to motivate service users towards collaborative problem solving.

All in all, this study gives a dynamic insight into social work interactions with homeless service users in the Danish context which is empirically useful for social work practice and social work discourses at the micro level.