Forty-five social workers served children in Skärholmen when Mikael, 39, was murdered. Eighteen of them have now quit their jobs within one year. Three former employees recently explained why they left. They described how a planned strengthening effort ended in mass resignations.
In April 2024, gunmen killed Mikael in a pedestrian tunnel. His 12-year-old son witnessed the murder. The shooting shocked Sweden and prompted political promises for change.
Sandy Lundström said in a statement that this was the final straw. She noted eight or nine other shootings had occurred in the area previously.
Lundström worked to protect children from violence in Skärholmen. She and many colleagues have now resigned. They consider their working conditions impossible.
What does this exodus mean for vulnerable children in Stockholm's suburbs? The district faces serious challenges retaining professionals who protect at-risk youth. When social workers flee troubled areas, the children who need protection most lose their safety net. This creates a dangerous cycle where violence escalates while support systems collapse.