The study is based on qualitative research methodology. Data were collected through individual face-to-face, semi-structured interviews (Kvale, 1996) and by the use of a hermeneutical research (Alvesson & Sköldberg, 2009). The interviews followed a “funnelling approach” (Guba & Lincoln, 1981), which, in short, describes as a process where the interviewer first asks general questions, before proceeding to structuring and more focused formulations. We developed an interview guide which focused on the social workers' experiences of music therapy as an approach for working with children and young people at child welfare institutions, based on topics such as music therapy, leisure, mental health, popular culture, participation, school, institutional aspects, and relationships with peers and adults. The Interview Guide was prepared based on the UN's 2009 Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. The study was approved by Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD). All informants were informed of the purpose of the study, the duration of the interview, and of various ethical aspects such as anonymity and the possibility to withdraw from the research project. All participants signed an informed consent form. All individuals who were asked to join gave an affirmative answer.

We interviewed nine social workers between the ages of 30 and 55, who were selected following a strategic approach (Kvale, 1996). We chose participants with experiences and roles we assumed would enable them to illustrate the relevance of music therapy, as seen from a social worker perspective. Informants were in the roles of department leaders or foster care parents, and all had contact with children and adolescents who had participated in music therapy. They had experienced the effects of music therapy in different ways, either from participating in audiences at events organized by music therapists, or from talking with children and adolescents between or relatives who had received music therapy. The group they drew their experiences from were between 12 and 18 years old and had attended music therapy for a period of more than three months. Informants came from four different child welfare institutions, both in the public and private services.

The first author conducted the interviews at the workplaces of the selected informants. Most interviews lasted about 45 minutes. The conversation followed the themes from the interview guide, but the interviewees were allowed to speak fairly freely around them. The interviewer made it clear to the informants what topics it was particularly interesting to talk about, such as the impact of music therapy on participation, aftercare, and health. It was also made clear that the informants could illustrate their answers with examples from practice. All participants were interviewed once.

The interview data were transcribed from an MP3 player to a Word file. Three hundred fourteen pages were transcribed with the help of master students in music therapy. Data were then analysed, emphasizing a hermeneutical approach and an abductive analysis strategy in which the designed subjects were sought in the light of current theory (Alvesson & Sköldberg, 2009). The analytic process can be divided into four phases: 1) organizing and coding the data, 2) finding corresponding patterns in the data material, 3) linking themes to theory, and 4) assessing implications for practice and research. The first and third authors were responsible for the first two steps of the analysis process, while all three authors have collaborated on the last two steps of the analysis process. In the first two stages of the analysis process, the first and third authors discussed which codes to use and follow. Codes were identified by searching corresponding patterns in the data material that created relationships in different ways. Corresponding patterns gradually evolved into themes presented in the findings section, for example, music therapy provides the opportunity to process complex emotions. Themes were then linked to theory and assessed in relation to implications for practice and research. In the process of analysing the data, it became apparent for the authors that it could be relevant to illuminate findings in relation to perspectives from trauma-informed care (Bath, 2015). The second author was then invited into the analysis and writing process. In the analysis process, the authors repeatedly returned to the original data material in order to look for complementary data.

Participants are not representative of a larger population. We therefore cannot argue that our findings are generalizable in an empirical sense. When we discuss the empirical evidence in relation to theory, this can still be regarded as an "analytical" or theoretical generalization (Andersen, 2013).

The first writer is involved in the practice of music therapy and child welfare that the social workers talk about. The double role as a participant and researcher provides opportunities but also represents some challenges. The advantage is that the interviewer is close to the field in question, and also to the people interviewed. The role as an “insider” provides some kind of “hands on” integrity that might enrich the data (Hammersley & Atkinson, 2007). Challenges are partly due to the fact that proximity to the field can also decrease the quality of the interview, for example, because the informants may hold back scepticism to music therapy or avoid reporting negative experiences. Proximity can also influence reflexivity in the analysis work. To compensate for such pitfalls, a reflexive dialogue with informants and between co-authors was emphasised. The informants were given the opportunity to read through and comment on the full answers, a process that could help ensure credibility (Seale, 1999). Despite the fact that the informants were given the opportunity to read through and comment on the answers, few of them chose to do this.

The social workers discussed the various music activities that children and adolescents had participated in. The following case example may give valuable a background for the reading of the article. The case example is taken from the setting of a music workshop where children and adolescents can receive instruction on instruments, write songs, play together in rock bands, or perform in concerts. Music therapy activities are offered on an individual and a collective basis. Often individual music activities are offered as a preparation for participation in a group. It is also possible to invite family members, social workers, or teachers from school as participants or as audiences. Activities consist of many different tasks, with possibilities for the development of many associate social roles and social identities. It is possible to take different positions and roles in a range from being a more active to being a more passive participant. The passive participant might have a prominent role, such as the audience, sound technician, or stage worker. The active participant can get into the role as an actor, guitarist, singer, or rapper.

The example (see excerpt below) presented below is written by an adolescent boy called Ali. Ali 18 years old and has a multicultural background. He has lived in Norway for about three years, most of the time in various institutions. As a 15-year-old boy, he fled to Norway from his home country as a refugee. He travelled alone and during his journey he experienced many dangerous and unpleasant situations. During the working phase of music therapy, Ali brought lyrics to the session. Through a collaborative process of trying and failing, Ali discovered a way he could sing the lyrics. First, he sang in his mother tongue, and later in Norwegian. Based on the collaborative process, recordings were made, and performances held. Ali used his songwriting to express his feelings and thoughts. He wrote at home and brought lyrics to the music sessions. We used our time to look at grammar and fix language errors. He worked with lyrics lasted for months before Ali was satisfied. He used songwriting as a form of a diary account, but he also had ambitions of being a songwriter and performer. Both of the goals were taken into consideration. Ali told the music therapist that it was easier for him to express himself through a song than through a conversation. Writing songs helped him to articulate thoughts that otherwise would be difficult to communicate directly through conversation. The following song was written in music therapy.

Translated to English:

After highlighting examples from practice, we now return to a presentation of the interviews with the social workers.

The overall finding was that the social workers experienced music therapy as an important and useful therapy for young people in child welfare institutions. This was emphasised by all informants. Several also had experience that not all of the adolescents could or would make use of the approach. Some of the informants reported that some of the adolescents did not like to be part of activities organized by adults. Other reported that conflicts in the institutions made it difficult to facilitate participation.

Through the analytical steps mentioned above, we found that the informants' views on the usefulness of music therapy mainly focused on the following four themes. These themes were clear in the empirical material, and we highlighted them here due to their relevance for UNCRC issues such as the rights to participation and protection (United Nations, 2009).

All informants addressed how participation in music therapy activities was suitable for establishing relationships, both with adults and with peers. According to informants, relationships in music therapy were established by the young ones able to unfold in the music and thus show new sides of themselves. They also got valuable feedback on their own way of being, both from peers and adults. The information we got from these differs from the information obtained by participants of music therapy (Krüger et al. 2014). The latter said it was inspiring to participate in something new and exciting and that music therapy give them challenges for them to work with something they can master. In various ways, music therapy was described as establishing arenas where the young people showed courage in the community and where the individual can perform aspects of themselves that are not just perfect. The music therapy arenas developed as a gradual approach, from looking at others who dare, to eventually trying themselves, like this informant expressed it.

Several of the informants emphasized that music therapy was suitable for creating arenas where adults get perspective on youth resources.

Through music therapy, the adolescents can help each other and create belonging to a community of peers. Maintaining relationships with peers and adults becomes part of the relationship creation and mastering experience. This is important, as many have experienced severe losses in their childhoods.

Some of the informants said that music therapy may enhance participation in activities that are beneficial to them.

In various ways, all the informants discussed how the therapeutic music activities helped the young people to express and process complex and difficult emotions. They were concerned about how activities like improvisation and song writing could help the young people express what is difficult to say, to express it elsewhere than in foster homes or institutions, and for people other than environmental therapists or foster parents. Informants’ experiences were that expressing emotions becomes easier in music therapy, where they are given an arena where storytelling is part of the community's activities. Several of the informants thought that the youth living at the institution needed an extra valve to express difficult emotions.

Some informants say that in music therapy, the adolescents can tell about what has happened to them and gain recognition for their own link to the community.

Another informant told us that music therapy helped the adolescents express sadness, whether it concerns sadness of lack of contact, or loss of contact with their own parents. The music therapy provided tools to deal with grief.

One informant was concerned with how music therapy may function as a channel where emotions can be let out.

The music therapist also helped the adolescents understand their own feelings, such as rage.

All the informants talked about how music therapy work over time. They shared various arguments for this viewpoint. One argument was that music is an important part of the adolescent’s everyday lives. Because of the availability music provides, it is already available as a resource in an effort to create relationships and create positive environments for upbringing. Another argument was that music therapy is an accumulative process, where the individual first learns to master individual skills, such as playing guitar or singing, and then gradually participates in more complex collaborative processes where other participants are involved. The informants further stated that the music therapy processes created ripple effects that had implications beyond the single-action measure. As such, music therapy may potentially mobilize resources across a wide span of different situations and contexts. Experiencing continuity and stability in a music therapy setting, may help the adolescent master a school setting or a job-like situation.

Some of the informants described that the music therapist could be a significant support person in transitions between locations, for example in context of an aftercare situation.

Several informants described situations where music therapy had been integrated as part of meetings, such as group meetings or treatment meetings. In various ways, such situations affect the possibility for stability and continuity. Because the music therapist met the adolescents in situations characterized as well-being activities, the young person may be able to convey resource-oriented aspects by themselves and to demonstrate new skills. This is particularly important when important decisions are to be taken.

One of the informants said that music therapy provides opportunities for the young people to act something different from potentially stigmatizing roles. Creating variation in role patterns can contribute to the experience of continuity and stability when the adolescents are to act across different situations.