‘I Want Them to See that I See Them’: Beyond Compliance in Inspectors’ Approaches to Service User Participation

Although participatory methods are increasingly used in social care regulation, limited research examines how inspectors apply information from service users. This study addresses this gap through a case study of onsite interviews with children in residential care in Israel. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with inspectors and headquarters staff from Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs. The analysis identified four approaches used by inspectors: assessing care quality against standards, advocating for children as a group, advocating for individual children, and empowering children to address their concerns. These approaches illustrate inspectors’ dual role as regulators and facilitators of participation, balancing oversight with a relational approach that shapes service users’ lives at a personal level. This multifaceted role reflects an evolving view of regulation that extends beyond oversight to include advocacy, protection, and empowerment, emphasising the balance inspectors maintain between regulatory duties and the well-being of service users in social care.