Authors

• Finnish Federation for Social Welfare and Health (STKL)

Keywords

cooperation, health services, municipalities, networks, priorization, privatization, public services, social services, social welfare, voluntary organizations, voluntary work

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate whether welfare service providers could set up flexible regional support networks. The respondents were asked whether the municipality's social services sector had been administratively united with other sectors. One theme covered changes within the respondents' organisation in administration, personnel numbers, service structure, service privatisation, co-operation with other operators, etc. The respondents evaluated how central certain managerial issues (e.g. motivation of personnel, ensuring present service production, organisation's image) were in their organisation. They were asked whether social and health services had been prioritised, and by whom. One question asked whether any municipal welfare services were under consideration to be discontinued or had been discontinued, and which body did/could take care of these services afterwards.

The respondents rated the present and future importance of various operators in the production of welfare services. One topic covered the co-operation between the municipality and other operators (e.g. non-governmental organisations, parishes, social and health enterprises) regarding different client groups. Client groups mentioned included the elderly, homeless, unemployed, drug and alcohol addicts, chronically ill, and persons with mental problems. The respondents were asked whether there were any new groups for whom there were no services. The respondents' professional status was charted.

Background variables included the respondent's province, the socio-economic situation of the municipality (according to a categorisation derived from statistical variables), and the municipality's occupational structure.