Authors

• Finnish Federation for Social Welfare and Health (STKL)

Keywords

Social Insurance Institution, employment offices, employment services, health services, medical centres, organizations, public sector, regional development, social change, social economy, social security, social services, social welfare, welfare policy, working conditions

Abstract

The survey charted expert opinion on the welfare of Finnish citizens and the present state of welfare services. Respondents were managers or management groups of municipal social services, health centres, employment offices, social and health organizations or local offices of the Social Insurance Institution. Respondents evaluated the welfare of various population groups and rated the importance of different bodies in providing welfare. They were asked about the possibilities of their own sector to improve the welfare of certain groups (e.g. single-parent families, unemployed, immigrants, chronically ill persons) and whether it was possible to provide the services citizens need with the present resources of the municipalities. Some questions covered the changes in the services of the respondents' own sector and the effectiveness of these services. Services provided by other sectors, social and health services provided by private enterprises and the role of organizations were also evaluated. The survey probed views on the functionality and sufficiency of income support systems.

Respondents were asked to estimate the changes in staff numbers in their own sector, staff sufficiency, prevailing working conditions and how well the sector took care of employees' occupational training and development. Opinions on the effects of migration and on the socio-economic situation of municipalities were canvassed.

Managers of municipal social services answered questions about the municipality's economy. Everyone else except social and health organizations were asked about their experiences of the implementation of the Act on Rehabilitative Work. Social services managers were questioned about their co-operation with other concerned bodies. Social and health organizations evaluated the importance of the third sector in providing welfare. They were also asked about the characteristics of their own organization, its activities, the number of employees, the importance of employment assistance for the organization and the role of volunteers.

Background variables included respondents' occupational status and regional variables.