Authors

• Finnish Federation for Social Welfare and Health (STKL)

Keywords

care of dependants, cooperation, employment services, health services, medical centres, organizations, personnel, public sector, social economy, social services, social work, strategies, welfare policy

Abstract

This wide-ranging survey charted expert opinion on the welfare of Finnish citizens, and on the present state of welfare services. The respondents were managers or management groups of municipal social services, municipal health centres, employment offices, major social and health organisations (voluntary organisations), or local offices of the Social Insurance Institution.

The respondents evaluated the welfare of various population groups, and rated the possibilities of their own organisation/sector to support these population groups (e.g. single-parent families, the unemployed, immigrants, chronically ill persons). They were also asked to indicate which population group needed new sociopolitical support actions the most. Public social and health services, employment services, services provided by the Social Insurance Institution, and services provided by private enterprises were evaluated. Co-operation between different bodies was also surveyed.

Further questions covered securing social, health, cultural and education services in the respondents' area of operation with current resources. Socio-economic situation of the municipality and the area of operation were charted. Changes in staff numbers from 2004 to 2005 in the respondents' own organisation, staff sufficiency, success in recruiting qualified staff, organisation's ability to take care of developing the staff's vocational skills, and prevailing working conditions were estimated. Some questions explored public service contracts, the impact of competitive tendering, problems related to welfare benefits, changes in the number of services provided by the respondents' organisation in 2004, and the most central development projects.

In addition, the respondents were asked whether there were need for additional services in their area of operation. They also estimated the importance of different bodies in taking care of citizens' welfare both now and in the future, the importance of social and health care organisations from the viewpoint of various activities, and reasons for satisfaction and concerns in their organisation. Views on joint service points and various broader strategies were queried.

Managers and management groups of municipal social services departments and local offices of Social Insurance Institution were asked questions on subsidising the care of close relatives, impact of increased state subsidies on social and health care operating costs, impact of national information resource planning on the respondents' own resource planning, service vouchers, and care guarantee (came into effect in Finland on March 1st, 2005).

Managers and management groups of municipal social services were presented with a set of questions on the number of qualified staff in the municipality, occupational skills of social service professionals with various educational backgrounds, financial situation of the municipality both now and in the future, and social service provision in the respondents' own municipality of residence. Further questions canvassed whether there was queue for the service needs assessment for the elderly, and whether the amount of funds allocated to the care of close relatives had changed.

The respondents working in the local offices of the Social Insurance Institution or in employment offices were asked questions on counselling, redirecting clients to other service providers, changes caused by the enactment of the Equality Act, and systematic ways of engaging in interest group co-operation. In addition, the respondents working in the offices of the Social Insurance Institution were asked to assess the demand of various services and benefits in 2004 and various issues related to rehabilitation and income support.

Managers and management groups of major social and health organisations (voluntary organisations) were asked questions related to the focus of their activity, staff, budget, financing, challenges and changes in their activity, and the importance of various forms of activity for managing different services and tasks.

The respondents working in municipal health centres were asked to assess whether the preconditions required for care guarantee to come into effect had been met in their area of operation. Final questions probed the use of special measures and additional resources required by the care guarantee.

Background variables included the respondent's organisation, R's status in the organisation and the location of the organisation.