Authors

• Finnish Federation for Social Welfare and Health (STKL)

Keywords

administration, employment services, health services, human resources, local government services, medical centres, organizations, public services, social security benefits, social services, social welfare, 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 offices, municipal health centres (primary health care), employment offices, and local offices of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela).

There were separate questionnaires for each organisational sector, with somewhat differing questions for each.

The questions common to all organisations studied perceptions of the situation of the sector in the municipality, welfare of population in the municipality, and the possibilities of ensuring service provision to different population groups (e.g. the elderly) with the existing resources. One set of questions charted the actors that should provide support and services to people in the intermediate labour market, and the ability of different actors to solve situations of those in the intermediate labour market. Opinions were surveyed on the effects of the municipal and public service reform project on the cooperation between the respondents' organisation and other bodies/actors.

The questions not common to all organisations charted, among others, the possibilities of ensuring service provision to citizens with the existing resources, financial situation of the organisational sector in the municipality, need for additional resources, specific action taken to support young people not in school or employment, promoting of health and welfare in the municipality, employment opportunities provided to people in the intermediate job market, outcomes of employment schemes, evaluation of service needs of citizens, competitive tendering of services, and effects of the municipal and public service reform.

Background variables included the respondent's organisational sector as well as the province, major region, and type of municipality in which the organisation was located.