Authors

• SOSTE Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health

Keywords

covid-19, elderly, employment services, health services, incentives, social inequality, social security, social security benefits, social services, social welfare, social work, well-being (health)

Abstract

The sociobarometer is a wide-ranging survey charting expert opinion on the welfare of Finnish citizens and the present state of welfare services in Finland. The 2021 sociobarometer charted issues such as changes in the responsibilities for organising services, income support, employment services and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on social, health and employment services. Respondents included healthcare managers and social workers at municipalities and joint municipal authorities, directors of operational units and service experts at Kela (Social Insurance Institution of Finland) and managers of local employment and economic development offices (TE Offices) and the officials responsible for employment services in municipalities.

One of the themes of the survey was the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on services and support needs at the end of the previous year. Respondents were asked, among other things, which groups of people in the area were particularly concerned, how clients' needs had been met and whether the need for multidisciplinary services had changed since the spring of the previous year. In particular, they were asked about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the service needs of older people and the support targeted at them.

Another broader theme was cooperation between different organisations and coordination of services. Questions covered issues such as the support provided by churches, associations and volunteers, as well as the division of labour within the municipality or region and its clarity. The questionnaire also asked whether, for example, some services were outsourced to the voluntary sector during the pandemic.

The third broader theme of the survey was related to changes in the responsibility for organising services, such as the health and social services reform (sote-uudistus) and the local government pilots. In the context of the reform, respondents were asked to assess the reform and its impact. The questions related to the organisation of employment services concerned, for example, the local government pilot scheme, whereby employment services for certain client groups in 25 pilot areas were transferred to Kela. Other questions included affordable housing, income support and the reform of the client fees.

Background variables included the respondent's sector of work, the size of the area of activity and the major region. For respondents from TE Offices, the data also include a regional variable at the level of the province