Social care services

1
Social care services

• Integral part of the safety net system
• Address vulnerabilities and social problems that
  affect poor and non-poor population alike
• Both preventive and reactive
• The groups in need of social care services are
  many (children, families and women at risk,
  people with disabilities elderly, etc.)
• Difficult situations faced by these groups
  negatively affect human development, labor market
  participation and productivity, they lead to
  deprivation and exclusion, and may induce
  significant negative externalities and social
  cost, if not attended to adequately and in a
  timely fashion
• The types of services are many and range from
  social work and psycho-social counseling, care
  and rehabilitation for disabled people, at home
  services for frail elderly, shelters, legal
  advice, etc. to family substitute services for
  children without parental care.

2
Relatively limited progress in reforming social
care services?

• Although an important individual and social
  welfare and inclusion concern
• Client demand? There should be a consensus that a
  particular intervention is a priority
• Knowledge gap challenging design requires
  permanently new solutions
• Complex for implementation with many
  players/interests involved
• Long-term involvement (projects are typically 4-5
  years, implies a series of interventions)
• Limited resources (links to public choice and
  inevitable trade-offs)

3
What have we learned (1)?

• Importance of a champion (or a team of champions)
  and sustained strong commitment of key cabinet
  members (finance, in particular)
• Knowledge, sufficient resources and sufficient
  time patience and persistence
• Partnership (at the national, but also
  international levels speaking the same language,
  sharing the same vision)
• Political economy (no interest shall remain
  unaddressed)

4
Lessons learned (2)

• There is a role for everyone to play (the state,
  service providers, NGOs, CBOs, beneficiaries,
  etc.) the importance of a balanced approach
• Changing laws and rules is necessary, but not
  sufficient for a change persistence in
  implementation and sufficient resources
• Education of social workers, case management,
  standards, plan for de-institutionalization and
  transformation of institutions
• Prevention a range and a continuum of services