Implementation Of Welfare Policies Research Articles

Guest editorial: knowledge, skills and values in welfare to work services with vulnerable clients

ABSTRACT This thematic issue adresses the knowledge, skills and values in welfare-to-work programmes (WtW) with disadvantaged clients. The aim of this special issue is to explore the status and development of professional work in WtW settings. In most countries, front-line workers implementing activation measures have no clear professional profile, and are recruited from a variety of professions, making them a heterogeneous group (Caswell et al. 2017). Scholars disagree on whether this area should be understood as de-professionalized administrative work, an emerging professional field of ‘activation work’, or a new specialization within social work (Andreassen and Natland 2022; Nothdurfter 2016; Nothdurfter and Olesen 2017; Raeymaeckers and Dierckx 2013; van Berkel, Penning de Vries, and van der Aa 2022). These questions are important because the way frontline workers manage the tensions between institutional policies and professional values in their everyday work is crucial for the welfare of vulnerable clients, and several studies have pointed to the importance of frontline workers’ orientations in the implementation of welfare policy (e.g. Gjersøe, Leseth, and Vilhena 2020; Jessen and Tufte 2014). Nevertheless, few studies have examined what forms of knowledge, skills and values are present and how they are shaped in the everyday work at the front lines of WtW.

“For just decisions we need you!”: Relational decision‐making and the bureaucratic exclusion of “poor others”

AbstractFocusing on the intersections between bureaucracies of welfare and migration control, this article interrogates how decisions about the future stay of non‐citizens receiving social assistance are made in a relational interplay of different offices and actors in Switzerland. We investigate how relational decision‐making is fundamental in crafting legitimate decisions about the exclusion of “poor others.” Based on ethnographic fieldwork with diverse actors involved in migration control enforcement and welfare policy implementation, this article contributes to understanding how legal regulations turn into social reality. We show that a multitude of actors, including social services, inform and affect migration control‐related decisions. This relationality co‐produces the outcome and legitimacy of the final decision taken by the respective migration office. In turn, the actors’ fields of action, values, and procedures are themselves affected by this relational involvement. The relational character of decision‐making therefore involves an expansion of migration control into other bureaucratic and social fields that co‐construct legitimate decisions concerning the deportation of “poor others” and create the illusion of a “coherent state,” invisibilizing structural inequalities.

State inspection in contexts of cultural and sociopolitical conflict: The case of social services offered to Arab-Palestinian young women in Israel

AbstractInspectors are the executing branch of state regulation. Existing literature focuses on their tasks and operations, mostly with regard to their commitments to the state and their complex relations with inspectees. The present study explores a heretofore-unexamined issue: the playing out of inspection in a sociopolitical context of national conflict and discriminatory majority-minority relations. Namely, it focuses on the work of inspectors of social services overseen by the Israeli welfare state but provided by local or contracted agencies, offered to one of the country’s most oppressed and marginalized populations: Arab-Palestinian young women. The research was based on interviews with 25 national and district inspectors in the field of services for young women in Israel, and reveals numerous barriers hindering effective inspection, resulting from having to inspect the implementation of universalist policy in a context of local needs; and the implementation of welfare policy in a context of national sociopolitical inequality. This is discussed in terms of the severe toll that color-blind and gender-blind policy can have on the feasibility of enforcing regulation, and on the potential to ensure that Arab-Palestinian young women receive adequate social services.

“They will only remember us during elections”: The culture of government support to Nigerian older adults and policy implications

ABSTRACT Governments are obliged to ensure the healthy living, well-being, and life satisfaction of every citizen. This, however, has not been achieved in Nigeria, especially with regard to older adults. Despite the notable shift in the country’s demographic stance, few studies have investigated the government’s roles in addressing the support to Nigerian older adults given that inadequate support is a risk factor for general poor health conditions and high mortality rates. This study, therefore, sought to investigate views on available government support to older adults in Nnewi, South-East Nigeria. Focus Group Discussion and In-depth interviews were adopted to collect data from older adults. The generated data were subjected to a thematic method of analysis. Findings show that Nigerian older adults are usually remembered during political activities, such as electioneering and election. However, the support is not all-inclusive but reserved for those who could actively participate in these political activities. To achieve the African Union and the 2030 global agenda’s commitment to “leave no one behind,” the study recommends social policies that address all-inclusive support and care for Nigeria older adults. Social workers’ intervention will also be crucial to facilitate the formulation and implementation of welfare policies and programmes for the support and well-being of older adults.

Examining informal housing supply through rent gap analysis: An empirical study of sub-divided units in Hong Kong

This study examines informal housing supply factors through rent gap analysis. Gentrification brings displacement implication, especially for households in the lower end of the housing market. Serious affordability problem excludes households from formal housing sector. Informal housing often emerges when formal market cannot fully respond to affordable housing demand. Incentive for property owners to supply lower-cost units by informal means e.g. apartment subdivision for higher rental return is created with the rent gap between informality and formality. It is largely attributed to quasi-rent which is temporary in nature. Meanwhile, renters' housing needs are met by forgoing living space and housing facilities. Informal housing supply leads to displacement of original incumbents and inflow of lower-income class. With assistance of local non-governmental organizations, this study examines informal housing supply determinant based on a case study of sub-divided units (SDUs), which are Hong Kong's key informal housing component. Rent gap size, disinvestment conditions and accessibility of the apartments are found to be key SDU supply factors. The results could be generalized to other cities with serious housing unaffordability and informal housing arrangements. Implications are also drawn from the results for future affordable housing supply and social welfare policy implementation.

Social Workers’ Causal Attributions for Poverty: Does the Level of Spatial Concentration of Disadvantages Matter?

Social workers may play an important role in the implementation of welfare policies targeted at the poor. Their norms, beliefs, and attitudes form local anti-poverty programmes and affect discretionary practices with their clients. Despite this, we know little about how social workers’ exposure to poverty shapes their attitudes towards poverty and their causal attributions for poverty. This study investigates social workers’ poverty explanations and the extent to which they depend on the level of local poverty. Data from a survey conducted among Hungarian social workers were analysed using multilevel linear regression models. To measure local poverty, we used a composite index of poverty, as well as a subjective measure of exposure to poverty. Our analysis revealed that most social workers explained poverty with structural causes, but individual blame was also frequent. Contrary to our hypothesis, the level of local poverty did not significantly increase the adoption of structural explanations but did raise the occurrence of individualistic ones. However, the effect of local poverty was non-linear: social workers tended to blame the poor for their poverty in the poorest municipalities, where multiple disadvantages are concentrated, while moderate poverty did not lead to such opinions. Our results suggest that efforts should be made to improve the poverty indicator framework to better understand the phenomenon of spatial concentration of multiple disadvantages and its consequences for the poor.

Searching for “the usual suspects”: The role of discretion and target group constructions in the frontline of policy implementation

AbstractThis study investigates the implementation of preventive policy targeting children. Based on longitudinal survey data we analyze how frontline workers assign meaning to core concepts of the policy and categorize the children and in this light how their exercise of discretion affects policy implementation. Many studies problematize the effects of limiting the discretion in the frontline. We identify a case where the policy is highly ambiguous, the definitions of target groups, core concepts, or central goals are vague, and the general steering of the frontline is not characterized by a lack of discretion but a lack of organizational boundaries to shape the discretion. This expands not only the policymaking role of the frontline but also becomes a barrier to developing a stronger preventive effort. The findings give nuanced insight into how organizational boundaries affect the discretion and target group construction in the frontline during frontline implementation of welfare policies.

Perspective Commentary: The Implementation of Welfare Policies Are Not Held to the Same Ethical Standards as Research: Raising Intergenerational Health Inequality Concerns.

Over the last 12 years the United Kingdom (UK) has seen the introduction of an austerity programme—a fiscal policy—with the primary goal to reduce the government's budget deficit and the role of the welfare system. Between 2010 and 2015 there was an estimated reduction of £14.5 billion in spending, attributable to decreasing the value of benefits and restricting entitlement to benefit claimants. By 2020, there had been an estimated unprecedented £27 billion less spent on welfare compared with spending in 2010. Whilst fiscally-successful at reducing spending, some implemented welfare policies have had direct consequences for people's health, increasing inequalities which have been heavily criticized. Moreover, there is growing concern that this has an intergenerational effect. In this paper, we describe the ethical principles in human research, how these have been considered in public health policy, and the existing evidence of the direct and intergenerational health and welfare consequences of some recent, nationally-implemented welfare policies. We argue that ethical principles, specifically the ethical principle of safety that is applied in all research, should be applied to all public welfare policies to stop the rising inequalities in health we are seeing across generations. We highlight that initial changes implemented to welfare policies as a response to COVID-19 demonstrate that there can be a political and societal perceived value in going further to support individuals and their families during times of adversity, and consider the ethical implications of this.

Is the third sector an extension of public administration? Reflections on the Gipuzkoan case

The role of the third sector in the provision of welfare and its relationship with public administration have been gaining importance in political debates because of the difficulties that welfare states have in responding to emerging social needs. The ‘Gipuzkoan model’, based on a public–private collaboration between third sector organisations and the public administration in Gipuzkoa in the Basque Country in Spain, has been drawing attention over the past 40 years. However, there is a debate concerning the role that each actor should play in the implementation of welfare policies. This article analyses, from a qualitative point of view, the role of the third sector in designing and providing public policy tools for the region within the context promoted by the Gipuzkoan model of public–private collaboration. The results obtained illustrate a multifaceted scenario in which different visions converge around the same question: How should this collaboration be developed and what future awaits the third sector?

A Study on Land Compensation in Restricted Development Areas: Focusing on Compensation Plan for the Violation of Property Right

개발제한구역제도의 목적은 도시의 무분별한 팽창을 막고 환경 보호와 합리적인 관리를 통해 도시의 균형 있는 발전을 도모하는 것이지만 구역 내의 토지에 대한 사유재산권을 침해한다는 점에서 논란의 여지가 있었다. 1988년 헌법재판소의 헌법불합치 결정을 시작으로 제도에 대한 개선 논의가 진행되기 시작했다. 본 연구에서는 개발제한구역 내의 토지 재산권에 대한 손실 보상에 대해 살펴보고 보상방안을 제시한다. 우선 개발제한구역제도로 인한 토지 재산권의 손실에 대한 보상에 관한 기존 논의를 살펴보고, 제도의 개념과 의의, 현황과 내용을 파악했다. 그리고 토지에 관한 사유재산권의 개념과 특성에 대한 이해를 기반으로 그 제한과 문제점을 살펴보았다. 그리고 연구 결과를 토대로 토지 재산권의 손실에 대한 정당한 보상을 위한 방안으로 정부의 보상규정 마련을 위한 기초조사, 규정에 대한 입법 과정, 복지 정책의 실행을 제시하였다.This study examines the loss compensation for land property rights in the restricted zone and proposes a compensation plan. The purpose of the restricted zone system is to prevent the city s indiscriminate expansion and promote balanced development of the city through environmental protection and rational management. It was controversial, however, because it violated private property rights on land within the restricted zone. In 1988, the Constitutional Court s decision was made. And discussions of improvement on this system have begun. Difficulties in financially estimating infringement of land property rights in restricted areas. The government s budget for implementing the land purchase system is insufficient. Subsidy payments are not just rewards but just welfare levels. Currently, compensation for loss of land property due to the restricted zone system is not justified. Therefore, this study proposes a plan to compensate for the loss of land property within the restricted development zone. First, conduct a basic survey to measure the amount of loss financially; second, specify details of the claim for land purchase in the National Land Planning Act; Fourth, the improvement of the quality of life of local residents through the introduction of issuance, transfer of development rights, and the strengthening of welfare policies in the district. Proper compensation for land property rights in restricted areas and the original purpose of the system of balanced development of land and protection of environment should be achieved. To this end, the government needs to conduct a basic investigation for the provision of compensation rules, legislation on regulations, and the implementation of welfare policies.

U.S. political culture in the policy classroom: social work teaching methods and activity

ABSTRACT In the United States, social welfare policy skills are essential, considering that social workers are often embedded in institutions where policy regulates practice. As such, social policy instructors must engage students in the development of policy-related skills, including, development, implementation, and evaluation. Engaging students in policy skill develop presents challenges detailed within. In the United States, political culture theory (PCT) is a useful framework for educators to use for developing students understanding of federal social welfare policy implementation among the 50 states. Applications of PCT are not limited to the US however; as it has demonstrated to be adaptable to contexts social workers are engaged in across the globe. The PCT typology focuses on three types of political culture: individualistic, traditionalist and moralistic, and the implications of these frames on policy implementation. The political culture scavenger hunt, detailed within, is a classroom activity derived from PCT for instructors to use to explore the implementation of social welfare policy. Adaptions of the activity for use in international contexts are included, with recommendations and reflections on the social work pedagogy serving as the conclusion.

Impact of Poor Implementation of Welfare Policies on Training and Development on the Performance of Academic Staff in Selected Federal Universities in South-South Nigeria

The study on impact of poor implementation of welfare policies on training and development on the performance of academic staff in selected federal Universities in South-South Nigeria was carried out to examine the extent to which poor implementation of welfare policies on training and development impacts on the performance of workers in the selected Federal universities in South- South Nigeria. The equity theory was used to explain the variables. Interviews were conducted among 51 workers and the reports were analysed qualitatively. A total of 400 copies of structured questionnaire were also distributed among the workers and retrieved with a 90.7% response rate which were analysed quantitatively. The study discovered that, whereas there are good welfare policy statements in the study area, the level of implementation of these policies were poor. Furthermore, over 90% of the respondents insisted that full implementation of welfare policies would have positive impact on workers’ performance to a very large extent. The results further indicated that there have been very few in-house and outside training programmes in the study area. A total of 87% of respondents agreed that poor level of implementation of welfare policies on training and development is a source of discouragement which have negatively affected academic performance of both teaching and non-teaching staff and have led to poor service delivery in our Universities. The study advocate for a full implementation of welfare policies on training and development of academic staff by both the Federal government and the Federal University Management by increase funding, regular monitoring of funds and programme implementation level to enhance the performance of the academic staff in the federal Universities in the South-South Nigeria and the Country at large.

Symbolic Racism, Institutional Bias, and Welfare Drug Testing Legislation: Racial Biases Matter

Since the devolution of welfare policymaking to the states after the passage of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, there has been contentious debate about drug testing welfare applicants. Beyond elite rhetoric and debate points about the implications of welfare drug testing, extant research remains limited insofar as providing theoretical understanding about what factors influence state proposal of legislation requiring welfare applicants to submit to drug tests. I develop and test expectations that derive from research on welfare attitudes, social construction theory, and policy design—specifically, hypotheses that the proportion of blacks on state temporary assistance for needy families caseloads, as well as state‐aggregate levels of symbolic racism, significantly influence state proposal of drug testing legislation. My multilevel analysis of every state proposal of welfare drug testing legislation from 2008 to 2014 yields strong evidence in support of these hypotheses and paints a more complete picture of the influence of racial attitudes on state welfare policymaking. Specifically, while much research finds evidence of institutional racial biases in the implementation of welfare policy, the evidence presented herein shows that these biases, as well as public biases, influence policymaking at the proposal stage. Implications of these findings are discussed in light of recent significant electoral gains made by Republicans in state legislatures.

Feminine Characteristics in Welfare Policy Implementation

Feminine Characteristics in Welfare Policy Implementation

Social Security Research under Automation Control

The development of the modern welfare state is not isolated; their welfare policy implementation depends on the advanced economy, extensive coverage, the perfect system, the diversification and welfare system mandatory. Social network analysis is just take this dependence into account, and develop corresponding method to deal with the relationship between variables. This paper, based on the p* model analysis, takes Sweden and Finland, two typical Nordic welfare state, as the examples, and finds the differences in disease disability insurance, unemployment insurance and etc. To understand these differences is of great importance to think about whether to conduct the reform of the welfare state, and how to combine the concrete national conditions with the reform.

Migrating Between Rural Raichur and Boomtown Bangalore: Class Relations and the Circulation of Labour in South India

This paper is concerned with circular migration between the agriculture and construction sectors in Karnataka, South India. It analyses the class and household-based outcomes of migration during the 2000s between Karnataka’s poorest district and the building sites of Bangalore – a city seen internationally as one of the epicentres of globalisation in South Asia. Its central argument is that migration’s spatial extension of exploitation slightly shifts the balance of class forces in favour of the labouring class in source areas. 62 percent of households are found to gain from migration, but better design and implementation of welfare policies intended for migrant labourers (primarily those relating to health) would significantly increase migration’s contribution to labouring class socio-economic and socio-political mobility. Positive outcomes are restrained, though, by the broader social relations of production and the ways in which capital shapes the outcomes of public policy. It is found that class-based impacts and household investments in productive assets are greater in villages with higher levels of migration and socio-economic and socio-political inequality, whilst household gains amongst unskilled labourers are more likely where socio-economic inequalities are lower.

Delivering Welfare-to-Work Services in County Social Service Organizations: An Exploratory Study of Staff Perspectives

There is a limited body of knowledge on the role of staff in the implementation of welfare policy, especially how frontline staff members perceive an array of organizational factors and how these factors affect their ability to serve clients. This exploratory study builds upon this limited body of research by capturing staff perceptions of the personal and community resources that are needed to help TANF participants move from welfare to work in California's CalWORKs program. It is based on staff perceptions of welfare-to-work services (from orientation to post-employment services) during the first five years of implementing welfare reform in eleven California county social service agencies (1998–2002). Data were collected from a sample of 292 welfare-to-work staff (line staff, specialists, and supervisors) through the use of a Web-based survey. The findings suggest that several factors impact service delivery, including the work environment, resources, characteristics of program participants, staff control over service provision, and staff knowledge and skills. The implications for practice and future research are identified.

`The Mountain Laboured and Brought Forth a Mouse': UNRRA's Operations in the Cyclades Islands, c.1945—46

Like many a recently liberated country with the experience of starvation and hardship vivid in its people's physical state, Greece emerged in the immediate aftermath of the second world war in great need of assistance, facing a wrecked economy and drained resources. Relief provision became the responsibility of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), an international relief organization established in late 1943 with the purpose of furnishing essential supplies and services to war-devastated states. For over two years (April 1945-June 1947), Greece received goods worth approximately $350 million, as much as its pre-war commercial imports, and almost 12 per cent of total UNRRA assistance. This article traces the provision of UNRRA aid in the micro-context of the Cyclades, a famine-stricken group of some 25 Aegean islands. Drawing on UNRRA's mostly undisclosed archive, it examines the implementation of welfare policies and the conversion of general plans to particular actions to disclose the interplay between relief strategies and the development of the local economy.

Implementing Welfare-to-Work Services: A Study of Staff Decision-Making

In the post-welfare reform era, increased discretion has been given to frontline staff for day-today welfare policy implementation. To determine how frontline staff address the complex needs of welfare program participants in this new policy environment, the decision-making processes of welfare staff (N = 52) in 11 San Francisco Bay Area county social service agencies were assessed through a case vignette using a Web-based survey design. We examined staff decision making in four areas: problem recognition, goal formulation, information search processes, and evaluation. The results suggest that the high level of staff discretion apparent in the day-to-day implementation of welfare policy may have important implications for participants. Several recommendations for policy, practice, and future research are presented.

Implementing Welfare Reform in Rural and Urban Communities

This piece argues that the very nature of rural poverty and the communities in which the rural poor live influence the administration of welfare programs that were designed to address urban poverty. Using in-depth interviews with case managers in urban and rural Kentucky along with statisticalanalysis from Kentucky's 120 counties, this study shows the very real challenges faced by administrators and highlights the challenges faced in both rural and urban communities. Importantly for public administration, resource constraints, the number of clientele served, geographic distances, and sense of community differently affect the implementation of welfare policy by place. The author suggests that because of the unique aspects of rural poverty, the welfare poor in rural communities may be best served by rules that emphasize local program variation.