Social Service Providers Research Articles

Social Origins Theory: Untapped Potential and the Test by the Pandemic Crisis

Abstract The paper examines the explanatory potential of the social origins theory advanced by L. Salamon and H. Anheier. This examination follows two tracks. The first track is a comparative investigation of the conceptual affinity between the social origins, on one hand, and the theories of welfare regimes and varieties of capitalism, on the other. We argue that the conceptual affinity between these three theories lies in the fact that they explore what could be referred to as vertical and horizontal interactions between state and market. Vertical interactions are based on the legitimate coercion by government authorities, while horizontal relations develop at the initiative of their autonomous members. The social origins approach introduces yet another essential dimension, that of civic self-organization, into the analysis of vertical and horizontal interactions embodied in state/market relationships. Similarity of underlying conceptual foundations might suggest that all three theories would generate similarly strong academic interest in reexamining their analytical tools and applying their approaches to the diversity of new social and economic realities. The literature indicates that both the welfare regimes and varieties of capitalism have generated robust academic discussions, whereas the conceptual and analytical potential of the social origins remains relatively less explored. It has become particularly evident in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which gave rise to a number of studies that apply the frameworks of the welfare regimes and varieties of capitalism to examine cross-country differences in government social welfare policies. However, the social origins theory seems not to have generated comparably rich research testing its explanatory power in the new conditions triggered by the pandemic challenges. To address this gap, the paper follows a second track which investigates pandemic-induced transformations in nonprofit sectors of Germany, Austria, UK and USA – countries representing three “basic” nonprofit regimes immediately corresponding to Esping-Andersen’s welfare state typology: welfare partnership, social democratic and liberal. Applying the analytical lens of the social origins approach, we look at how the impact of the pandemic moved the measurable parameters of nonprofit sectors: the scope of the third sector, the volunteer share of the workforce, the extent of nonprofits’ engagement in the provision of social services, and the share of government financial support for the sector. We further look at the pandemic-induced changes in the composition of the “tool kit” employed in government-nonprofit cooperation. Thus, testing the explanatory potential of the social origins approach, we observe that responses to pandemic challenges have contributed to a degree of convergence of both liberal and social democratic nonprofit regimes with the welfare partnership pattern. However, path dependency, which is suggested by the regimes’ “moorings” embedded in the social origins approach, remains strong enough to explain the observed viability of the core features typical of “basic” nonprofit regimes in times of the pandemic crisis.

Legal fundamentals of the social policy in Ukraine: influence of European integration

Purpose. The aim of this research is to highlight the influence of European integration on the optimization of the legal fundamentals of social policy in Ukraine. Methodology. The research is based on the comparative legal method used for comparison of EU social law with the social law of Ukraine. The method of dialectic enables to establish contradictions in the legal norms that regulate the social system of Ukraine and determine its social policy. The systemic and functional method was used to study the system of regulation of the sphere of social relations in Ukraine, systems of social policy measures as well as functional interrelationships between them. The method of generalization was used for the systematization and interpretation of the results obtained during the study. Results. The research showed that the main ways of improving social policy in Ukraine and legal regulation in the social sphere include: ratification of the European Social Charter and its implementation plan in Ukraine; creation of a coherent strategy in the field of provision of social services; the accession of Ukraine to the European Code of Social Security; partial reform of the legal regulation of labor and employment of the population; improvement of legal regulation and social policy in the field of social protection, labor and employment of internally displaced persons from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Scientific novelty. During the research, it was established that on the way to the EU, Ukraine has faced the following problems with its social policy and law: problems with the Ukrainian legislation on social security; problems with regulating the labor market, employment and poverty reduction; problems with improvement of the legislation on labor protection; problems with stimulating entrepreneurship as the basis for ensuring social standards and employment of the population; problems with adaptation of socially vulnerable groups of the population. Practical significance. The results of the research can be used in international law.

Exploring the Implementation of Workplace-Focused Primary Prevention Efforts to Reduce Family Violence in a Regional City: The Need for Clarity, Capacity, and Communication.

In response to the high burden of family and domestic violence (FDV), The Australian National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children has established that primary prevention measures are necessary to reduce FDV's harmful impacts on health. The Community, Respect, and Equality (CRE) project is a primary prevention initiative aimed towards changing harmful social norms and practices that enable FDV in Geraldton, Western Australia. Organizations affiliated with the CRE are required to promote gender equality and a respectful work environment. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the impact and effectiveness of such interventions, especially in rural/regional areas. As such, this study served to evaluate the project's effectiveness in a CRE-certified workspace, a local non-profit social services provider. Investigators conducted interviews to learn how the organization had implemented the CRE, and whether the CRE had had an impact on social norms and practices within the work environment. Findings indicated that the project had largely failed to permeate workplace culture due to a lack of effective promotion, low perceived benefits, and low resources. Future interventions must take persuasive measures, even for organizations perceived to be receptive to change.

Using a hospital passport from the perspective of adults with intellectual disabilities, family carers and health professionals: A qualitative study.

This article explores the experiences of the use of the Regional Health and Social Care Hospital Passport (Regional Hospital Passport) in Northern Ireland from the perspectives of adults with intellectual disabilities, family carers and health professionals. From semi-structured interviews three themes emerged: usefulness; facilitators; and barriers to the use of the Regional Hospital Passport. There were clear benefits of the Hospital Passport when used across hospital services and clinical practice settings such as dental and General Practices. There was participant agreement that communication and the person-centred care experiences were enhanced. Findings suggest that providers of health and social care services need to take greater responsibility and accountability for ensuring Regional Hospital Passports are promoted and used across all settings. There is a requirement to develop the wider use and uptake of hospital passports to support adults with intellectual disabilities, with potential for use with other patient groups.

Providing social services in Romania, during the pandemic generated by Coronavirus

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of the pandemic on the provision of social services in Romania that have experienced a development only in recent years, so the institutional organization at central level contributed to the elaboration of the first legislative regulations that took into account a number of beneficiaries such as: children in difficulty, the elderly, people with disabilities, users of banned substances and victims of domestic violence. Social services are mainly aimed at people who are in an unfavorable social situation and who cannot have a basic basis for their lives or who urgently need help for other serious reasons. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on social services, with massive outbreaks being reported in all care facilities around the world, affecting not only residents, but also caregivers and visitors .

Social Work Services for Children at Vietnam’s Hospitals: A Qualitative Study

Studies on social work services provided to children at hospitals remain limited. This study reports the status of social work service provision for children at several hospitals in Vietnam and identifies any influencing factors. This study involved thirty in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions. Most of the hospitals in this study provided the following social work services: support and consultation services for social work-related problems for children, health education and communication services, resource mobilization and coordination services, and health worker support services. The study found factors that hinder the provision of social work services for children at Vietnam’s hospitals. Moreover, central and provincial hospitals deployed better social work services for children than district hospitals, with more favorable factors at central and provincial hospitals. Pediatric specialty hospitals provided better social work services for children than general hospitals, with more favorable factors at pediatric specialty hospitals. The findings are a useful reference for policy makers, researchers, and policy makers worldwide. Future studies should pay more attention to differences in hospital levels and types of hospitals in providing social work services to children from the findings.

Migrant Organizations and Social Protection in Germany: The Functions of MOs for Their Target Groups’ Social Protection Practices

This article engages with the functions assumed by migrant organizations (MOs) in Germany in the context of the social protection of people with migration biographies. Based on document analyses and qualitative interviews with three groups of actors, we identify four functions through which MOs contribute to their target groups’ social protection practices, and show how diverging perceptions toward these functions shape the current role of MOs in a changing welfare system. In addition to providing social services themselves (service function), they mediate with the welfare system (hinging function) and advocate for the interests of people with migration biographies in public and political discourse (advocacy function). Moreover, we demonstrate that these functions are shaped and complemented by a “homemaking” function, a form of informal protection based on mutual support, trust and understanding. In this article, the discussion of the specific ways in which these functions play a role for the social protection of people with migration biographies is based on joint analysis of three data sets. Thus, we juxtapose the viewpoints of MO representatives, their target groups and people associated with welfare state institutions and political administrations. In this way, we show how MOs use these various functions to actively engage with a changing welfare landscape, whereas welfare institutions and political administrations often perceive of the work undertaken by MOs rather as an ‘integration’-oriented prerequisite for their own social service provision. As a result, contrasting and sometimes competing perspectives challenge the role of MOs within the German welfare system, even though these organizations already fulfill key functions for their target groups’ social protection.

Retrospective study of inpatient patient records of the Center for comprehensive rehabilitation of disabled people "Butovo"

BACKGROUND: The problem of medical rehabilitation/habilitation of patients with diseases of the nervous system, mental disorders, congenital anomalies and developmental delays is extremely relevant. The article analyzes the comprehensive care for this category of patients on the basis of the State Budgetary Institution Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Disabled "Butovo".
 AIM: analysis of the volume and methodology of prescribing physical factors in the provision of medical and social services to patients at the State Budgetary Institution Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Disabled "Butovo".
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2021, based on archival data for 20192020 an assessment was made of the conduct of socio-medical rehabilitation at the State Budgetary Institution Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Disabled "Butovo". The observation unit is represented by stationary patient charts.
 RESULTS: The study revealed a sufficient volume and correct methodology for prescribing physical factors to patients with diseases of the nervous system, mental disorders, congenital anomalies and developmental delays. At the same time, the absence of an adequate goal of rehabilitation/habilitation was noted. The goals that were set for patients were often unrealizable, non-specific, not defined in time, or not related to the needs of the patient himself.
 CONCLUSION: A unified comprehensive approach is needed to assess the condition, identify needs and implement rehabilitation measures for patients with diseases of the nervous system, mental disorders, congenital anomalies and developmental delays. It has been determined that in this category of patients it is advisable to apply the International Classification of Functioning, which will allow one to concentrate on the necessary areas of diagnostics, select the necessary diagnostic tools, identify and link functional disorders and disability to each other, determine the areas of intervention of different specialists, unite specialists into one team with overall goal of rehabilitation/habilitation.

‘The future of migration, multiculturalism and diversity in Australia's post-COVID-19 social recovery’

This paper considers the future of multiculturalism, migration, and mobility post-pandemic. Taking Australia as a case study, the paper examines how the pandemic is affecting the multicultural agenda and contemplates its multiple cultural, social and political impacts. That is; the ways it is shaping intercultural relations, particularly how it is exacerbating racism and other forms of discrimination; its effects on the equity of social and health service provisions; and how mobility and border issues are being managed within Australia and internationally, specifically in relation to Australian citizens with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Secondly, the paper examines the extent to which the pandemic has already revealed new ways of understanding, representing, and characterising multiculturalism in Australia. This analysis considers the significant gaps in data collection on ethnically and religiously minoritised peoples and the ways in which this has hindered public health initiatives. Thirdly, the paper offers insights for how Australia could approach new drivers and patterns of (im)mobility in the post-COVID-19 social recovery, and in subsequent decades, to sustain the country's multicultural social fabric and its economic prosperity.

PRACTICE OF SOCIAL WORK IN SOCIAL MEDIA: ETHICAL ISSUES

Electronic social work (e-social work) is a new platform for social work. Social media allows social workers to go beyond the traditional format of providing services, which allows them to reach a wider range of the population and increase their accessibility. However, the provision of social services through social media has many features, which creates ethical problems. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze ethical problems in social work through social networks. This study uses two specific cases of social practitioners, workers who provide services through social media and interviews with people who have had experience receiving social services through social media. The article examines the ethical problems faced by practicing social workers when providing assistance through social networks. In the course of this study, a number of ethical problems related to the specifics of providing services through social media were identified. Recommendations were offered to solve the identified problems and to minimize risks for the client and for the social worker. The article emphasizes the need to acquire skills and competencies to comply with ethical standards when providing services through social media. To achieve the research goal, such qualitative research methods as case-study and in-depth interview were used. The results of this study can be used for further development of theoretical and empirical research in social work, as well as by social services, practicing social workers to improve their activities. Keywords: social media, case-study, ethical issues, difficult life situation, informatization, electronic social work

A realist approach to understanding alliancing within Local Government public health and social care service provision.

Within the current context of continued austerity and post-pandemic recovery, it remains important that Local Government services address the increasing needs of residents as cost-effectively as possible. Alliancing, whereby services work collaboratively focusing on the 'whole-system', has gained popularity as a tool with the potential to support collaborative whole systems approaches. This synthesis aims to identify how alliancing can be successfully operationalised in the commissioning of public health, wider National Health Service (NHS) and social care-related services. A realist literature synthesis was undertaken in order to identify underlying generative mechanisms associated with alliancing, the contextual conditions surrounding the implementation and operationalisation of the alliancing approach mechanisms, and the outcomes produced as a result. An iterative approach was taken, using a recent systematic review of the effectiveness of Alliancing, online database searches, and grey literature searches. Three mechanistic components were identified within the data as being core to the successful implementation of alliances in public health and social care-related services within Local Government: (i) Achieving a system-level approach; (ii) placing local populations at the heart of the system; and (iii) creating a cultural shift. Programme theories were postulated within these components. The alliancing approach offers an opportunity to achieve system-level change with the potential to benefit local populations. The realist synthesis approach taken within this study has provided insights into the necessary contextual and mechanistic factors of the Alliancing approach, above and beyond effectiveness outcomes typically collected through more conventional evaluation methodologies.

Indigenous Service Provider Perspectives of an Online Education Module to Support Safe Clinical Encounters about Family Violence in Canada.

Given colonial genocide, Indigenous peoples are rightfully reticent to disclose their experiences of family violence to practitioners working within mainstream health care and social services. Health care and social service providers (HSSPs) have varied formal education on providing trauma-and-violence informed care to Indigenous and non-Indigenous families affected by family violence, including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment. The purpose of this study is to understand and describe the perspectives of Six Nations of the Grand River community members on the relevance of an education module to support HSSPs to provide physically and emotionally safe care to Indigenous families affected by family violence. Two-Eyed Seeing and Two Row Wampum approaches guided our qualitative study. Twenty-one (66.7% women) Indigenous HSSPs completed a semi-structured interview; 15 identified as a regulated HSSP, nine as a Knowledge Keeper/Cultural Holder, and three as a HSSP trainees. Conventional content analysis guided the development of codes and categories. The Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action (VEGA)-Creating Safety education module was described as having elements consistent with Indigenous experiences and values, and supportive of Indigenous peoples seeking care from HSSPs for family violence related concerns. Participants described several suggestions to better adapt and align the module content with the diversity of values and beliefs of different Indigenous Nations. Collectively, the Creating Safety module may be used as an educational adjunct to Indigenous-focused, cultural safety training that can support HSSPs to provide physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe care to Indigenous peoples who have experienced family violence. Future work needs to consider the perspectives of other Indigenous communities and Nations.

Diet Quality, Health, and Wellbeing within the Irish Homeless Sector: A Qualitative Exploration

Financial barriers and limited cooking facilities are major obstacles to healthy dietary practices among the homeless population. Homelessness is currently at crisis point and up-to-date evidence from multiple stakeholders is needed to address dietary inequalities. The aim of this study was to understand dietary practices, barriers to healthy eating within homeless services from multiple perspectives. Twelve service users and five healthcare and social service providers participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Four themes were identified which included: lack of control over diet and food supply; sources of food for the homeless population; practical barriers to good nutrition; and the impact of diet on emotional and physical wellbeing. Frequent consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods was reported. Food insecurity resulted in perceived depressive symptoms and stress. Barriers to healthy diet included financial constraints and a lack of access to cooking and storage facilities. Our study highlights low levels of food skills and healthy eating knowledge among service users and service providers. In order to address diet-related health disparities, health promotion initiatives should be targeted at building healthy public policy in relation to diet and nutrition and developing food skills with members of this population and service providers.

Territorial communities in the conditions of martial law in Ukraine: administrative and legal support and peculiarities of functioning

The article examines theoretical and legal approaches to defining the concept and features of territorial communities in Ukraine, as a set of residents united by permanent residence within a certain village, town or city, which are independent administrative and territorial units or a voluntary association of residents of several villages. which have a single administrative center. It is noted that there is an urgent need for decentralization in Ukraine, which involves the transfer of a wide range of powers, as well as finances, from the state power to united territorial communities and local self-government bodies created by them. The first stage of the reform (2018-2019), which provided for the voluntary unification of settlements into one UTG (united territorial community), showed that residents formed about 40% of UTGs across the entire territory of the state on their own initiative. Therefore, in 2020, the organization of new OTG took place centrally. The introduction of martial law in Ukraine changed the functioning and development of the OTG, a large part of which ended up in the war zone. It is noted that according to the current legislation, during the period of martial law, military administrations exercise the powers of local self-government bodies in united territorial communities.
 Despite the steps taken in the direction of reforming the territorial organization of the authorities, the system of the OTG and the functioning of the newly elected representative bodies in them require both legal and institutional support. However, in the conditions of martial law, the implementation of the tasks of the decentralization reform is quite limited. At the same time, the created OTG and their representative bodies must ensure the provision of a basic package of social and administrative services to the residents of communities. Taking into account that military actions are being conducted in Ukraine and in order to ensure the provision of necessary assistance to the citizens of Ukraine, it is proposed to provide emergency (crisis) social services (if it is impossible to apply the general order of organization and provision of social services). Existing problems in the field of administrative and legal regulation of OTG in Ukraine require further scientific analysis, research, generalization and solution.

Organisational ambidexterity and social enterprise performance: A Ghanaian perspective

Background: Despite the important role of social enterprises in addressing the gaps in social service and infrastructure provision by national governments, the organisational capabilities that make social enterprises competitive and effective are still under-researched in emerging economies.Aim: The purpose of the study is to extend the extant studies on the nexus between organisational ambidexterity and firm performance to the social enterprise context. More specifically, we draw on the Dynamic Capability Theory to investigate business-like social enterprises in Ghana and how organisational ambidexterity (i.e. exploitation and exploration) influences their social and economic performance.Setting: Organisational ambidexterity was tested on 317 randomly selected social enterprises in Ghana.Method: The study employed a quantitative research design via a survey questionnaire while the structural equation modelling technique in Analysis of a Moment Structure (AMOS) software was used to test the study’s hypotheses.Results: It was found, among other things, that both exploration and exploitation are positively and significantly related to social performance (social marketing achievement and social value creation) and economic performance (commercial marketing achievement and economic value creation) of social enterprises. That is, the simultaneous pursuit of exploitative and explorative initiatives does not decrease but increase social enterprise performance. These results defy the conventional wisdom that the trade-off between exploitative and explorative functions may decrease organisation efficiency and bring unnecessary costs.Conclusion: Organisational ambidexterity can be considered a cradle of strategic revitalisation and competitive advantage for social enterprises enhancing social and economic performance. Therefore, we suggest that social entrepreneurs should pursue exploitative and explorative ambidexterity simultaneously through appropriate structural ambidexterous mechanisms like structural separations or contextual ambidexterous mechanisms such as non-structural separations of units.

Spatial interdependence in cost efficiency and local government optimal size: The case of Italian municipalities

This study provides an original approach to empirically determine the optimal size of municipalities for efficient social service delivery in Italy, accounting for spatial spillover effects across municipalities as well as endogeneity between the output provided and its cost. A highly disaggregated and up-to-date database of Italian municipalities is used to estimate, through endogenous spatial frontier of Kutlu et al. (2020), the minimum costs. In municipalities with population ranging from 2000 to 3500 economies of scale in social service provision emerge, exhibiting cost-optimality. This outcome is completely ignored in some Regional government where financing criteria are based on historical, non-public, and ex-post repayment criteria.

Analyzing the impact of access to electricity and biomass energy consumption on infant mortality rate: a global perspective.

Conserving the lives of newborns has been a long-standing issue around the world, where 2.4 million babies die in the first month of the life. The literature indicates that the important challenges of social development goals around the globe include affordable and easy access to electricity, promotion of sustainable economic development, and provision of better social services and creation of job opportunities which help in reducing infant mortality rate. This calls for the need to probe into this matter minutely and brings up the ways for reducing the infant mortality rate. The present study is an attempt to analyze the impact of rural and urban electrification and biomass energy consumption on infant mortality rate for the period 1990-2020 using the Panel Quantile Regression (PQR) approach. The results of the study show that in both developed and developing countries, biomass energy consumption has positive impact on infant mortality rate, while rural and urban electrification has proposed the inverted U-shaped relationship with infant mortality in different quantile groups. It is also concluded that few developing countries are failed to achieve the maturity of the inverted U-shaped curve while all developed countries have achieved at the maturity stage. This study recommended that for reducing the infant mortality rate, the world should discourage the use of biomass energy and promote the affordable and easy access to electricity on priority basis.

INNOVATION AS A FACTOR OF QUALITATIVE CHANGES IN SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL EDUCATION

The article describes various aspects of the problem of improving the quality of social services and the effectiveness of the training of social workers in institutions of higher education. The essence of innovation as a factor of qualitative changes in the educational and social spheres has been clarified. The peculiarities of the implementation of social work innovations are characterized in accordance with the identified promising areas (initiative of service recipients, competition in the field of social service provision, support of the state or territorial community, availability of resources). The interrelationship of social work innovations with educational innovations and other traditional methods and forms of classroom and extracurricular educational and social-educational activities is substantiated. The expediency of combining innovative and traditional methods and forms of organization of the educational process of training social workers in institutions of higher education has been proven. Taking into account the general logic of the organization of the training of future social workers, attention is focused on selected subjects (collective involvement, group involvement, individual involvement) and the function of ensuring the quality of the educational process (normative-methodical support, scientific-research support, practical-practical support). The main methods and forms of organizing classroom and extracurricular educational and social-educational activities of students, which affect the effectiveness and optimality of application to improve the quality of education in the field of social work, are specified.

The Development and Pilot Evaluation of ECHO Mental Health for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ABSTRACT Introduction Health and social service providers have limited expertise with regard to assessing and treating psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The aim of this study was to describe the development and pilot evaluation of a virtual capacity-building program (Project ECHO) focused on supporting the mental health of adults with these disabilities in Ontario, Canada. Method The pilot program consisted of 12 weekly 1.5 hour sessions hosted through a video-conferencing platform, with a combined focus of didactic teaching and case-based learning, led by an interprofessional team of subject matter experts. The program evaluation was informed by Moore’s evaluation framework for continuing medical education. Ongoing attendance tracking, weekly surveys, and pre-post questionnaires were used to evaluate participation, satisfaction, learning and self-efficacy, and practice change. Results The program included 62 participants from across Ontario, Canada, from both the health and social service sectors. Seventy-three percent of participants attended six or more sessions, with high participant satisfaction ratings seen with the program. A statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy mean scores of 14.7% was observed pre-post. Seventy-four percent of respondents indicated that they had changed their practice because of participating in this ECHO. Conclusion Good participant retention, satisfaction, and increased confidence suggests this cross-sector virtual medical education program may have value for health and social service providers as they support the mental health of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Spaces of Social Services as Social Infrastructure: Insights From a Policy-Innovation Project in Milan

The spatial organisation of social services has long been residual for both urban planning and social welfare policies in Italian cities. This often results in randomly chosen locations and poor design arrangements, which ignore the role that space might play in fostering social life and inclusion. The scarce relevance given to the topic both in research and implementation is connected to the historical evolution of social services in the country and the scant resources devoted to their provision. Basing itself on the debate on welfare spaces and social infrastructures and drawing on a collaborative-research experience within an experimental policy-innovation project developed in Milan, this article tackles the role of space in social services provision following three directions. Firstly, it analyses how, at the urban level, welfare innovations and the interplay between urban planning and welfare policies might contribute to reshaping the traditional physical structures of social services and their map to favour more inclusive patterns of access to local welfare. Secondly, it investigates the role of social services as social infrastructures in increasing accessibility, reducing stigmatisation, and interpreting in a more inclusive way the complex public-private partnerships that allow welfare implementation nowadays. Finally, it discusses how, in the face of contemporary trends in the activation of welfare spaces, traditional urban planning tools are challenged in monitoring their increasingly dynamic distribution in the city. This highlights the need to develop innovative urban planning strategies and tools to effectively support decision-making and design.