Provision Of Welfare Services Research Articles

Inequities in urban tree care based on socioeconomic status

Urban trees are key elements for livable cities because they provide ecological, social, and economic benefits. Due to their importance, tree care should assure their welfare and ecosystem service provision. Among tree care strategies, pruning is highly controversial because it can be performed poorly, risking tree and human welfare. For the first time, we investigate whether the “luxury effect”, that describes a positive effect of human wealth on plant diversity, extends to urban tree care. In the Latin American city of Santiago de Chile, we sampled trees in 120 sites located in residential areas of different socioeconomic status. At each site, a trained forester evaluated each tree recording the occurrence and quality of pruning. We used a Generalized Linear Mixed Model with logistic distribution to estimate the probability of good pruning according to socioeconomic status. We found most trees (82% of 510 trees) were pruned and most of them had poor corrective pruning applied. Good pruning increased with socioeconomic status of neighborhoods: 15%, 31%, and 54% of pruned trees in low, medium, and high socioeconomic status, respectively. There was a significantly higher probability of finding well pruned trees in residential areas of high socioeconomic stratum than in lower strata. Our study reveals that trees in poorer zones are massively affected by the extended application of poor pruning that, in turn, risk ecosystem service provision for vulnerable people. Urgent strategies need to be implemented to prevent tree damage in Santiago de Chile, especially in lower socioeconomic zones. Due to the widespread application of poor pruning on residential trees in our city and the paucity of local and global research on the relationship between socioeconomics and urban tree care practices, we make a call to investigate these patterns, especially in cities that exhibit social, economic, and environmental segregation.

Lessons learned from a collaborative effort towards co-creation: ‘sliding doors’ reflections

This article examines the challenges encountered during a collaborative project involving research and practice in a Norwegian municipality. The objective of the project was to apply co-creation by involving users, employees and researchers in the development of coordinated, flexible and knowledge-based services, with a strong emphasis on user-centeredness. However, the project faced several obstacles that hindered its progress. In this article, we adopt a ‘what if’ perspective to explore alternative scenarios, identifying pivotal moments in the project and envisioning how alternative realities could have facilitated some of the fulfilment of its initial intentions. We argue that co-creation represents a mindset shift within the public sector, emphasising relational practices and embracing the inherent uncertainty associated with welfare service provision. By engaging in second-level inquiry, we propose that organisations can develop a co-creative logic that prioritises flexibility, innovation, involvement and ongoing evaluation, moving away from traditional reliance on routines, manuals and measurable outputs.

Transformation of child welfare Institutions in Bandung, West Java: A case of deinstitutionalization in Indonesia

The enactment of the National Standard of Care for Child Welfare Institutions in 2011 signifies Indonesia's commitment to deinstitutionalization by guiding the transformation of the country’s Child Welfare Institutions, from facility-based childcare homes or orphanages, to centers of community-based children and family services. Yet, evidence of this transformation of Child Welfare Institutions is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the state of transformation of the child welfare service providers for neglected children in the City of Bandung as a parameter to understand the progress of the deinstitutionalization process in Indonesia.Fifty child welfare service providers (Child Welfare Institutions and government child protection services) operating in Bandung participated in an online survey. Cluster analysis of organizational data combined with an analysis of responses to hypothetical scenarios of children at risk of family separation, grouped service providers into; (i) medium to large, faith-based, non-government Child Welfare Institutions that primarily provide privately funded institutional care services at the Bandung level (50%), (ii) small, secular, non-government Child Welfare Institutions and government child protection services that primarily deliver family support services at the Bandung level (26%) and (iii) medium to large, secular, non-government Child Welfare Institutions that deliver privately funded institutional care and other family support services at the provincial level (24%). While there is evidence of deinstitutionalization activity in Bandung, the large number and relative size of privately operated Child Welfare Institutions suggests a high dependency on institutional care to meet children's general welfare needs.The cluster analysis also indicates limited government funding and the missions of religious organizations as possible constraints on system transformation. Further research is needed to understand the enablers and barriers to transforming the system from predominantly institutional care to a continuum of services in the context of deinstitutionalization in Bandung.

Tensions in digital welfare states: Three perspectives on care and control

Proponents of digital transformation in welfare provision argue that digital technologies can take over tedious tasks and free resources to provide better care for those in need. Digital technologies, however, are often developed in line with a logic of control and dispositions around surveillance and efficiency which challenge careful engagements. In this conceptual article, we explore emerging tensions in digital welfare arrangements and propose an analytical framework to illuminate interrelations between care and control in values, infrastructures, and work related to the provision of welfare services. Illustrating the application of this framework with three empirical vignettes, we discuss how digital welfare technologies shape relations between state care and control. Considering theories of care in relation to the digital welfare state, we give a nuanced perspective on the contingencies of the digital transformation and add to the literature concerned with social justice by attending to everyday lived experiences in-between control and care.

A collaborative process: child participation in interventions provided by Swedish child and family welfare services

ABSTRACT The right of children to express their views on matters concerning them is a core principle of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as defined in Article 12. However, research shows that interventions provided by Swedish child and family welfare services are planned and based on parents’ perspectives even though research suggests that child participation results in welfare service provision that is better matched to the children’s needs. The aim of this study is to explore how child participation is constructed in interventions provided by Swedish child and family welfare services and to study which elements are of importance to this process. The article is based on a qualitative interview study with 14 family social workers and 11 children aged 7–16 with experience of family interventions provided by the child and family welfare services. The results suggest that child participation is a collaborative process in which both the child and the FSW have an active role to play. Participation is constructed through a series of seemingly small, everyday actions in the meeting between the child and the FSW. By actively asking questions and allowing the child to practice participation and influence the process, the FSW can, together with the child, work towards increased child participation in interventions.

Feeding Refugees, Saving Souls, and Planting Churches: Lutheran Ministry in 1950s Hong Kong

Abstract The recent interest in the social history of the Cold War has given rise to many narratives of expulsions and migrations in world Christianity. This article focuses on the transformation of several Lutheran missions from sojourning in the wilderness of China’s maritime frontiers into becoming vital pastoral and welfare service providers in British Hong Kong. While licking their wounds after their reluctant exodus to Hong Kong following the Chinese Communist Revolution (1949), the Lutherans employed the triple mission of feeding refugees, saving souls, and planting churches, clinics, and schools to help the distressed population. They mobilized their global and local church networks to secure financial, medical and human resources for crisis management—resources that the British colonial government lacked. Its multilayered operation of relief programs exhibited the organizational capacity of Lutherans to assist stricken communities in Cold War Hong Kong.

Factors Associated with Israeli Social Workers' Intention to Stay in the Profession.

The phenomenon of social workers leaving the profession occurs frequently, underscoring the importance of understanding factors contributing to the intention to stay (ITS) in the profession. Based on the job demands-resources theory (JD-R), this study examined selected social worker workplace "demands" (i.e., their organizational sector of employment and level of work-family conflict) and "resources" (i.e., levels of meaning, locus of control, and salary satisfaction at work). Online survey data were obtained from 407 Israeli social workers. The findings showed that higher levels of meaning and salary satisfaction at work, greater professional seniority, and lower levels of work-family conflict were associated with greater ITS in the profession. Data were gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling examination of variables contributing to the ITS during times of crisis. These findings confirm that meaning at work is the main factor that motivates social worker ITS in the profession. Salary satisfaction was also found to be an essential factor, highlighting the recent escalation in social worker demands for fair compensation in Israel. Greater work-family balance also contributed to ITS. These findings should be considered by governmental decision makers and welfare service providers wishing to preserve this essential workforce, not just in Israel but also in other countries.

Context matters—different entrepreneurial approaches among street‐level bureaucrats enhancing digital inclusion

AbstractDigital technology is frequently used in the delivery of public services. Since not everyone has the skills or digital access required to use such digital services, street‐level bureaucrats must find new ways to support citizens to be able to enhance digital inclusion. In most public settings, these new practices of digital support need to be developed in parallel with the street‐level bureaucrats' ordinary assignments. This article analyses the development of street‐level bureaucrats' entrepreneurial and innovative practices in promoting digital inclusion in two spheres: conventional welfare service provision and in a project‐based welfare service provision initiative explicitly intended to enhance digital inclusion. The article builds on qualitative case studies in municipalities in Sweden and demonstrates that there are more openings for innovative, entrepreneurial solutions among street‐level bureaucrats in the more project‐based setting than in the conventional welfare services. This implies that context matters for street‐level entrepreneurial approaches.

COVID-19 Risks and Vulnerabilities of Street-Connected Children: A Qualitative Study in Bangladesh

The outbreak of COVID-19 exacerbated the plight of street-connected children. This qualitative study was conducted to elucidate child welfare service providers’ (CWSPs) experiences regarding the massive impact of COVID-19 on street-connected children in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. Ten CWSPs with direct experience of serving street-connected children during the pandemic were recruited purposively. Findings unveil that government administrative actions taken through lockdowns and restrictions disrupted the lives and livelihood of street-connected children. The pandemic situation caused job losses and restricted children’s opportunities to earn, and intensified their sufferings from hunger, homelessness, and physical and sexual abuse. The children were displaced and detached from their peer network. They were deprived of education, healthcare, social services, and treatment facilities. Despite the risks of COVID-19 and movement restrictions, CWSPs came forward to serve the children with food aid and emergency services in collaboration with a few community-based voluntary organizations. However, the services were not enough to address children’s needs and problems. Findings suggest that CWSPs should adopt strategies for community engagement and multi-stakeholder collaboration to provide better services to the street-connected children during emergencies. A mixed methods research focusing on child maltreatment could be helpful for better understanding of children’s sufferings during the pandemic.

Development and evaluation of a nursing care profile for the promotion of preventive care measures in post-disaster evacuation areas

Japan is the first country to adopt a return policy after the all-village evacuation due to the Fukushima disaster and reporting on whatâ–™s happening in such areas is important. This is the premise of the work of Naomi Ito, a Public Health Nurse with a Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree and a research assistant in the Department of Radiation Health Management at Fukushima Medical University, Japan. Her research focuses on health issues, including both the direct impacts and secondary health effects in communities where people are encouraged to return following an evacuation order. Important issues are nursing care for the elderly and the concept of â–˜ageing in placeâ–™. In her current study, Ito is investigating a number of cases of Fukushima nuclear accident evacuees following the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima and how ageing in place was impacted by relocation, including the cases of three individuals evacuated from Katsurao village who did not return to their original homes following evacuation orders. By looking at their respective health conditions, Ito gained insight into the current situation and key challenges. This research is highlighting issues associated with the provision of medical and welfare services in areas affected by the nuclear accident, with hospitals closed and the evacuation of younger people changing the social structure and impacting the future of this community. The researchers believe that a comprehensive community care system is crucial and that it is important to consider the health challenges facing evacuated residents and a required improvement to medical, welfare and transportation systems.

“It’s like a safety net for when things go wrong”: key stakeholder and program user perspectives on a peer-led safe space program in Sydney, Australia

BackgroundSafe Spaces are a harm reduction approach commonly utilised in nightlife and festival settings to address alcohol and other drug-related harms. Despite increasing use, there has been little independent evaluation of safe space programs. This study aimed to explore (1) program user satisfaction with and use of a safe space program implemented in Sydney, Australia (The Take Kare Safe Space (TKSS)), and (2) the strengths and weaknesses of TKSS from the perspective of key stakeholders.MethodsSemi-structured, in-depth, interviews lasting between 30 min to 1 h were conducted with 38 key program stakeholders, including staff from police (n = 4), ambulance (n = 4), a local hospital accident and emergency room (n = 4), local council (n = 2), city ‘rangers’ (n = 2), the TKSS program (n = 4), licensed venues and other nightlife service providers (n = 4), and program users (n = 14). Purposive sampling was used to identify key stakeholders to participate in interviews.ResultsStakeholders stated that the TKSS program had a number of core benefits, including that it filled a service gap in nightlife settings; improved the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency services and other stakeholders operating in nightlife precincts; provided welfare services through proactive and non-judgmental interventions; and facilitated a means to de-escalate conflict without engaging police. Perceived weaknesses of the program included a lack of public awareness about the program; staff and volunteer levels; and misunderstandings regarding the scope and function of the TKSS program by some stakeholders.ConclusionThis study demonstrates the complex relationships that exist around the delivery of harm reduction in nightlife settings. In particular, it highlights the relative lack of servicing of public nightlife settings and the value of safe spaces/peer-to-peer safety ambassador programs in linking up care and filling this service gap. Further, it documents the extended benefit across key stakeholder groups of delivering proactive and non-judgemental harm reduction services and, in doing so, provides critical evidence around their efficacy in reducing AOD-related harms in the night-time economy.

‘This is what it is like to be church’: the Church of Sweden’s conditions for work with newly arrived refugees

Many newly arrived refugees suffer from mental health problems due to trauma. Research has shown that social participation after migration, such as taking part in social activities, networks and community work, is important for mental health and well-being. In Sweden, many civil society organisations, such as the Church of Sweden, take great responsibility for the establishment and integration of new arrivals. At the same time, the role of civil society organisations in the welfare society is not obvious, and the place of religious communities is sometimes challenged. Due to today’s growing secular and globalised society, the role of the Church of Sweden has changed. Its power has decreased, and the indications are that this will continue. There are also circumstances that point to the church having to adapt to the norms of secular society to have an impact. As the Church of Sweden fulfils an important function as a provider of welfare services, not least in work with newly arrived refugees, this article studies how the employees of the Church of Sweden feel about their conditions for this work and what guides it. It is based on a qualitative study of 19 interviews with employees in 4 different parishes.

Stay home, stay safe? Public health assumptions about how we live with COVID

ABSTRACT The COVID pandemic has had an uneven impact on families and communities, exacerbating existing structural disadvantage. We demonstrate that the construction of the pandemic by policymakers as primarily a medical problem has shaped the public health response in such a way as to hide the resulting lack of access to necessities for many and deterioration in people’s wellbeing. We interviewed social welfare service providers in an urban area of high cultural and linguistic diversity and low socioeconomic advantage, about their experiences in the 2021 lockdown period. Our findings highlight the unanticipated impacts of the public health response on people who cannot be recognised in the normative subjects constructed by policy. We bring to the fore the hidden experiences behind the government-reported COVID health statistics and explore the (dis)integration of services that support survival. To avoid worsening structural disadvantage, policy responses to crisis require conceptualising the problem and its solutions from diverse standpoints, built on an understanding of the different elements that shape who we are and the way we live.

A Study on Factors Affecting Job Continuation Intention of Social Welfare Workers

This study is to analyze the effect on job continuation intention of social workers. Social welfare workers are professionals who play an important role in providing welfare services to the community. Nevertheless, the working environment of social welfare workers are not good. In particular, the working environment has become more difficult due to COVID-19. Due to this situation, the number of social welfare workers experiencing burnout due to stress in the work environment increased, or the continuous intention for the current job was weakened. Despite these circumstances, there are few studies on job continuation intentions of social workers. Therefore, it is meaningful to empirically analyze the effect on job continuation intention of social workers. The results of analyzing demographic characteristics and work environment satisfaction through a survey of 1,533 social welfare workers in Jeollabuk-do are as follows. First, social welfare workers' job continuation intention had a significant effect on position, facility experience, total remuneration, and relationship satisfaction. Second, as a result of analysis of relationship satisfaction and job continuation intention, which had the most significant impact on the work environment, the relationship between the head of the facility and the middle manager had a significant effect. Therefore, in order to improve the job continuation intention of social welfare workers, it is necessary to support them to improve their positions and facility careers through appropriate remuneration management, and to support continuous communication and work cooperation with middle managers.

Stakeholders’ learning and transformative action when developing a collaboration platform to provide welfare services

ABSTRACT This article investigates stakeholders’ learning and transformative action when developing a collaboration platform between a Swedish regional authority organisation (RAO) and civil society organisations (CSOs) to find new ways to provide welfare services. The material is based on 22 semi-structured interviews and observations of seven general meetings at which RAO officials and CSO representatives met. In addition, notes were taken during two workshops with key stakeholders and interviewees, respectively. Learning and transformative action were analysed through a TADS approach. The findings reveal that a signed agreement, stipulating collaboration between the two sectors (public and civil society) became a second stimulus for shared transformative agency. After signing the agreement, conflicts of motives arose, which challenged learning between stakeholders. Surprisingly, it was not the conflicts of motives between the two sectors, but those within each sector that constituted the most severe expansive learning challenges, and consequently also a delay in the development of the collaboration platform that was to provide welfare services. Nonetheless, the conflicts also contributed to small, incremental, steps of transformative action toward what they had set out to do.

Miles’ law in Finnish municipalities: where decision-makers stand depends on where they sit

ABSTRACT Miles’ Law, i.e., the notion that institutional position affects attitudes, is considered a truism, but not much attention has been given to properly test or develop it. Here, we argue that Miles’ Law is effective not only for civil servants but among municipal decision-makers in different positions. We examine how well institutional position can explain differences in attitudes to welfare service provision among decision-makers on different levels. Differences in opinion depending on institutional position are usually overlooked when attitudes on welfare are explained. Using survey data (N = 1,578) from 42 municipalities in Finland, our analyses show that institutional position does affect attitudes to service provision. However, the differences are contingent on the mode of service provision under consideration and are moderated by the size of the municipality and the economic status. This shows that it is important to consider the position of local government decision-makers to understand their attitudes.

Peran Dinas Tenaga Kerja dalam Mengawal Perekonomian Masyarakat Melalui Upaya Peningkatan Kesejahteraan Pekerja dan Hak Atas Upah yang Layak di Kabupaten Pati Berdasarkan Perspektif Islam

This study aims to determine: 1). The role of the labor service in overseeing the community's economy through efforts to improve the welfare of workers in Pati district 2). The role of the labor service in overseeing the community's economy through efforts to increase the right to decent wage for workers in Pati district. This research uses qualitative research methods with the type of approach used is field research Data collection used observation and interviews. The results showed that 1). The government of the manpower office in the field of industrial relations always monitors and coordinates by visiting companies, where companies must be able to provide welfare services and facilities for workers both for work interests and in terms of muamalah.2). The role of the labor service in efforts to increase the right to a decent wage for workers includes conducting coaching and monitoring and monitoring.

The use of independent foster care agencies by Swedish local authorities: Do structural factors matter?

ABSTRACT In Sweden, as in several other European countries, for example, Norway and the UK, social welfare service provision is increasingly being exposed to market competition. One service now being provided on the welfare market is foster care, as it is made available by independent foster care agencies (IFAs). However, current knowledge about the use of IFA is limited. To address this knowledge gap, this study explores (a) the extent of IFA use nationally and (b) whether structural factors (e.g. geographical location, socio-economic factors, local political governance) are associated with IFA use. The use of IFAs was analysed through a national survey answered by local authorities responsible for out-of-home care for children. The results of analysis indicate that approximately 90% of municipalities use IFA and on average 25% of foster care is provided by an IFA. A regression analysis shows that there are significantly higher odds of IFAs providing 20% or more of the foster care placements in small municipalities. No other significant correlations were found. Further, the results indicate a need for further in-depth studies to understand the use of IFAs and the rationality behind that use.

Social Welfare for Thailand’s Elderly: Policy Perspectives and Proposals for Co-production

With the increasing number of older adults and the mechanisms driving elderly work in the past, most work is separated. There is a redundancy in the issue of promoting and supporting the welfare of the elderly and redundant space. Many agencies deal with the elderly. As a result, the operation of the elderly is not considered part of the overall welfare provision. The objectives of this study were (1) to study the problem of social welfare provision for the elderly, according to the process of public policy, categorized into policy formulation, policy implementation, and policy evaluation, and (2) to analyze the social welfare provision for the elderly in the areas of health, housing, income, employment, education, recreation, and general social services from the perspective of experts. Qualitative research was conducted on secondary data and data collected using an Ethnographic Delphi Futures Research technique, whereby twenty-five informants were classified into three groups: 1) Nine people with direct or indirect roles and responsibilities in the development of welfare schemes and setting guidelines for the elderly; 2) Ten individuals with roles providing welfare services to the elderly in either provincial or local areas, and 3) Six academics studying welfare provisions for the elderly. In-depth interviews were conducted, and data systems were organized to analyze and classify content. The analysis found that: 1) Public policy is currently inadequate due to the following problems and management conditions: a) A central authority determines policy formulation concerning welfare for the elderly. As a result, welfare provisions cannot respond to the specific problems of the elderly in each area; b) A gap exists between policy formulation and implementation of each welfare policy; and c) While welfare policies do undergo an evaluation process, assessments are low quality and incomprehensive according to standards outlined in Thailand’s Elderly Act; 2) All experts agreed that government mechanisms should provide welfare for the elderly in cooperation with the government, private and public sectors to address insufficient budget allocation and reduce the redundancy of receiving interest. It is proposed that social welfare for the elderly should follow a pluralistic model. Many parties participate in welfare provision utilizing groups or networks of people in the community. Interconnected networks require co-production and joint management to optimize the efficiency and quality of public services.

Welfare Economics Among the Theoretical Propositions of Economic Schools

The study aimed at the intellectual and theoretical analysis of the concept of welfare economics and to stand on the theoretical and analytical views and standards on which economic schools, the ideology of social democracy and the theorists of welfare were based on what constitutes welfare and how to achieve it. As for the importance of the study, it is to stand on these theoretical theses of economic schools and their policy to achieve a welfare economy and to know the criteria that provide the ability to measure whether the economic proposals and theses that have been developed have worked to improve the welfare of society. The problem of the study is the difference in the theoretical proposals of the economic schools in their vision to reach the welfare economy and achieve social welfare, and the difference is not a descriptive difference, but it includes different methods in seeing and understanding human behavior, and the most important results of the study are the focus of most contemporary welfare economists on the fact that effective markets do not necessarily achieve the greatest social benefit. Markets are not capable of self-regulation but require the regulatory role of the state. That the mixed ideology is the path to prosperity and glorification, such as social democracy, which was based on a new reform policy and a humancentered boom in the existing institutions. It included specific and measurable goals, such as the fair distribution of income and wealth. Thus, social democracy was unique in reaching and achieving a welfare society through the role of the state and its effective policy, by managing and providing welfare services in a better way, and that this transformation is a measure commensurate with the process of deepening and strengthening democracy. The study presented the most important recommendations to reach to a welfare society, then, the corrective interventional role of the state must be supported along with the work of the market and the adoption of the ideology of social democracy. Governments and institutions in all countries of the world should adopt new ways of thinking and actively participate in creating systems that will achieve real progress towards a more prosperous and prosperous world.