Unlocking the potential of digital services to empower homeless people in Spain
In recent years, the exclusion of homeless people has reached a crisis point in many European countries. ESN member, iSocial Foundation, which promotes innovation in social services in Spain, acknowledges this issue and is putting homeless people at the core of the digital transformation of social services to ensure their inclusion and reintegration into society.
Providing integrated care for older people in Bolzano, Italy
“Having functional integrated management frameworks is essential today to deliver the most efficient social services.” Bolzano Social Services is the primary provider of social services in the Bolzano region in Italy. Valentina Meotto, General Manager, told us about their Core Care Plan, a model of care which works to improve the quality of care given in care homes.
SAMU Foundation’s approach to ensure equal access to humanitarian aid
SAMU Foundation is a Spanish non-profit entity with over 40 years of experience in providing a wide range of care services for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, minors, migrants, and people with disabilities. With over 70 local centres in Spain, the SAMU Foundation is developing their work outside of Europe and currently has offices in Morocco, the US and shortly in Ecuador and Peru.
Supporting children in need of parental care and their care givers
‘The assistance provided is paramount in supporting caregivers to not feel alone in the journey of bringing up a child’
The City of Vilnius is the authority which ensures the provision of social services to the people of Vilnius help them to live in dignity. Nadežda Buinickienė is the head of the Social Services Division, told ESN about their process for children in need of parental care, and its approach to supporting families.
Adding value to older people’s lives through fostering active ageing
The Agency for Sustainable and Operative Social Provision (DOST Agency) DOST Agency is a public-legal entity under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan which provides the Republic of Azerbaijan population with the accessible modern, operative, and electronic services offered by the government.
The Swiss Conference for Social Welfare: Supporting further education to tackle the precarities of a shifting labour market
The Swiss Conference for Social Aid and Welfare (SKOS) is the national professional association for social aid and welfare and is responsible in Switzerland for issuing guidelines, frameworks, and position papers and monitoring social services, amongst other things. As there is no federal legislation on social welfare, the recommendations of SKOS have an important role for the 26 Swiss cantons.
Using a ‘traffic light’ risk assessment tool to improve efficiency, quality, and safety of service provision
Tal Lento is a Research Associate in the Quality Assurance Team of The Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, Israel’s leading centre for applied social research and consulting. She told us about the risk management tool which Myers-JDC Brookdale Institute has developed in partnership with the Inspection Administration of the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, to allow inspectors and service providers to carry out their work using a risk management approach - ultimately aiming to promote safe and quality state-sponsored services and thus improve the experience of service users.
Video CVs challenging misconceptions around employment of people with intellectual disabilities
The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) is the national regulatory body for disability in Malta and Gozo. Its main role is to safeguard the rights of disabled people and raise awareness on issues surrounding disability.
Promoting social inclusion for young people leaving care
The Social and Health Services Directorate of the Municipality of Cluj-Napoca (DASM) is a public provider of social services in Romania. Its mission is to identify the social problems of the local community and to find effective solutions to issues regarding child and family protection, the elderly, persons with disabilities and other persons in vulnerable situations.
Promoting the importance of evidence-based standards in children’s social services
Deirdre Connolly is a Standards Development Lead of the Standards Team at the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) in Ireland. She spoke to us about the importance of evidence-based standards that are informed by deep and ongoing engagement both with people using health and social care services, and those involved in their design and delivery.
Using virtual reality to improve the care of people living with dementia
The Association of Social Care Providers is the largest professional organisation of its kind in the Czech Republic. Established in 1991, it brings together more than 1242 organisations and provides 2758 registered services. ESN talked to Magda Dohnalová, an education manager at the Institute of Education about their project for people living with dementia.
Ensuring a more holistic approach to support children in need
Rannveig Einarsdóttir tells us about a new law that will enter into force in January 2022 concerning childcare and services for parents with a focus on early support and intervention.
The benefit of working together for the delivery of social services
Graham Owen tells us about three themes of the FSS and a new legislation that the organisation was engaged, aiming to produce modern regulations on preventive work, accessibility of social services, and ensuring that services are based on evidence and best practice.
Equality and efficiency: guaranteeing equal rights and possibilities for every citizen
Camilla Blomqvist introduces four approaches which help employees and managers in Gothenburg to communicate with each other and with different groups, and a political plan that was established by the City of Gothenburg based on core international frameworks protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Promoting autonomy of children and young people with intellectual disabilities
Marie-Claude Sirois highlights a practice guideline published by INESSS in December 2019 titled ‘For improving autonomy in intellectually disabled young people aged 6 to 21’. The guideline gathers evidence-based practices to improve the autonomy of children and young people in all areas of life.
Improving children's futures
Kristen Witte tells us about the ‘Leave no child behind!’ project. Since 2012, the Foundation has partnered with the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and 40 municipalities to improve children's prospects for development, regardless of their background, and provide them equal opportunities.
Individual plans for young people integration
Sérgio Lopes Cintra tells us about the 'Community Integration Team,' a project established in 2018 to support 100 young people between the age of 16 and 25 referred by the family and children court or child protection services.
Strength-based Working and Community Led Support
Sue Wald tells us about the ‘Strength-based Working and Community Led Support’ approach that focuses on having an initial conversation with a person in need of support, rather than immediately focussing on a formal assessment.
Strategic Plans should promote social inclusion and social services quality
Meritxell Benedi tells us how Catalonia's Government is currently adopting a new Strategic Plan for Social Services for 2021-2024 that will function as the roadmap for the Catalan Social Services.
Building a positive narrative around social services
Lea Suoninen-Erhiö is strongly committed to promoting a positive narrative around social services. In her opinion, we should take every chance to communicate our work to highlight the role and meaning of social services.
Everyone has the right to a decent living
Luc Kupers is proud that social inclusion is one of the main topics guiding local policy of Ghent. He tells us about a well-implemented support system of the federal state that provides additional financial aid for people in need.
