Panel II - Promoting the access of vulnerable groups to social services covering basic needs

1. Panel II - Promoting the access of vulnerable groups to social services covering basic needs A synthesis of discussions Hugh Frazer

2. Panel Themes • Introduction: why social services are essential • Who are the vulnerable groups and what are their basic needs • Defining the range and types of social services needed • Who is responsible for providing social services • Effective delivery: how to ensure social services are accessible and appropriate

3. Why social services? • Social exclusion is multi-dimensional - about more than poverty or having a job • Meet basic needs and enable participation in society • Support access to employment and an adequate income • Create employment • Underpin sustainable economic development • Promote personal growth and self-reliance • Prevention and alleviation • Expression of social solidarity • Support adaptation to change • Enhance democracy

4. Wide range of needs • Basic Needs are multi-dimensional • work and basic income (panel 1) • decent accommodation; clean water and sanitation; safe & sustainable environment; health and social care; education & training (incl. ICT) • day care; transport; legal services; cultural, sporting, and recreational opportunities; access to credit • supportive family & social networks • Unmet basic needs both cause and are a result of poverty and social exclusion

5. Exacerbating factors • Gender inequality • Migration • Discrimination and racism • Violence, trafficking, and displacement • Spatial segregation • Disability • Poor health • HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis • Demographic change (e.g. ageing populations) • Weakening family and social solidarity systems • Addiction

6. Main vulnerable groups at risk of not having basic needs met • Main groups • Long-term unemployed and jobless households • People in poor and insecure employment • grey economy • subsistence agriculture • Children • large families and lone parent families • People with disabilities and poor physical or mental health • Extreme situations • homeless; victims of violence and displaced people; some ethnic minorities (e.g. Roma); illiterate; living in institution, victim of violence

7. Types of social services - 1 1. Mainline services - social housing, health care, personal & family services, education & training, - transport, legal services, cultural, sporting and recreational services • Purpose • promote social inclusion & prevent poverty and social exclusion • complement informal family and social systems • Key task • ensure their affordability, accessibility and adequacy for all

8. Types of social services - 2 2.Targeted/differentiated services to overcome particular disadvantages • Help with immediate crises • loss of job, homelessness, indebtedness, displacement due to violence and intimidation, family breakdown, drug addiction • Personal development and empowerment • build skills and self-confidence for social and employment integration • language training, community education, community arts, occupational development and reintegration programmes

9. Types of social services - 3 3. Services for social solidarity • Compensate for disadvantages that can only be partially overcome e.g. severe disability or chronic ill-health

10. Who provides? - 1 • Take account of economic, social and cultural relations in a country • Innovate and develop new arrangements adapted to situation in each country • Big issue – how/whether to balance/integrate formal and informal systems?

11. Who provides? - 2 • A mix of providers: • government agencies (national or local) • self-help organisations • co-operatives, trade-unions, community organisations • informal ethnic, religious, social solidarity networks • family networks • NGOs/international organisations • private sector • partnerships • Government’s overall responsibility • whether as provider or regulator or both • ensure basic needs are met • ensure most vulnerable have access • ensure quality, coordination and integration of services

12. Ensuring effective delivery 1-5 • Holistic: multi-dimensional thus coordination and integration • across social services • link with income and employment • mainstreaming • Decentralised and local • where people live • accessible (physically and in terms of information) • Community development approach • participation of vulnerable groups • empower people: build self-esteem & self-reliance • collective action and community organising – capacity building • outreach • Responsive, flexible, tailored - individual plan • Accountable and transparent: monitor and evaluate

13. Ensuring effective delivery 6-10 • Quality and continuous improvement • Open to experimentation and innovation • Based on respect for rights and dignity (equality, non discrimination, avoid stigma) • Partnership and joint responsibility • Consistent and sustainable

14. 5 Conclusions Social services: • Secure basic needs and fundamental rights • meet the MDGs • expression of social solidarity • Combine with employment and social security to ensure active inclusion in society • Enhance political legitimacy and reinforce democracy • Help people to adapt to globalisation & change • Investment in sustainable economic and social development – create a virtuous cycle