Costing of Services Experiences of Social Innovation Fund, Serbia, Belgrade

1. Costing of ServicesExperiences of Social Innovation Fund, Serbia, Belgrade South East Europe Consultation “Reform of the Child Care System: Taking Stock and Accelerating Action” Working Group 6 “Costing and Financial Flows for Child Protection Services” Vladan Jovanovic, Serbia, Belgrade

2. Social Welfare System Reform and Social Innovation Fund - Basic Information -

3. Contexts – Reform of Social Welfare • Reform of Social Welfare • Part of political, economic and social reforms in Serbia, since 2001 • Mixture: “Bottom up” and “Top down” approach • The Social Welfare Development Strategy • Adopted in December 2005 • Harmonized with Poverty Reduction Strategy (adopted in 2003)

4. Social Innovation Fund- Background - • MoLSP with support of EAR/UNDP, Norwegian Government partnership • Funding local project • Objectives • development forms of community based social services • provide of state funds, budget and donations for implementation of reform • interlinking of all social welfare actors at the local level • piloting innovative ideas / initiatives • knowledge management and knowledge transfer • provide inputs for decision makers on local as well as national level

5. Social Innovation Fund- Basic Principles - • Partnership between • State Agencies • NGOs • Local Authorities • Entrepreneurs • Competition • Transparency & Accountability • Decentralization • Sustainability

6. Tenders / Public Calls for Project Proposals and Project Funding • 2003, Tender • 88 local projects funded / supported • 1.7 mil. € (1.0 mil. € Donation of Kingdom of Norway, 0.7 mil. € from State Budget) • 2004, Extension of support • 38 projects • 0.5 mil. € (From State Budget) • 2005, Tender • 51 project • 1.3 mil. € (0.9 mil. € Donation EU through EAR/UNDP, 0.4 mil. € from State Budget) • 2006, Tender • 35 projects • 1.6 mil. € (0.9 mil. Donation EU through EAR/UNDP, 0.7 mil. € from State Budget)

7. Children as a Target Group and Social Services for Children

8. Children as Target group in Local Projects • Children and youth • deprived of parental care • placed in social institutions • placed in foster families • with disability • placed in social institutions • placed in foster families • in primary families • with behavioral problems and young offenders • victims of domestic violence and victims of peer violence • in dysfunctional families • members of vulnerable groups (Roma, Refugees, Families with Low Incomes…)

9. Social Services for Children • Funded / supported services for children and youth, e.g. • Specialized foster family placement (for children with disability, Roma children, urgent foster family placement…) • Supportive Programmes • Rise parental competencies • Rise quality of child’s life in social institution / foster family • Preparation for independent living • Supported living in community, Half-way Houses • Day care centers • Safe homes • Clubs (peer support) • Psycho-social support, Counseling, Therapy … • Mediation (family mediation, victim-offender mediation)

10. First Tender 36 out of 88 projects Second Tender 24 out of 51 projects Third Tender 21 out of 35 projects 0.7 mil. € out of 1.7 mil. € 0.58 mil. € out of 1.3 mil. € 1.2 mil €out of 1.6 mil. € Children in SIF’s Projects Number of Projects / Rate in Total Funds

11. Funding Services Through SIF’s Projects

12. Preconditions for Funding • Social Service can be funded within project / as a project activity • After Public Call for Project Proposals (CfP), Announced by MoLSP/ EAR/UNDP/SIF • Meeting with priority issues of the CfP • On the basis on rules/procedures established by MoLSP/EAR/UNDP/SIF

13. Criteria in Evaluation/Assessment of Project Proposals • Project management capacities and partnership • Feasibility • Importance • Measurability • Compatibility with tender goals and priorities • Quality of programme • Sustainability • Budget • To what extent are planned expenses necessary for the project implementation?

14. Costing ExampleProject: “Street Kids – Harm Reduction Programme” Service Provider: NGO Center for Youth Integration, Belgrade

15. Basic Information on Project Objective Reduction of the physical and social harm of young people with risk in behavior Through Drop-in CenterOutreach activities Overnight stayStreet kids detection Urgent health care interventions Information on service Safety ensuring Outreach urgent intervent. Counseling NGO’s Main Partner City center for Social Work in Belgrade

16. Project management fees Project Coordinator Drop-in Center Coordinator Outreach Activities Coordinator Project Assistant Administrative and technical fees Keeper of accounts Security Cleaner Direct service providing fees Psychologist Social worker Nurse Supervisor of Outreach activ. Supervisor of Drop-in Cent. ac. Structure of Costs (Human Recourses)

17. How are Fees Usually Defined? • SIF’s rules • Maximum Fee Amount on the Basis of “Man per Hour” (MpH) Principle • experts, net 5.5 € MpH • technical staff, net 2.8 € MpH • Rate of Costs for Human Resources is not limited within Total Project Cost • Negotiation on fees can take place, within comprehensive negotiation on project proposal

18. Structure of Costs (II) • Traveling costs, accommodation costs, perdiem • Equipment, material resources • Nutrition of Drop-in Center beneficiaries • Office costs • Office supplies • Rent • Communications • Public utilities • Other cost

19. Lessons Learnt

20. Lessons Learnt (I) • Tendering and competition are preconditions for quality of services • NGOs are appropriate service providers in number of community based social services • Partnership is a base of integral social service providing approach

21. Lessons Learnt (II) • Founding new community based service, imply • Start-up costs, e.g. • Adaptation • Equipment • Specific piloting costs, e.g. • Information • Dissemination • Evaluation

22. Lessons Learnt (III) • Commitment of local authorities (LA) is a sustainability factor • Some LAs have established piloted services as a part of local social welfare system • Some LAs have adopted tendering as a regular procedure - Buying social services • Start-up costs, funded through SIF, fostered some LAs to takeover project and transform it to local social service

23. Challenges

24. Sustainable Local System of Social Services • Important preconditions for sustainable Local System of Social Services • Standards of Services • Licensing of Service Providers • Standards & Licensing Rules – have to be defined by National Authorities

25. Costing of Services • Lack of standardized Price Lists for Social Services • Lack of Systemic Rules and Procedures on payment for services established on intermunicipal level