Piniginės socialinės paramos pertvarka: esminiai pokyčiai ir tendencijos ; The social assistance in cash reform: the fundamental changes and trends

Abstract

The changing social and economic environment, globalization, public sector spending cuts, economic change encourage to search for optimal and effective social support system management methods. On the 1st of January 2012, monetary social care system change was initiated: 2012-2014 monetary social benefits (social allowance, heating cost, drinking water, and hot water cost compensations) were implemented using two models: • State wise (state delegates to municipalities) function (financed from the government budget); • Individualised function in five (Akmenė, Panevėžys, Radviliškis, Raseiniai and Šilalė regions) experimental (pilot) municipalities (financed from the municipality funds). However, the authors of the article believe that social care system effectiveness has to be further increased, not only increasing the number of decision making municipalities, but also pushing the quality of the reform upwards. Moreover, the administration of social care benefits has to cover up society's needs and priorities. Ineffective administration of social services may result in unfavourable results and future recessions can lead to increased costs for social services. Social care administrative effectiveness cannot be evaluated only from the financial side, social goals have to be considered, too, such as decreasing poverty, tackling social exclusion, lowering the effects of poverty traps for most vulnerable groups of people and helping families with children.