Socialinio darbo paslaugų privatizavimas gerovės valstybėje: samprata ir modeliai ; Privatisation of social work services in welfare state: concept and patterns

Abstract

This article focuses on the changes in social care sector which took place in Europe and after the restitution of independence in Lithuania the last decades and are named as privatization. In social care sector privatization is known as a process of services provision by non-profit public agencies (NGOs), informal sector and by profit agencies. These changes can be explained by actor and new-institutionalism theories as well as by the mix of these two theories. This article presents general privatisation concept and potential patterns as well as peculiarities of these in social care (social work services) sector. According to the actor theory, the expansion or decline of welfare state is understood as results of individuals or collectives' rational actions. As rational actors cope with different previous political decisions, institutional frames and other limitations and possibilities it is useful to analyse privatization in the light of new-institutionalism theory as well. According to the new-institutionalism theory, the institutions of welfare state are reflected and formed by choices and strategies of actors. The way and models of privatization depend on welfare state institutions. Two ideal institutional types are separated – pluralist and corporatist institutions. Analysis of these ideal institutional types' differences defining regulation, organization, financing and production helps to explain the extent and models of privatization.