Social services policy
The policy area covers measures in the areas of individual and family care and state-run institutional care of young people and substance misusers. Action in these areas is intended to improve the situation of the most vulnerable groups in society.
Objective of social services policy
The objective of social services policy is to strengthen the capability and opportunities for social and cultural participation of people who are in economically and socially vulnerable situations and to strengthen protection of children at risk.
Scope of policy
The policy area includes measures to improve the situation for the most vulnerable groups in society, such as girls, boys and families in socially and economically vulnerable situations, the homeless, people with substance abuse problems and women who are subjected to threats and violence.
According to the Social Services Act, the responsibility for providing women and men, girls and boys in socially vulnerable situations with the necessary support and assistance lies with the municipality. Government action in the policy area mainly consists of legislation, supervision, follow-up and evaluation, certain incentive grants and the development work carried out by government agencies. The National Board of Institutional Care (SiS) is responsible for state-run institutional care of young people and substance abusers.
Direction of policy
One prerequisite for efficient social services is knowledge of the results of social measures, and of what produces good quality and desired results. There must be better opportunities to produce statistics, monitor activities and ensure the quality of health care, social care and measures in social services.
It is particularly important that society protects and supports socially vulnerable children. Reinforced supervision of social care for children and young people will continue in 2008 and the possibility of coordinated legislation regarding social care for children and young people will be examined.
Many people in Sweden today are outside the labour market. The Government is continuing to take measures that, in various ways, will create conditions for more jobs, so that more people can move from benefits to a job of their own.
Dealing with substance abuse in the long term also means reducing exclusion. The current national alcohol and narcotics action plans remain in place and accordingly, the Government´s measures are in line with the objectives stated in the action plans regarding society´s care and treatment measures for people with substance abuse problems.
Homelessness is a challenge for the Swedish welfare state and an important part of the work in overcoming exclusion. A unified perspective and a concerted policy at both national and local level is necessary. The Government has presented a strategy to combat homelessness and exclusion from the housing market, Homelessness - multiple faces, multiple responsibilities. The strategy covers 2007-2009.
Violence against women is a widespread social problem and a serious type of crime. Municipal responsibility for women subjected to violence and children who have witnessed violence must be reinforced and the measures taken must be more uniform throughout the country. The Government is working with national action plans to combat prostitution and human trafficking which, in the area of social services, will contain measures increasing the opportunities for the social services to meet and give support to people with experience of prostitution and victims of human trafficking.
Government agencies
The National Board of Institutional Care (SiS) belongs to this policy area.
The National Board of Health and Welfare is the national expert agency and has supervisory responsibilities along with the county administrative boards.
