Abstract
The peer review is exploring the move from a direct provision, or from financing external providers of social care, towards innovative instruments such as vouchers or personal budgets. The financing of service provision via the users in this way allows for greater involvement of the user and is clearly related to the issue of users' empowerment. It raises various questions which the review will explore:
* What are the main advantages/risks of this option (from the perspective of public auhorities, users, service providers)?
* Where does the balance lie between the impetus for a more rational use of resources and the maintenance of a high level of quality in the provision of social services?
* Is a greater involvement of the user in the purchase of the service accompanied by a greater incidence of market arrangements?
* Is the right to free choice for the user a way to improve quality in the provision of social services?
* Does the use of personal budget or vouchers in teh provision of social services result in higher administrative costs?
* Would moving from directly providing the services to a more user influenced system raise problems related to the service supply?
* In case vouchers/personal budget do not cover the entirety of the costs, how to ensure that the direct costs to be born by the user do not create an obstacle to service access?
* How to support the capacity of the most vulnerable to make informed choice?
* How to ensure, using vouchers or personal budgets, that social services are provided in order with the purpose of these services set by authorities?
* What are the main advantages/risks of this option (from the perspective of public auhorities, users, service providers)?
* Where does the balance lie between the impetus for a more rational use of resources and the maintenance of a high level of quality in the provision of social services?
* Is a greater involvement of the user in the purchase of the service accompanied by a greater incidence of market arrangements?
* Is the right to free choice for the user a way to improve quality in the provision of social services?
* Does the use of personal budget or vouchers in teh provision of social services result in higher administrative costs?
* Would moving from directly providing the services to a more user influenced system raise problems related to the service supply?
* In case vouchers/personal budget do not cover the entirety of the costs, how to ensure that the direct costs to be born by the user do not create an obstacle to service access?
* How to support the capacity of the most vulnerable to make informed choice?
* How to ensure, using vouchers or personal budgets, that social services are provided in order with the purpose of these services set by authorities?
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Luxembourg |
| Publisher | European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities |
| Number of pages | 35 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Keywords
- social care services issues
- funding issues
- comparative research
- ill/disabled children
- choice
- funding
- care for adults
- care for older people