At the end of August, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine together with Caritas Ukraine held a round table “Making recommendations for implementation of independent monitoring and assessment of social services quality. New approaches in the context of social services reforming”. In Kyiv, representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy, its regional structural subdivisions, which implement the state social policy at the local level, experts, representatives of civil society organizations, associations of local self-government bodies and international organizations took part in the event.
Caritas Ukraine presented a report on results of the comprehensive study “Aspects of receiving social services by separate target groups in regions of Ukraine”. A provocative nature of the carried out study contributed to the discussion between the participants and drew their attention to the need of improving methods for collection of information by regional social protection agencies. Representatives of Caritas Ukraine shared with the audience their own vision of the model for the social services market development and emphasized the importance of changing an approach to determining people’s needs in social services, without which no transformation of the general system for social services provision is possible.
Organizers of the round table presented the concept of the system for social services quality monitoring and assessment. It is based on implementation of a two-level structure of the state system for social services quality monitoring and assessment. Under its framework, it is recommended to establish the Agency for social services quality monitoring and assessment. During the discussion, the participants shared their proposals on creating independent inspections and launching public monitoring of social services quality.
The subject of the purchase at state expense shall become a quality service, required only if there is a real receiver, under conditions of compliance with quality standards by its provider. The suggested comprehensive approach to amendments in the procedure for social services provision consists of three constituents:
– a single system of social services data exchange;
– a new model of social services financing;
– unified standards for social services provision.
The event became a platform for a dialogue between the authorities and representatives of civil society institutes and the place for searching ways for a joint reformation of the procedure for provision of social services in the country.
“These events create a perfect opportunity to share opinions and problems we face every day at work. After all, we all work for a single goal to assist people in need and change the social protection system. That is why we are always open to a dialogue and cooperation”, says Rostyslav Kis, lawyer, Caritas Ukraine.
Nataliia Fedorovych, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, added that none of the government authorities can individually have a quality influence on a life of hundreds of thousands of people. Thus, activities of the Ministry, its divisions and representatives of the third sector shall be coordinated. In particular, recommendations for regional territorial communities and flexible instruments shall be coordinated to make everybody equally understand the purpose of people’s needs monitoring and assessment.
Dzvenyslava Chaikivska, Secretary General of Caritas Ukraine, emphasized that the sector of social services permanently needs highly-qualified staff. One of the tasks for restructuring the system of social services provision is improving of the public opinion about the profession and enhancement of staff competence of private and state social services providers.
Since September 2016, Caritas Ukraine has been carrying out a project on implementation of efficient mechanisms for monitoring and assessment of social services quality as one of the components of reforming the social services sphere. The project team developed a concept on launching monitoring and assessment of quality of rendered social services, drew up a provision on a national monitoring body and assessment of social services quality and elaborated key principles for integration of procedures for monitoring and assessment the rendered social services into the general scheme for social services restructuring. Within the project, a study of aspects for receipt of social services by separate target groups in regions of Ukraine was conducted based on the analysis of statistical data provided by the Ministry of social policy and data collected by Caritas in 6 regions of Ukraine (Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi regions).
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