Kontakt 2011, 13(4):460-468 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2011.050

Grants from the state budget obstructs development of social servicesHealth and Social Sciences - Review

Ladislav Průša

Výzkumný ústav práce a sociálních věcí, Praha

Principal sources for financing social services include grants provided by the Ministry of Work and Social Affairs from the state budget. Formerly performed analyses demonstrated that over the last years, considerable differences have been repeatedly found between the amounts of these grants depending on the form of the organization providing the social services as well as on particular regions. The target of the examination implemented was to analyze results of the first round of the grant procedure for 2011. Attention was focused on the analysis of results in six most important social care services, where the level of the grant was considered depending on the type of the organization providing these social services. The knowledge obtained identified considerable differences between the level of the grant for different legal forms of social service providers and thus, the original target was extended by a detailed analysis of the grant level provided for senior's homes in particular regions depending on whether they were established by the region or by particular cities or possibly villages.
Knowledge acquired supported results of formerly implemented examinations. In agreement with foreign experience, it is obvious that providing grants from the state budget is a considerable limiting element in the development of social services. The solutions to be adopted, should be focused in a way making possible the development of social services regardless of providing grants from the state budget or budget of the service provider. These solutions could also include arrangements of related legal regulations, particularly those establishing conditions for providing help in material poverty. The implementation of these solutions is also important in terms of demographic trends, where a greater proportion of our population will be dependent on social services.

Keywords: social services; social service financing; grants from state budget

Received: July 11, 2011; Accepted: October 17, 2011; Published: December 16, 2011  Show citation