Estonian Welfare System

Résumé du document

The purposes of social welfare are to provide assistance to persons or families in preventing, eliminating and relieving difficulties in coping, and to assist persons with special social needs in social security, development and integration into society. The principles of social welfare are the observance of human rights, the responsibility of persons for their own and their family members' ability to cope, the obligation to provide assistance if the potential for a person or family to cope is insufficient and the promotion of the ability of persons and families to cope.

1925: The very first Social Welfare Act in Estonia was adopted. According to the Social Welfare Act most of services were provided by local governments. We can find this specificity in the new Social Welfare Act.
1939 – 1991: During the Soviet period in Estonia the range of social welfare services was reduced to a minimum.

1992 – 1997: Transition period. At this moment the social welfare system on state and local level was not developed yet. And it was not a priority for the country.

1997: Breaking point: “The year 1997 marks a breaking point, as within the framework of EU Phare projects (SSCC) foreign experts were engaged by the Estonian state to develop the welfare system.” Estonia began a lot of new reform like Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act in 2001.

Extraits

[...] In Estonia most of social services are provided in Tallinn. Because there, the municipality have enough money to pay it. The situation is quite different on rural areas, where I'm sure the needs are the same. system is better in larger cities in a small place they even don't have the child protection worker and the social worker has to do all / . / but of course the child protection workers in some South-Estonia village they have no one to talk to they have nothing and they have to manage alone but we have a networking in a big city and this is pretty good and really your best help is your colleague / . [...]

[...] This center offer a warm place to rest, food, once a week hot milk, shoes and clothes (second hand) and accommodation for some of them. There are showers, a library, and an internet access. They usually receive around 200 different peoples every month. About accommodation they have some places on first floor. These flat are quite comfortable and really clean. People have to pay 38 euros/month for it. This money has to come from a legal income (like pension or social help). People can't drink alcohol there. The rules are strict, but in one way it's normal. [...]

[...] First of all they will be more and more. It will have a cost, and the society have to find a way to pay for it. Actually more than 1/3 of elderly people live below poverty level. Small state pensions occur as a very serious challenge for the elderly people and social workers of small municipalities, if the person has to be placed in a nursing home. The nursing home fees in every nursing home are significantly higher (up to 3 times), than the pension income of a person. [...]

[...] General information: Question of disability in Estonia is managed by Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act. The purpose of this Act is to support the ability of disabled persons to cope independently, social integration and equal opportunities and to promote studies and work through partial compensation for the additional expenses caused by the disability. Estonia is particularly focus on the “Rehabilitation” to improve the ability of people with disabilities to cope independently, increase their social inclusion and facilitate their working or taking up a job.[16] Visit of Käo Daycare Center: Activities at the Käo Children's Center[17]: Participation in special education in cooperation with Käo Põhikool Social rehabilitation services Day care service Communication (AAC) Counseling (professional advice for parents) Besides the regular activities, there is a rehabilitation team working in our center. [...]

[...] State funded social services: Rehabilitation service, Provision of prosthetic, orthopedic and other assistive devices, special welfare services, substitute care, home child care. Strategy (2012-2020): To stop the vicious circle of poverty (see figure below)[10] for children and families, Estonia have a plan for the next 8 years. Five strategic objectives have been set for the achievement of the main objective: The Estonian child and family policy is knowledge-based and uniform in order to support the sustainability of society; Estonia is a country that supports positive parenting and offers the necessary support to raising children and being a parent in order to improve the quality of living and future of children; The rights of children are guaranteed and a functional child protection system is created in order to value each child and the kind of safe environment that supports the development and well-being of children; Estonia has a system of combined benefits and services that support the adequate economic coping of families in order to offer constant security to families; and Men and women have equal opportunities for reconciliation of work, family and private life in order to promote a quality everyday life that meets the needs of each family member. [...]