Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.3935/rsp.v12i3.94
Social Welfare System in Croatia from 2000 to 2004. An Analysis of the Indicators of Situation and Development
Živko Jurčević
; Ministarstvo zdravstva i socijalne skrbi Republike Hrvatske
Abstract
Among the most important changes that occurred in the social welfare system in the five-year period from 2000 to 2004, the structural changes at the market of social services of the institutional type should be primarily included. Years-long asymmetry between supply and demand, which was manifested in the significant lack of accommodation, and strongly emphasised interest of the non-governmental subjects resulted in the establishment and putting unto operation 73 new non-state nursing homes, out of which 47 were for elderly and infirm persons. The fact that the establishers and owners of 37 social welfare homes for the elderly and infirm are physical persons (private persons) speaks of a considerably developed independent enterprise in the social welfare system of a kind.
In the end of 2004, 257,335 persons or 5.8 percent of the population received social welfare assistance from the state. At the same time, 741,056 persons or 16.7 percent of the population lived below the poverty line. That means that 34.7 percent of persons whose monetary and natural income was lower than the poverty line receives assistance from the state. It can be assumed with good reason that the state welfare should be ensured for a wider circle of users. However, a larger role of the local and regional self-government units, civil society organisations and other providers of social welfare are much needed.
In 2004, the overall amount of 2,219,109,787 kuna or 1.07 percent of GDP was spent on social welfare through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, most of which was spent on supports and compensations – 1,480,357,446 kuna. Thus the share of these types of assistance in the GDP rose from 0.59 percent in 2000 to 0.71 percent in 2004. That reflects the structural changes in the state expenditure for social welfare, primarily made because of the growth of the number of welfare recipients and the transfer of certain social welfare functions from the state level to the counties.
The amount of the average monthly support assistance per user represents 38 percent of the monthly amount of the poverty line risk that includes monetary and other income. The effective disparity is somewhat lower, because a part of welfare recipients realise some other incomes within the allowed framework and/or other supports. In general, the state social welfare together with other social supports ensured by other subjects, together with personal income of the users and family solidarity, should ensure fulfilment of the existential minimum. However, in spite of everything, the undisputed fact remains that the starting point for the adequate growth of social security lies in the economic development. Therefore, that is the basic determinant of the overall social development, in the present and in the future.
Keywords
social assistance; users; the poverty scope; expenditures; employees of social welfare institutions; the market of social institutions
Hrčak ID:
30241
URI
Publication date:
8.12.2005.
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