Social Welfare Concepts and Approaches

Social Welfare Definition and Components

• Social welfare is the well-being of society, encompassing individual and collective health, happiness, and fortunes.
• It includes supports, services, and agencies addressing social, economic, educational, and health needs.
• Examples include Canada's healthcare system, education, 911 services, community, mental health programs, and physical safety measures.

Approaches to Social Welfare

• Residual: A temporary response to needs, implemented as a last resort, relying primarily on family and the market economy. Common in periods of economic hardship.
• Institutional: Recognizes the need for welfare programs as a necessary part of society to maintain a reasonable standard of living. Supports a welfare state.
• Structural: Critiques the exploitative nature of the system, focusing on injustice within the market and economic globalization.

Welfare Matrix

• A model illustrating the sources of social, economic, educational, and health needs.
  • Market: Job system, job opportunities; The more people benefits from the market, the less they need from other components
  • State: Government programs and initiatives
  • Family: Personal relationships and support systems
  • Civil Society: Community programs (e.g., food banks, shelters, YMCAs)

Social Welfare in the Matrix

• State: Education, healthcare, social assistance, unemployment insurance, child tax credits
• Family: Personal relationships, social needs, care for the elderly, shelter
• Market: Job opportunities, business opportunities, investments
• Civil Society: Food banks, homeless shelters, charitable organizations

Social Workers in the Matrix

• State: Child welfare, provincial government, hospitals, corrections
• Market: Private practice, consulting, insurance
• Civil Society: Social service agencies, faith-based organizations, homeless shelters, addiction treatment

Welfare State

• A state and civil society-based social welfare system.
• Relies on income redistribution (tax revenue).
• Two main components: income security programs and social services.

Income Security Programs

• Minimum Income: Basic income support for the most vulnerable (e.g., ODSP, Ontario Works)
• Income Supplementation: Adds to existing income for those in need (e.g., National Child Benefit, Guaranteed Income Supplement).
• Social Insurance: Benefits based on contributions (e.g., workers' compensation, CPP).
• Demogrants: Flat-rate payments based on demographics (e.g., Universal Child Care Benefit)

Universal vs. Selective Programs

• Universal: Accessible to everyone in a category, regardless of income (e.g., basic income)
• Selective: Based on a needs or means test (e.g., social assistance, benefits)

Public vs. Private Welfare

• Public: Government-provided benefits and services; employment policies, labor standards, minimum wage, employment programs.
• Private: For-profit or non-profit organizations providing benefits; often receives government funding.