1.3 Social Work and Social Welfare System in Canada

The term “welfare state” refers to a system of government whereby the state takes the responsibility for the health and wellbeing of citizens, especially those who are vulnerable, marginalized and oppressed. In a welfare state, the government plays an active role in the protection and advancement of the social and economic well-being of its citizens, based on the principles of equality of opportunity and the redistribution of wealth.

Two Key Elements of a Welfare State: Social Services and Income Security

Social Services

Government uses its power to provide essential social services (e.g., child protection services, mental health services, shelters for women and homeless individuals) to citizens. Social Services refer to non-monetary personal or community services, such as daycare, housing, crisis intervention, and support groups, provided by the state or non-profit organizations.

Income Security

Government uses grants, taxes, pensions and other programs to provide basic income security (e.g., child tax benefits, employment insurance (EI), Canada pension plan (CPP), old age security) to its citizens. Income security involves income supports in the form of social insurance, social assistance and income supplementation that can be unconditional or based on an income or needs test, it can also be provided through the tax system.

Often individuals or families need social services or income security/supports or both.

For example, A man who becomes ill or has an accident may lose his job and, as a result, his home. A woman who faces violence may be forced to leave her home and may need help obtaining child support as well as personal income support.

Thus, social services are often needed to deal with problems that have their roots in economic insecurity or vice versa.

Social Safety Net

Social policies and programs are developed to deliver social services and income security supports. Together these policies and programs create a “social safety net” for Canadians.

• Social Policies refer to the overall rules and regulations, laws and other administrative directives that set the framework for state social welfare activity. For example, universal medicare is a social policy to which the Government of Canada is committed.
• Social Programs are specific initiatives and activities that follow from and implement specific social welfare policies. For example, there are special incentives available to physicians in rural and remote areas under the universal medicare.

The social programs and services are delivered through public and private welfare services as I illustrate in the following graph.

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The public welfare system consists of three levels of government which typically oversee and deliver income security and social services to the citizens. As well, there are “public” non-government agencies such as advisory and appeal boards which are creations of government, consist of members appointed by the government. Often these boards are fully or partially independent of the government.

The private welfare system includes non-profit and for-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations (e.g., Canadian Mental Health Association) provide services but do not generate profit. They receive funds from one or more levels of government, other foundations and private donors. On the other hand, for-profit organizations (e.g., nursing homes) provide services for a fee and generate a profit for the owner for offering those services. In recent years, with cutbacks in government funding, more and more services are being provided by for-profit or commercial agencies.

Two Approaches to Social Welfare Provision

The Residual View

In the residual view, social welfare is a limited, temporary response to human need, implemented only when all else fails. People who hold the view belief that an individual’s needs should be met by the family and the market forces. Residual social welfare is highly targeted to those most in need.

People who hold this view assume that welfare services will make people dependent on the government, therefore, they say that the government should play a limited role in providing services or benefits to people.

The Institutional View  

People who hold institutional view believe that government should provide necessary services and benefits so that people can have reasonable standard of living and health. Family and economy may not always succeed in meeting an individual’s needs. For example, there can be shortage of well-paying and full-time jobs in the market. In such a case, government should provide assistance to people who might be struggling to survive. People, who hold this view, try to reduce social and economic disparities and stratification. Such people emphasize well-being of everybody in the society.

Two Types of Social Welfare Programs

Universal Programs

These programs are available to everyone in a specific category (e.g., people 65 and over, people with disabilities) on the same terms and as a right of citizenship. The idea is that all person are equality eligible to receive program benefits regardless of income or financial situation. In the past, many universal income security programs (e.g., Family Allowance) were available to all Canadians. Today, there are no income security programs remaining that can be exactly defined as universal.

Selective Programs

These programs are for individuals who are found to be in need. Such individuals have to undergo a means (income) test or a needs test. A means test determines eligibility on the basis of the income of the prospective recipient. The amount of benefit in adjusted as per the income level of the individual.

Weekly Reflection Activity