NON-STATE SOCIAL SERVICES IN UKRAINE: IMPACT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONS, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problems of provision of social services with the help of modern electronic information and telecommunication technologies. The development of legislation in this area is analyzed. Special attention is paid to the Law of Ukraine "On Social Services" dated January 17, 2019 No. 2671-VIII and the changes made possible by it. The Strategy of digital transformation of the social sphere, approved by the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated October 28, 2020 No. 1353, and the innovations in the field of social services initiated by it are analyzed in detail. In addition, the study reveals the correlation between the concepts "recipient of social services" and "applicant", which appear in legislative acts devoted to social services. It is concluded that the main problem remains that the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere and a number of registers, which are its components, are focused mainly not on recipients, but on optimizing and facilitating the work of state bodies, local self-government bodies and social service providers, while for people who find themselves in difficult life circumstances and need this or that social service, it is quite difficult to find a potential provider (especially for representatives of the non-state sector). The author proposes to borrow the experience of Great Britain, where a successful format of access to information and effective communication between participants of the social services system is provided through online surveys, collection of complaints and suggestions, operation of "hotlines". Particular attention is paid to the tool for assessing the quality of services "Best Value", which was introduced, among other things, to conduct consultations of local authorities with the population regarding the needs, quality and necessary volume of social services, with specialists-social workers, representatives of charitable organizations, volunteer organizations Unions, etc. It is concluded that a similar survey practice could be borrowed for Ukraine by adding such an option to «Portal Diia».