Start help. - an Alien in Danish Social Security. Helle Strauss,Senior Lecturer Metropolitan University College, Denmark

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1 Start help - an Alien in Danish Social Security Helle Strauss,Senior Lecturer Metropolitan University College, Denmark

2 Content Traditions of Danish welfare state Changes in paradigm Introduction of Start help Consequences of Start help Ethical challenges Actions of the Danish Social Work Union

3 Helle Strauss Associate Professor, Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen, Denmark. Development of Danish Welfare State 1708 Poor laws, 1721 free Royal Schools 1 st social reform : the Poor Laws. Provide needing people with food, clothing, housing, warmth and care during illnesses. C are of children. Conservative, agrarian, capitalistic society: God had given the rich and poor their positions free constitution (1915) 2 nd social reform linked to industrialization : support for old people public help health insurances 3 rd Social reform 1930ies Social benefits as a right, rather than assessment of needs Disability pensions, pension by age, cash benefits, sickness benefits 1976 Golden Days of welfare state Administration from a holistic perspective Prevention Rehabilitation, (education) trust

Provide needing people with food, clothing, housing, warmth and care during illnesses. C are of children. Conservative, agrarian, capitalistic society: God had given the rich and poor their positions.

4 Helle Strauss Associate Professor, Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen, Denmark. Economic pressure on welfare state from General higher level of education Advanced possibility for health treatment Growing population of older people Decline in taxpaying part of population How can the state save money?

dk Economic pressure on welfare state from General higher level of education

5 1990: Active line: From welfare to workfare Standardization, documentation, contracts, efficiency Neuliberalistic thinking, outsourcing From what can we do for you? To: What can you do for yourself and for us? Mistrust and demands of activation upon service users emerging during period of low unemployment rate in the 1980ies

for you? To: What can you do for yourself and for us?

6 Content of Helle Strauss Associate Professor, Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen, Denmark. Danish Welfare State upheld Free public services: Schools, Universities, health care system Benefits by unemployment, disability, old age,(single) parenting, education benefit, rent reduction benefit, High employment rate for women public childcare institutions Less economic inequality than other countries High rate of help for developing countries ( 7%) Progressive tax systems

disability, old age,(single) parenting, education benefit, rent reduction benefit, High employment rate for women public

7 Why starthelp? -Political argumentation Prevention of migration through limitation of benefits Integration strategy for motivation of joining workforce of both parents Difficulties of integration of children in school attempts absent or failed, because cared for at home at early age. (Higher crime rate as result of total social situation in families: health, mental health, low income, education etc.)

for motivation of joining workforce of both parents Difficulties of integration of children in

8 Why start help? Political argumentation Justify taxes for working population Migration by Danish high income groups attracted to low tax countries

9 Basic Benefits before tax 1 CAD = 5,5 DAC Start help Cash benefit Single > 25 years = = 1838 Single with child = Child benefit for singles Couples with children, each person Child benefits for couples, each child, max x = = 982 max: = = 246

488 Child benefit for singles Couples with children, each person Child

10 Start help means App citizens live on this benefit 75 % are born outside Denmark 41% of single people on start help have less than 1700 DCR 321 CAD pr. Month to live on, expenses and taxes paid

11 Results of starthelp Growing diversity in society Polarization of society them and us Difficulties regarding maintaining citizenship Economic exclusion Social exclusion Cultural exclusion Poverty Children especially vulnerable!

regarding maintaining citizenship Economic exclusion

12 Poverty in the society Poverty a classic social and social political problem Relative poverty in Denmark Skepticism for use of the phrase by Danish politicians Starthelp introduced in a period with Economic growth Growing welfare Growing poverty More poor people Relations between local and global poverty

politicians Starthelp introduced in a period with Economic growth Growing

13 A. 50 % (8.430 kr.) eller 60 % af medianindkomst Numbers (disponibel of poor indkomst) people Fattigdom defineret i forhold til normalitet. B. Budgetmetoden Fattigdom defineret ved kurv af nødvendige varer. Budgettet for indkøb af disse angiver grænsen (minimumsbudget: ca kr.) C. Afsavnsmetoden Fattigdom defineret ved, at man har givet afkald på nødvendige goder D. Fattigdom defineret ved både rådighedsbeløb og afsavn

til normalitet. B. Budgetmetoden Fattigdom defineret ved kurv af nødvendige varer.

14 Poor children by 50 % af median income. 4 times more of foreign background

15 Deprivation of good values for children Clothes/ footwear Mobiletelephon e Toys Invite friends home Join leasure activities Excursio ns with school Starthelp/ Introduktion benefit 39,1 43,1 40,0 32,9 38,0 20,3 Reduced cash benefit Ord. Cash benefit Unemployme nt / sickness benefit Working population 37,3 24,4 31,9 17,6 31,4 15,7 27,0 22,6 37,8 13,8 31,3 10,0 2,2 2,2 0,0 2,2 0,0 0,0 2,1 3,3 3,8 1,7 1,7 0,8 Kilde: Andersen J., Ejrnlæs, M. og Larsen, J.: Fattigdom, familie og børneliv. I: Vera : tidsskrift for pædagoger ; Nr. 50,

Cash benefit Unemployme nt / sickness benefit Working population 37,3 24,4 31,9 17,6 31,4 15,7 27,0 22,6 37,8 13,8 31,3 10,0 2,2 2,2 0,0

16 Does coping strategies prove politicians right? Did the reduced benefit make you more dejected or were you encouraged to apply for more jobs? More applying, not more dejected 5 % More applying, and more dejected 20% Neither more applying nor more dejected 26% Not more applying but more dejected 49 %

17 Consequences Little effect on achieving jobs Major effect regarding frustrations and discouragement Most disadvantaged become poorer in a period with general wealth Exclusion regarding: Lack of participation as a consumer Lack of participation in social and cultural life Social disintegration for individual Polarization in society Presure on social workers

regarding: Lack of participation as a consumer Lack of participation in social and

18 How does s.w. apply to Ethical statement of principle, 2004? Principles of human rights and human dignity Anti discrimination Social justice Professional conduct

19 Ethics in social work, statement of principle, 2004 The loyalty of social workers is in the middle of conflicting interests Social workers function as both helpers and controllers Conflicts between the duty of the s.w. to protect interests of the people for whom they work and societal demands for efficiency and utility The fact that resources in society are limited (

between the duty of the s.w. to protect interests of the people for whom they work and societal

20 Ethical Statement of Principle 2004: Challenge unjust policies and practices Bring to attention of their employer, policy makers, general public situations where resources are inadequate Where distribution of resources, policies, practices are oppressive, unfair, harmful

general public situations where resources are inadequate Where

21 Actions taken by the Danish Social Work Union Encourage social workers to inform the union Bring the case to European court Support research report upon the effects of start help Provide sample letters to fill in in order to facilitate social workers information of newspapers

22 Effects of Unions intervention Public attention to discriminating legislation Support of social workers carrying out legislation Social workers have attention to how effects of legislation can be diminished Change of legislation of 1998 addressing foreigners to include Danish people who have been abroad Dissapointing as legislation continues in spite of all documentation of effects

23 Other changes From 7 years in country to 2½ years of work before ordinary cash benefit Growing inequality documented by Danish state research institute Exclusion of families and children Political parties with strict attention to migrants are growing Political shift on the way? Economic crises stiffens the process

24 Conclusion Legislation meets the main intention: Prevention of migration Justification of taxes ( tax have been declining for high income groups) Situation reflect conflict between the local and the global responsibility Aspiration for global solidarity limited

25 References: Amnesti International: Starthjælp når staten diskriminerer Nov Blauenfeldt, M, Hansen. H, Johansen, A: Flygtninge på starthjælp. Casa 2006 Ejrnæs, Morten, Unpublished lecture Rørdam, Birgitte: Det er værst for børnene. Socialrådgiveren Beskæftigelsesministeriet. 2010http:// Juul, Jonas S,Ingen-sammenhaeng-mellem-fattigdom-okonomisk-vaekst. Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd. 2010www.ae.dk/artikel/i Andersen, John, Ejrnæs, Morten og Elm Larsen, Jørgen (2008): Den forkætrede fattigdom i Uden for nummer Andersen, Ejrnæs,, M. Larsen J. (2010) Fattigdom, familie- og børneliv, Vera : tidsskrift for pædagoger Müller Maja, John Andersen, Morten Ejrnæs og Jørgen Elm Larsen (2010): Livet på de laveste sociale ydelser - en kvalitativ undersøgelse om livsbetingelser og copingstrategier. Ejrnæs Morten, Henning Hansen og Jørgen Elm Larsen (2010). Levekår og coping - ressourcer, tilpasning og strategi blandt modtagere af de laveste sociale ydelser. Finn Kenneth Hansen og M. Azhar Hussain (2009): Konsekvenser af de laveste sociale ydelser - Forsørgelsesgrundlag og afsavn. August. Finn Kenneth Hansen, Henning Hansen og M. Azhar Hussain2009. Personer og familier med de laveste ydelser som forsørgelsesgrundlag - en registerundersøgelse. Casa.

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