Social Services in an Era of Austerity and Competition

Social services are an essential part of the social safety net. Yet, the funding and delivery social services is in significant transition in many countries around the world, due to growing competition for public and private resources, heightened expectations on performance, transparency and accountability, greater emphasis on consumer choice and broad enthusiasm among policymakers for social innovation and social investment. This Paper examines the implications for theory, policy, and practice of this changing role of social services within social policy from a comparative perspective.