The report is about the Ministry of Social Welfare's activities to ensure that the social welfare effort is based on knowledge of effect. Rigsrevisionen has launched the examination on its own initiative. The social welfare effort usually has significant impact on the lives of the affected citizens, and it is therefore essential to be able to distinguish between the effective and the ineffective activities. Currently, the knowledge of the effect of the social welfare effort is limited. The purpose of the report is to assess whether the Ministry of Social Welfare is now to a wider extent than before contributing to ensure that the social welfare effort is based on knowledge of what is effective and what is not.
The Ministry of Welfare can contribute to determine the framework of the social welfare effort through the law prepatory work, e.g. in relation to the Social Services Act and through the administration of the so-called "satspuljer" which are pools of public funds used for initiatives in the form of transfers or services benefitting recipients of transfer income. The local councils are responsible for the practical implementation of the social welfare effort, but the ministry may exert influence on the local councils' organisation and implementation of the activities through guidance, collection, and communication of knowledge of effect.
Therefore, Rigsrevisionen has examined whether the Ministry of Social Welfare has laid down a strategy for its activities to ensure that the social welfare effort is based on knowledge of effect. Rigsrevisionen has also examined whether the Ministry of Social Welfare contributes to ensure that future legislation within the social service area is based on knowledge of effect, whether the ministry strives to ensure focus on effect when administering the public pools of funds for exposed groups, and whether the Ministry of Social Welfare contributes to ensure that the local councils can base their social welfare effort on knowledge of effect.
Read the 1st chapter of the report (PDF)