Welfare Options

In industrialized countries the delivery of welfare systems is changing rapidly. Old ways of providing services are being changed by conservatives who want to shrink "big governments", by pluralists seeking choice, by community workers wanting to give power to the people, by market advocates urging governments to contract out work, and by managers who need cost-effective services. This work explores the range of strategies that policy makers can take in delivering social services in Australia. It assesses the market models which are currently being imported into Australia, discusses the implications for welfare professionals and clients, and argues that there is much to learn from the British experience. This overview of social policy strategies is intended for policy makers, students and managers in health, welfare and community sevices.