Swedish welfare
Encyclopedia
Social welfare in Sweden is made up of several organizations and systems dealing with welfare. It is mostly funded by taxes, and executed by the public sector
on all levels of government as well as private organisations. It can be separated into three parts falling under three different ministries; social welfare, falling under the responsibility of Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
; education, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Research
and labour market, under the responsibility of Ministry of Employment
.
organized by the church. This became obligatory in 1734 when each parish was required to have a almshouse
. During the 19th century private sick benefit societies were started, and in 1891 these became regulated and subsidized. The Liberal Party government passed the National Pension Act in 1913 to provide security for the aged and in 1934 the private unemployment societies were regulated and subsidized in a way similar to the sick benefit societies.
In 1961 the private sick benefit societies were replaced with county-level public insurance societies who also handled pensions. The independent and mostly union-run unemployment benefit societies has been more centrally regulated and levels are now regulated by the government.
in the case of illness, old age and for the family; social services; health care
; promotion of health and childrens rights; individual help for persons with disabilities and coordination of the national disability policies.
system is publicly-funded
and run by the county councils
. The health care system in Sweden is financed primarily through taxes levied by county councils and municipalities. The health care providers of the public system are generally owned by the county councils, although the managing of the hospitals are often done by private companies after a public tender. During the last decade several county councils have started using a Fee-for-service system for primary health care under the name "VårdVal".
Dental care is not quite as subsidized as other health care, and the dentists decide on their own treatment prices.
. There are both retirement homes as well as home care
, with home care on the rise.
. Education responsibilities includes pre-school and child care for school children as well as adult education.
. The responsibilities considered to be a part of the welfare system includes unemployment benefits, activation benefits, arbetsförmedling, arbetsmarknadspolitiska program, jobb- och utvecklingsgarantin, nystartsjobb och Europeiska socialfonden.
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
on all levels of government as well as private organisations. It can be separated into three parts falling under three different ministries; social welfare, falling under the responsibility of Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sweden)
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is the ministry in the government of Sweden responsible for policies related to social welfare: financial security, social services, medical and health care, health promotion and the rights of children and disabled people.The Ministry of Health and Social...
; education, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Research
Ministry of Education and Research (Sweden)
The Ministry of Education and Research is a government ministry in Sweden responsible for matters relating to schools, universities, colleges, and research.Before 1968 the ministry were called the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs....
and labour market, under the responsibility of Ministry of Employment
Ministry of Employment (Sweden)
The Ministry of Employment is a ministry in the Swedish government responsible for labour market and working life policy.The ministry offices are located at Jakobsgatan 26 in central Stockholm.- History :...
.
History
The start of the Swedish welfare system was the poor reliefPoor relief
Poor Relief refers to any actions taken by either governmental or ecclesiastical bodies to relieve poverty experienced by a population. More specifically, the term poor relief is often used to discuss how European countries dealt with poverty from the time just around the end of the medieval era to...
organized by the church. This became obligatory in 1734 when each parish was required to have a almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
. During the 19th century private sick benefit societies were started, and in 1891 these became regulated and subsidized. The Liberal Party government passed the National Pension Act in 1913 to provide security for the aged and in 1934 the private unemployment societies were regulated and subsidized in a way similar to the sick benefit societies.
In 1961 the private sick benefit societies were replaced with county-level public insurance societies who also handled pensions. The independent and mostly union-run unemployment benefit societies has been more centrally regulated and levels are now regulated by the government.
Social welfare
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is responsible for welfare. This is defined as financial securitySecurity (finance)
A security is generally a fungible, negotiable financial instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into:* debt securities ,* equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and,...
in the case of illness, old age and for the family; social services; health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
; promotion of health and childrens rights; individual help for persons with disabilities and coordination of the national disability policies.
Health care
Sweden's entire population has equal access to the public health care services. The Swedish health careHealth care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
system is publicly-funded
Publicly-funded health care
Publicly funded health care is a form of health care financing designed to meet the cost of all or most health care needs from a publicly managed fund. Usually this is under some form of democratic accountability, the right of access to which are set down in rules applying to the whole population...
and run by the county councils
County Councils of Sweden
A county council, or landsting, is an elected assembly of a county in Sweden. A county council is a political entity, elected by the county electorate and typically its main responsibilities lie within the public health care system. In each county there is also a county administrative board which...
. The health care system in Sweden is financed primarily through taxes levied by county councils and municipalities. The health care providers of the public system are generally owned by the county councils, although the managing of the hospitals are often done by private companies after a public tender. During the last decade several county councils have started using a Fee-for-service system for primary health care under the name "VårdVal".
Dental care is not quite as subsidized as other health care, and the dentists decide on their own treatment prices.
Elderly care
Elderly care in Sweden is the responsibility of the local municipalitiesMunicipalities of Sweden
The municipalities of Sweden are the local government entities of Sweden. The current 290 municipalities are organized into 21 counties...
. There are both retirement homes as well as home care
Home care
Home Care, , is health care or supportive care provided in the patient's home by healthcare professionals Home Care, (also referred to as domiciliary care or social care), is health care or supportive care provided in the patient's home by healthcare professionals Home Care, (also referred to as...
, with home care on the rise.
Social security
The Swedish social security is mainly handled by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and encompasses many separate benefits. The major ones are:- "Barnbidrag" and "Föräldrapenning": Monetary support for children up to 16, and benefits to be able to be home from work to take care of their children for up to 480 days per child. It also includes special benefits to care about sick and disabled children.
- "Bostadsbidrag": Housing allowances for anyone who otherwise can't afford housing.
- "Sjukpenning", "Sjukersättning" and "Handikappersättning": Benefits if you are ill or disabled and can't work.
- "Ålderspension", "Garantipension": Benefits for those who have retired.
- "Försörjningsstöd": Benefits for anyone (incl their children) who otherwise can't get a reasonable standard of living. This is given out purely on a need-bases and handled by each municipalityMunicipalities of SwedenThe municipalities of Sweden are the local government entities of Sweden. The current 290 municipalities are organized into 21 counties...
's social service.
Education
Education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and ResearchMinistry of Education and Research (Sweden)
The Ministry of Education and Research is a government ministry in Sweden responsible for matters relating to schools, universities, colleges, and research.Before 1968 the ministry were called the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs....
. Education responsibilities includes pre-school and child care for school children as well as adult education.
Labour market
The labour market policies fall under the responsibilities of the Ministry of EmploymentMinistry of Employment (Sweden)
The Ministry of Employment is a ministry in the Swedish government responsible for labour market and working life policy.The ministry offices are located at Jakobsgatan 26 in central Stockholm.- History :...
. The responsibilities considered to be a part of the welfare system includes unemployment benefits, activation benefits, arbetsförmedling, arbetsmarknadspolitiska program, jobb- och utvecklingsgarantin, nystartsjobb och Europeiska socialfonden.