2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Policy and Institutional Design on Autonomy and Protection of Personal Social Sevice User in Welfare Contract
| Project/Area Number |
16530377
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Social welfare and social work studies
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| Research Institution | Toyo University |
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Principal Investigator |
AKIMOTO Miyo Toyo University Dept. of Sociology, Professor, 社会学部, 教授 (00175803)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | welfare contract / protection / autonomy / user-oriented services / advocacy / paternalism |
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| Research Abstract |
This research aims to make policy recommendations on "autonomy and protection" of personal social services users who get the services through welfare service contracts.
It's a well-known fact that the autonomy and the protection of service users are conflict with each other. But it is shown that, while personal social services (PSS) retain strong attachment to ideas of the autonomy (or serf-determination), they also appreciate that the protection (or paternalistic intervention) is sometimes justified.
In this research, we admit that the persistence of "autonomy " is the virtues of PSS (above all when the users get the services through welfare service contracts), and should be defended. But it is not enough. We need also "protection". What is necessary is to keep a balance between autonomy and protection. To that end, it is important to consider following issues.
The proper extent of autonomy (or serf-determination) depends on the assessing ability to see wider issues concerning a service user that is emphasized by fashionable concept of "user-oriented services".
Determining a socially acceptable level of protection for any given type of individual service user is a matter for debate and resolution in the wider context of his (or her) life.
User-oriented services require autonomy and protection. It is necessary not only to increase user control (or self-determination) of service provided, but also to combine it with collective support. The possibility of appreciating interdependence and justifying protection (paternalistic action) needs to be acknowledged.
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