Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2007): Social care - overseas

Consumerism and quality standards for subvented social services: a case study of Hong Kong

H.K. Wong

International Journal of Public Administration, vol.30, 2007, p. 441-458

In Hong Kong, 184 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are funded by the government to deliver social welfare services. These include rehabilitation and medical social services, services for the elderly, and family and child welfare. The NGOs are monitored and held to account through the Service Performance Monitoring System using a generic set of 16 Service Quality Standards.

Developing social work in Vietnam

R. Hugman, N.T.T. Lan and N.T. Hong

International Social Work, vol. 50, 2007, p. 197-211

In 1986 Vietnam began a process of economic reform, including rapid industrialisation and the creation of a market economy. This economic growth has brought many social benefits, such as poverty reduction, and improvement of the health and education systems, but has also created new problems, including increased substance misuse and teenage pregnancy, and the spread of HIV/AIDS, prostitution and crime. In response to these needs, steps have been taken over the past decade to establish social work as a professional activity. This article presents findings from a government and UNICEF sponsored study undertaken to examine developments in social work.