In Latvia, innovative social services are increasingly being discussed as an urgent necessity to ensure that support is delivered more effectively to as many people as possible who need it. At the national level, one of the key priorities is the transition from institutional care to more family-like and community-based solutions. However, data from the assessment of the social services sector indicate that the potential for innovation in this field is not yet being fully utilised.
The situation assessment carried out by the Society Integration Foundation (SIF), along with insights from sector specialists, reveals that the social services field in Latvia often operates reactively, with people seeking assistance only when their situation has already become very severe. In focus group discussions involving 28 representatives from various municipalities and organisations, a common message emerged: the care system mostly starts to move only when “the house is on fire.” This is not merely an emotional metaphor — a reactive system means greater strain on professionals, as well as more costly and severe consequences for individuals and their families.
In this context, the purpose of innovation is to change the logic of social services so that support is available earlier, more easily and more humanely. More than 20 social services under SIF’s supervision will be implemented in Latvia over the next three years within the framework of the ESF+ programme “Support for New Approaches in the Provision of Community-Based Social Services.” Many of these services focus specifically on early intervention.
Liesma Ose, an expert in social integration and human rights, points out that, in her view, there are two paths towards early intervention:
“One is the political protection of the rights of less protected groups in society, understanding that a healthy society is socially equitable and that support must be provided to everyone who needs it. The other is valued social work within the community, where other residents show solidarity and mobilise, thereby allowing problems to be resolved before they reach, for example, the social service.”
Innovation in Social Services as a Platform for Broader Change
On a daily basis, social service providers face very concrete challenges in developing innovations. A total of 86.7% identify lack of funding as a significant barrier to reaching everyone who needs support, while 65.1% point to bureaucracy and administrative difficulties as obstacles.
Lack of cooperation between different institutions and specialists is also cited as a key factor. Moreover, 79.8% of organisations assess the current readiness of communities to engage as low, very low or even non-existent. This means that the transition to community-based care is not only a matter of institutions and funding — it is also a matter of public awareness and participation.
Liesma Ose highlights a deeper, culturally rooted misunderstanding of community as a space of relationships and solidarity:
“The transition to community-based services is hindered by lack of understanding and inertia: the community is perceived only as a territory, not as a commune with shared interests and identity. As the saying goes, ‘not my pig, not my field’ — we tend to offer support only to relatives, not to strangers. If we are to grow as a society, this must change.”
For this reason, organisations supported by SIF will place strong emphasis not only on implementing innovative solutions, but also on fostering cooperation and understanding both within the social system and at the community level.
We Must Not Forget Those Who Care
Family caregivers are often the “invisible” part of the system — they carry a heavy emotional and practical burden every day, yet receive irregular or insufficient support. This issue was highlighted as particularly sensitive in focus groups with social sector specialists: if we continue to view care solely as a private family matter, we risk caregiver burnout and, in the long term, deterioration of the overall quality of the support system.
Most innovative social services implemented under SIF’s supervision will also focus on providing support to relatives of people in crisis. However, Liesma Ose stresses that this must be accompanied by a significant shift in caregivers’ own mindset:
“Care for those who care for others. It is good that attention has been given to this in recent years. I personally experienced trauma and burnout while caring for a person with dementia for many years. In my view, the solution is simple: first take care of yourself — so that you are physically and mentally healthy and capable of caring for someone seriously ill. We must stop seeing ourselves merely as instruments of care and recognise that we are individuals with the right to personal development and happiness. In my opinion, this should also be addressed at policy level — for example, by supporting paid physical and mental health monitoring, as well as diverse creative rehabilitation activities.”
Support Is Also Needed for Social Service Providers
Over the next two years, SIF will continue to raise public awareness and help create a more favourable environment for innovation in the social services sector. Social service providers and other professionals working in the field will have opportunities, through various events and formats, to acquire new knowledge and exchange experience in order to jointly build a more compassionate and inclusive society in Latvia.
“Every social service or social innovation begins with the people who implement it. Society often forgets the everyday heroes who care for those in difficulty — social workers, caregivers and mentors. If they are exhausted, burnt out or feel alone in their challenges, the entire system suffers. Therefore, it is even more important to support those who dedicate their daily lives to caring for others, because their competence and wellbeing are the foundation of quality services that achieve their goals,” emphasises Alda Sebre, Director of the Social Cohesion Department at SIF.
Additional information:
Society Integration Foundation
Evija Kleina
Head of the Social Innovation Support Unit
evija.kleina@sif.gov.lv
Sabīne Leingarde
Public Relations Specialist
sabine.leingarde@sif.gov.lvv
