Centre for social services as an organisational form of prestative administra- tion

Abstract

The concept of a centre for social services was introduced into the legal framework pursuant to the act of 19th July 2019 on the provision of social services by a centre for social services. It is an organisational unit established voluntarily by a commune council, providing social services beyond social assistance, which were operated in the commune so far by various entities, a social welfare centre in particular, and also taken over from a district on the basis of an agreement. As a rule, the centre is created by way of reorganising a communal social welfare centre, and provides services for one commune. The centre may also be established as a new organisational unit of one or several communes, appointed to render services in their territory. In this regard the act aims at creating order, as it refers to or indicates applicable legal regulations of other acts. The range of the tasks entrusted to the centre for social services also includes the coordination of social services provided by other entities in the territory where the centre operates. For that purpose the act introduces legal mechanisms which aim at exercising that function, such as social services programming or local community organisation planning in particular.