1. Social Assistance and Social Service System of Riga
Mārtiņš Moors
Riga City Welfare Department
Head of Social Administration

2. Responsibility of national level in social service and social assistance field
Defines level of GMI
Registers social service providers
Develops general requirements for social service providers (rules of government)
Controls the quality of social service provision
Finances few social programs (e.g. social rehabilitation of addicted; of persons with hearing impairments; of blind; of children suffered from violence e.o)
Organizes long term care institutions for mentally ill
Finances technical aids

3. Social assistance and social services
Mostly responsibility of municipality
Are based on:
Individual needs assessment
Individually addressed social support
Participation of client
Professional social workers
Municipality define content and range of social services

4. Tipes of social services
In place of residence
In institution
Social care
Social rehabilitation
Individual case work
Group work
Social work

5. Status of the City since 1201
Overview about Riga
Status of the City since 1201
Riga is the largest city in the Baltic States in terms of city population –
residents
The working age population – 62.3%
Unemployment rate:
Riga 5.0%, Latvia 8.4%
About one-third of Latvia’s population lives in Riga city, and over half the population of Latvia lives in agglomeration of Riga
Riga is a multi-ethnic society. Riga residents by nationality:
47% - Latvians
37% - Russians
4% - Belarusians
3% - Ukrainians
9% - other nationalities
Minimum monthly wage
380 euro (2017)
430 euro (2018)
The average monthly
 wages (gross) of workers:
Riga EUR 1 030*
Latvia EUR 914*
* - September, 2017
Low-income (poor) persons: (2017):
Riga: 1.47%
Latvia 2.07%
Riga is Latvia’s capital, and the main industrial, business, culture, sports and financial center in the Baltic region, as well as important port city

6. Recipients of state pensions and persons with disability in Riga Municipality, 2015 – 2017
2015
2016
2017
Number of persons
The proportion of the population %
Number of recipients of state pensions
26,11
25,68
25,31
From them:
Persons of retirement age without disabilities
22,01
21,6
21,32
Disability pension recipients
21 233
3,03
21 458
3,05
20 947
2,99
Number of persons with disability
48 993
7,01
50 710
7,19
53 857
7,68
I group
6 908
0,98
6 967
7 125
1,02
II group
23 336
3,34
24 021
3,41
24 034
3,43
III group
18 749
2,68
19 722
2,79
20 426
2,91
Disabled children
2 204
0,31
2 178
2 272
0,32

7. Riga City Municipality Social Budget 2015 – (basic budget and special budget, including funding for Riga City Council Welfare Department, social benefits, social services, health care and cooperation with nongovernmental organizations)

8. Riga City Council Welfare Department administrated funds (in millions of Euro )
2015
2016
2017
Social benefits
14.89
12.54
12.28
Social services
40.46
41.92
45.59
Health care
0.35
0.33
Cooperation with nongovernmental organizations
0.09
0.1
Riga City Council Welfare Department administrative expenses
1.38
1.46
1.55
WD budget total:
Riga municipality budget total:
57.16
766.18
56.34
788.93
59.85
(plan)

9. Financing for social services spent in 2017
Total EUR (incl. from municipal budget EUR 41  , state budget– EUR 4  (assistent service for people with disabilities))
Incl. Social services provided by 47 NVO - EUR

10. Riga Social service office (11 territorial centres, 470 workers)
Social care and social
rehabilitation services
in institution
Social rehabilitation
services at living area
services in institution
Long-term social care and
rehabilitation for children's
(12 service providers, 20 services)
Crisis intervention services
(2 service providers)
Short-term social care and
rehabilitation for adult persons
(1 service provider, 1 service)
( 2 service provider, 1 service)
Care at home
(5 service providers)
Assistant service
(1 service provider)
Security button service
Hot meal home delivery
Day care centre
(9 DCC for children's 2 service
provider and 3 service provider,
3 DCC for persons with
dementia, and 6 service provider,
11 day centres for mentally
disabled persons )
Crisis centres
(4 service providers,
4 crisis centres)
Social rehabilitation centre
service
(4 service provider,
5 rehabilitation centres )
Shelter
(3 service provider, 4 shelter)
Night shelter
(5 service providers,
7 night shelters)
Short term stay home
(2 service provider, 2 home)
Specialized workshop
(3 service providers, 3 workshops)
Support – educational group
(3 contracting organizations)
Advisory crisis centre and
psychological services
(1 contracting organizations, 1 centre)
Social rehabilitation program
Support and trusted
representatives services
Day centre
(1 service provider, 4 day centres
for children's, 8 service provider
14 for adult persons)
Group house (apartment) service
(6 contracting organizations, 8 group
houses)
Family assistant service
5 contracting organizations
Social support and consulting
program for foster families,
adoptive parents and guardians
(1 service provider, 1 program)
at living area
Welfare department
Riga City Council
Social Affairs Committee
(45 service providers, 53 services)

11. Social System of Riga City Political and Administrative Level
Social service office (11TC)
Child care institution (7 structures)
RIGA CITY COUNCIL (60 deputies)
COMMITTEE of SOCIAL AFFAIRS (20 deputies)
WELFARE DEPARTMENT (~65 employees)
Social Administration
Health care Administration
Night shelter (3 structures)
3 elderly care institutions
47 contracted social service providers (NGO), 33 – state/ other municipality, private –53

12. The largest social service providers and provided social services
Association "Latvian Samaritan Association" (home care, including emergency care, safety button, group apartment for persons with mental disorders, LTC institution for adults, crisis center, family assistant service, short term stay home)
Association Riga City "Rūpju bērns" (6 DCC, 1 specialized workshop, 2 group apartments for persons with mental disorders, family assistant service)
Association "St. John's Assistance" (home care, transportation of disabled people, DCC for mentally disabled, soup kitchen, family assistant service, DCC for children with functional disorders in the summer months, specialized workshop)
NGO "Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Diakonia Center" (2 multifunctional social service centers (for adults and children), day care center for children from social risk families, soup kitchen)
NGO "Latvijas Sarkanais krusts" (home care, LTC institution for adults, transportation of disabled people, short term stay home, crisis center, family assistant service, crisis intervention team service, individual social rehabilitation programs for people with intellectual disability)

13. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(1)
Public procurement contract
Delegation agreement
Cooperation agreement
Municipal level project
National project

14. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(2)
Public procurement contract:
The statutory procurement procedure applies if the contract amount exceeds:
EUR (services, supplies),
EUR (construction works)
EUR (health, social and related services).

15. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(3)
The conclusion of a public contract, the application of the Public Procurement Law:
Setting up a procurement commission
Development of procurement documentation (requirements to the tenderer, draft contract)
Evaluation of tenders and decision making (may be appealed)
Conclusion of the contract (including the general agreement)

16. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(4)
Conveniently administrable
(In the event of a compulsory termination, the service may be interrupted)
Example: Group houses (apartment), day center, shelter services
Contract with one of the applicants
The customer has the opportunity to choose the service provider
Promotes competition thus improving the quality of the service
(More difficult to administer)
Example: LTC institution (both for children and adults), family assistant, home care
General agreement

17. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(5)
Only certain tasks can be delegated;
The Riga City Council adopts a decision on the conclusion of the contract;
Content of the Agreement, incl. early termination is determined by law
Example: social beds, social workers in hospitals
Delegation agreement

18. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(6)
It is concluded for the payment of services in the amount specified in regulatory enactments;
The customer chooses the service provider;
The only requirement for the service provider - in the Register of Social Services Providers
Example: EUR 400 co-financing for the LTC service in institution
Cooperation agreement

19. Legal forms and examples of co-operation:(7)
Requirements for contract / co-financing
Special budget program
Approval Procedure - Deputy Committees (Sphere (Social Affairs Committee), Development, Finance)
Example: In cooperation with the SOS Children's Village Association, Riga Social Services, RD Welfare Departments project "Riga Family Support
Municipal level project
The agreement between the managing state agency and the local government (according to tules of the Cabinet of Ministers which includ the financing procedure)
Example: Paid temporary public works
National project

20. Budget Program "Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations"
In 2017, 63 NGOs were granted municipal funding, totaling EUR (on average - EUR 1391)
The aim of the program is
to ensure cooperation with social support NGOs in order to support small NGO projects in the field of social and health care (pilot project, training, conference);
supporting the maintenance of NGOs or activities with a social inclusion objective.

21. Advisory Board of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities
Since 2007, the Consultative Council of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities has been operating in the Riga Municipality with the aim of promoting the civic participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes, as well as cooperation between non-governmental organizations representing persons with disabilities and Riga Municipality
Participants are 33 NGO
Sessions are held every 3 months

22. Advantages of cooperation woth NGO’s in the field of social services
Decision-making is separated from implementation of the decision (social workers assesment of client needs is not affected by the financial possibilities of the municipality)
Financial Transparency
The diversity of social service providers
Service providers competition
Lower costs (investments, administration)
Faster introduction of new services

23. Disadvantages of cooperation woth NGO’s in the field of social services
Insufficient number of social service providers
At the beginning of the cooperation it is difficult to predict what the quality of the service will be
Bureaucratic procedures at the beginning of cooperation
Insufficient number of premises for social services
Restrictions on quality control of services
Insufficient funding to maintain an adequate price

24. Thank you for your attention!