Barriers in social commissioning implementation in Ukraine

The article contains theoretical and practical principles on barriers for social commissioning implementation in Ukraine. Social commissioning is an instrument satisfaction of vulnerable groups’ social service needs by means of non-state providers contracting by local authorities. As a prevention mechanism, community-based social services are considered to be an effective tool for mitigation the risk for vulnerable groups, especially families with children, to get in difficult life conditions without possibility to overcome them independently. As a response measure, social services are called to support vulnerable families with children, who appeared to be in crisis. Social services also can decrease the negative impact of difficult life conditions on vulnerable groups of population. New categories emerged among social service beneficiaries in Ukraine which include children and their families who suffered of armed conflict; combatants and their families; children and youth who need the reintegration to biological families and communities after deistitualization; families with children who became poor as a result of COVID-19 pandemics and other groups. The increased number of beneficiaries in need requires the increased number of social service providers. Social commissioning is recognized to be a tool for diversification of important community-based social service providers. Even though social commissioning is available in national legislation for more than 20 years, its practical implementation still is considered to be an innovation. The author identified the following groups of barriers which constrains development of social commissioning: proсedural, financial, informational and psychological. The results of an expert survey which complement and enrich the theoretical conclusions on social commissioning development barriers in Ukraine are presented in the article.