Strengthening Participation Through Structural Social Work -research project

The establishment of wellbeing services counties has transformed the institutional framework for the provision of social and healthcare services in Finland. Wellbeing services counties introduce a new level of political governance into Finnish society. The reform therefore represents not only a restructuring of the service system but also a significant change to the political system, although public debate has focused almost exclusively on issues related to the economically efficient delivery of services.

The project draws attention to the obligations set out in the Act on Wellbeing Services Counties (611/2021), particularly those concerning democratic regional governance and residents’ opportunities to influence decision-making between elections (Section 29). The Social Welfare Act (1301/2014) assigns social work a central role in promoting participation and inclusion (Section 1), a responsibility further reinforced by the provision defining structural social work (Section 7). Together, these legislative frameworks provide a strong foundation for developing participatory practices within wellbeing services counties in ways that recognize the role of social work.

Theoretically, the project is grounded in the understanding that both participation and structural social work share a common democratic purpose: challenging inequality and social injustice. Their aim is to strengthen the agency of individuals and communities and to enhance their capacity to have their voices heard within society. The project therefore emphasizes that residents’ participation and opportunities for influence are not merely statutory obligations; they also contribute to service development in ways that cannot be achieved through authority-centred approaches alone.

This research project is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health through dedicated funding for social work research. The project collaborates extensively with citizen members of participatory and advisory bodies operating within wellbeing services counties, as well as with experts in structural social work and participation. The empirical data consist of policy and administrative documents together with qualitative interview materials. In the final phase of the project, a Delphi panel will be conducted with selected experts to analyse and further develop innovative practices of participation and influence that have been identified during the research process.