Social services “in dire need of an overhaul”

Social services in the Faroes are of a lower standard than in Denmark, yet the costs are the same.

And there is a continuing need to increase the number of educated social services staff.

These are causes for great concern, says Edvard Heen, who heads the Social Services Agency (Almannaverkið).

“There is an urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the entire social services,” he says. “The situation is bad now, and if we don’t act immediately, it will be disastrous ten years down the line.”

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This view is echoed by Súsanna Olsen, a lecturer in welfare studies at the University of the Faroe Islands.

“We need to take a thorough look at how our welfare services are financed,” she says.

And the Economic Council agrees:

“Our social services are facing absolutely huge problems, especially regarding the upcoming demographic changes,” says Heri á Rógvi, chairman of the council.

Read the Faroese version of this article here

Translated by prosa.fo

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