Criticism of the LSS inquiry: Can be extremely difficult for smaller municipalities

On Thursday presented the LSS inquiry that is about how personal assistants should be handled. The investigation has already been getting heavy criticism, both from interest groups and political parties.

One of the most criticized proposals are to children under 16 years of age, and adults with mental disabilities, no longer be covered by the compensation for personal assistance. Instead, it is the municipalities that are proposed to be responsible for that kind of support.

" I think it will be a better and safer support for the children. There will also be wider, will cover more people, it is also addressed to the whole family, also parents and brothers and sisters can cope with their daily lives, said investigators Gunilla Malmborg at the press conference.

the Investigator Gunilla Malmborg. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

moderate member of parliament and former mayor of the city of Stockholm. She considers that the findings in the LSS inquiry is disturbing and says that the proposals relating to local government responsibility can hit hard against both the children and the families as against the municipalities.

– There will be no more unitary but, on the contrary. There will be 290 municipalities, which will assess the different. Now we will have even greater differences in the different municipalities, " she says.

According to the investigator is the municipalities ' responsibility for the group that they can best coordinate for instance school and childcare, thus ensuring quality and follow-up. But Axén Olin sees several problems with the proposal.

As a former local councillor for ten years, I am very concerned that families are becoming dependent on a municipality's expertise, willingness and budgetary positions.

– As a former local councillor for ten years, I am very concerned that families are becoming dependent on a municipality's expertise, willingness and budgetary position, "she says, and continues:

" In big cities, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, maybe it will work, both quality and budget. But for a small municipality, it can become extremely difficult, including finding skills, with staff that can LSS and disability care.

Kristina Axén Olin (M). Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT

Axén Olin mentions that there is a lack of group homes, both in care of the elderly, but also group homes are generally for people with different disabilities.

" No municipality will want to build it in the future since you do not want families with children who have disabilities or adults with mental disabilities - to move there.

in the investigation that Kristina Axén Olin think is good, and that she believes that there is a large political consensus, is that the personal assistants to be state funded, which she thinks ought to apply to children under 16 years of age and adults with mental disabilities.

– In general, would most of the time in the investigation lead to that it gets worse, " she says.

Lenin (MP) is a member of the committee on health and welfare and was socialborgarråd in Stockholm city during the last legislature. She says that she has shared the concerns raised during the course of the study, and that concerns remain.

We cannot remain where we are now where families will get caught and people do not get the help they need.

– But we need to look through the investigation properly. It came yesterday and is very extensive. It is important to look at the investigation and see, if we don't want it in the way it proposes - what do we see instead? We cannot remain where we are now where families will get caught and people do not get the help they need, " she says.

see that the proposals could involve both economic and practical pressures, particularly for small municipalities.

" the Idea is that the municipalities shall be compensated for these new efforts. But you still need to design the effort, they are not in the day. There is one thing that it absolutely can be concerns regarding how to find the right staff with the right skills. But recruitment is generally a challenge in many places within the welfare system.

Åsa Lindhagen mentions as an example of something that can have consequences for the municipalities is about to be 15 hours for other needs than the basic.

" the Idea is that there should be a floor and not a ceiling, but we do not know what it can get for the effects. And if it becomes normative, there could be such a risk - then there may be consequences for the municipalities because there are people who have greater need of support and where you will seek other services from exempe