Development of welfare in the right direction

The Department of Family and Child Affairs provides a robust welfare service in Hafnarfjörður. Has the development of procedures within the system in recent years contributed to improved interdisciplinary cooperation between departments and institutions for the benefit of the municipality's residents.

An interview with Rannveig was published in Fréttablaðið on Thursday, 3 March 2022.

„The social services of Hafnarfjörður have a wealth of human resources, which is essential for developing and strengthening the work for the benefit of the municipality's residents. The projects are extremely varied and involve providing services to residents across numerous areas. These include services for disabled people, the elderly, child protection, social advice, financial assistance and services for people of foreign origin, to name but a few.“ says Rannveig Einarsdóttir, Director of the Department of Family and Child Affairs.

^{According to Rannveig, digital development has made social services in Hafnarfjörður more accessible and targeted for users. In the picture is Rannveig with Agi from the refugee support service. FRÉTTABLAÐIÐ / ERNIR}

Uninterrupted service

„The department's staff number 599 in 269 full-time equivalent posts, and they form a close-knit and positive team who give their all in sensitive roles. It is important that the service is always accessible to residents. For example, Covid-19 has been a major challenge over the past two years, but the service must remain uninterrupted, and this has been achieved through the positivity and resourcefulness of the staff. The department has therefore placed an emphasis on digital development in recent terms, with the aim of making the service more accessible and targeted for users. We are pioneers in the digital processing of financial assistance, a project we are launching in collaboration with the Association of Icelandic Municipalities.“

A new and effective procedure 

Local authority social services have been developing rapidly in recent years. „For example, the recently passed law on the integration of services for the well-being of children sets new requirements for local authorities regarding early support for children and families. The cooperation of those involved in family matters is a key focus. Hafnarfjörður has been a leader in this, developing “Brúin' (The Bridge), a procedure the municipality has implemented over the last five years. The 'Brúin' procedure aligns with the provisions of the new law on integration, as Hafnarfjörður's approach was used as a model in its drafting. We are already seeing the results of Brúarinnar's work, for example, in child protection cases, which have not increased in recent years, unlike in other municipalities. The Family and Child Services Department has also developed new approaches to services for refugees and applicants for international protection, where a holistic and coordinated approach is the guiding principle. A team of staff with diverse backgrounds provides this service with the utmost professionalism," says Rannveig.

An interview with Rannveig was published in Fréttablaðið on Thursday, 3 March 2022.