1. Maynooth University, Ireland
Joint Meeting ESF Thematic Network Inclusion and EMIN MADRID: September 2018
Presentation of the ESPN 2015 report on Integrated support for the long-term unemployed
Hugh Frazer
Maynooth University, Ireland

2. ESPN Report
ESPN
provides the Commission with independent information, analysis and expertise on social policies
35 countries
28 MS + 7 non MS (CH, IS, LI, MK, NO, RS, TR)
National teams of social inclusion and social protection experts
Network Core Team of experts on social protection and social inclusion
Managed by Luxembourg Institute of Social and Economic Research, Applica and European Social Observatory
“Integrated support for the long-term unemployed: a study of national policies”
35 country reports + 1 Synthesis Report
examine the availability and effectiveness of integrated support for the long-term unemployed in each European country
Available at:

3. Impact of LTU Negative social & economic impacts cumulate
Costs to individual/society/economy increase
poverty & social exclusion
bad health & disability
indebtedness
loss of skills & self-confidence
erosion of human & social capital over time
Thus
As obstacles to accessing labour market increase the range and types of supports required increase

4. 3 Key Themes Need for broad range of measures
adequate income benefits
effective and efficient social services
good quality active labour market programmes
Effective coordination between employment, social assistance and social services authorities
vital to ensure a holistic & integrated response
Individualised and tailored approach
necessary to effectively address the many different combinations of problems and challenges of LTU and develop positive pathways towards employment

5. Overall assessment In many countries: But
current response is not adequate to the scale of the problem and indeed often inappropriate
efforts often more focussed on those closer to labour market
range and extent of policies and programmes in place are generally too limited and too narrowly focussed
considerable investment needed in improving income benefits, developing effective and accessible social services and increasing the quality of activation services and programmes
much more needs to be done to develop coordinated and integrated responses and to ensure personalised support tailored to the needs of the individual
But
some countries and some regional/local authorities have developed effective systems of support

6. Summary of national assessments
Policy areas
Very good
Medium
Weak
Effectiveness of benefits and services supporting the long-term unemployed:
INCOME BENEFITS
CY LI IS NL
AT CH CZ DK FI FR IE IT LU MT NO RS SI SE
BE BG DE EE EL ES HR HU LT LV MK PL PT RO SK TR UK
SOCIAL SERVICES
IS LU NO NL SE
AT BE BG CH CY DK FI IE LI LT MT PL PT SI
CZ DE EE EL ES FR HR HU IT LV MK RO RS SK TR UK
ACTIVATION SERVICES
AT HU IS LU MT NO
BE CH CY CZ FI DE DK EE IE LI LV PL SE UK
BG EL ES FR HR IT LT MK NL PT RO RS SI SK TR
Coordination between employment, social assistance and social services
LI NO SI
AT BE BG CY DE DK EE ES IS FI FR IE LU LV MK MT NL RO SK
CH CZ EL HR HU IT LT PL PT RS SE TR UK
Extent of individualised support
IS LI NL
AT BE BG CH DE DK EE FI FR HU IE LT LU LV MT NO PL PT RS SE SI SK UK
CY CZ EL ES HR IT MK RO TR

7. Access to benefits Effectiveness of income benefits very varied
4 very good (CY, LI, IS, NL); 14 medium; 17 weak
Key issues
inadequacy of benefits (22)
low coverage (8);
inadequate incentives to take up employment (7);
insufficiently tailored to LTU (5);
problems with conditionality (4);
interface between insurance and assistance benefits (4)

8. Access to social services
Effectiveness of social services very varied
5 very good (IS, LU, NO, NL, SE); 14 medium; 16 weak
Key issues
failure to reach most disadvantaged/target LTU (11)
lack of coordination (8)
limited provision (understaffed/overcrowded) (5)
poor quality services (5)
wide geographic variations in provision (4)

9. Access to activation services
Effectiveness very varied
6 good; 14 medium; 15 weak
Key issues
poor quality and range (12)
insufficiently tailored to LTU (11)
low coverage & low proportion of LTU benefit (9)
failure to target most at risk among LTU (7)
lack of coordination between measures/actors (5)

10. Access to activation services (cont.)
However some positive examples of activation programmes specifically targeted at the long-term unemployed or particularly vulnerable groups – e.g.:
“Reativar” in Portugal
“Hotels industry” in Cyprus
“Activa Win-Win” in Belgium
“Support for the Employment of Young People, Women and LTU” in Macedonia
“Job and Development Guarantee” in Sweden
the “Contratto di Ricollocazione” in Italy
the RAI, PREPARA or PAE programmes in Spain
the “Qualification Programme” in Norway and the Work Programme in UK

11. Coordination between services
Extent & quality of coordination varies widely
3 very good (LI NO SI); 19 medium; 13 weak
Key barriers to better coordination
information gaps & lack of common data bases (10)
poor cooperation procedures between agencies (9)
administrative fragmentation & legal barriers (7)
ad hoc/discretionary & lack of model (5)
lack of time & resource (5)
lack of one-stop shop approaches (5)

12. Individualised support
Quality and extent varies widely
3 very good (IS LI NL); 23 medium; 9 weak
Key issues
insufficient tailoring and too narrow (employment activation) focus (13)
lack of administrative & staffing capacity (13)
lack or limited availability of support services (9)
Need for:
both individual action plans focussed on activation and integration contracts addressing health and social problems
One-stop shops/single point of contact which can help to improve coordination and individual responses

13. Individualised support (cont.)
Action plans tailored to needs of individuals (e.g. AT, BE, DK, FI, IE, IS, LI, PL, SI)
Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia): every trajectory starts with individual guidance by a specialised coach from the PES. Brussels Capital Region: special attention is paid to the personal project, the profile, skills and difficulties in finding a job. Elements of the profile and the highlighted solutions are adapted to the needs of the jobseeker and his/her professional ambitions.
Liechtenstein: the Labour Market Service Centre organises “job-speed-dating” (bringing long-term-unemployed in direct contact to employers) taking the individual abilities of the unemployed person into consideration when inviting employers to the dating.

14. Individualised support (cont.)
Successfully combining action plans & individual contracts
Finland: 2014 Act on Multi-Sectoral Service Cooperation introduced to improve the effectiveness of the cooperation between different actors and to improve the integration of different benefits and services.
Slovenia : the cooperation of the Employment Service of Slovenia and centres for social work in performing services and active labour market policy measures is included in both the Labour Market Regulation Act (2010) and the Social Assistance Benefits Act (2010)

15. Individualised support (cont.)
Recognition in many MS of wide range of services needed to support LTU
Broad range of education, training and support needed as well as focus on developing work experience and preparedness:
rehabilitative work experience, participation in socially useful work (e.g. CH, DE, FI, FR, HU, IS, IT, PL, PT, UK);
counselling programmes (e.g. AT, CZ, DE, LI, MT, PL, SI, UK);
support groups (e.g. LV, PL) and job clubs (e.g. CZ, LT, UK);
specialist support for particular groups such as people with disabilities (e.g. AT, DE, FR, IS, RS, SI, UK), Roma (e.g. RS) and older unemployed (e.g. AT, BE, LI, LT, PL, SI);
volunteering, social and cultural activities (e.g. LT, LU, UK);
education, training, vocational and rehabilitation programmes, which are offered in all countries to varying degrees but are especially highlighted in some experts’ reports (e.g. AT, CH, CY, DE, DK, FI, IS, IT, LI, LT, MT, NO, SI, UK);
language training (e.g. AT, CH, CY, LI, LV, UK);
social rehabilitation to strengthen social skills (e.g. FI, UK);
motivation programmes (e.g. CZ, LT, LV, UK).

16. Individualised support (cont.)
services focussed on physical & psychological health needs of individuals:
rehabilitative psychotherapy and psychological services (e.g. CY, FI, IS, LV, SI);
medical rehabilitation (e.g. AT, FI, IS, NO);
programmes for persons with addictions (e.g. LT, LV, SI, UK).
individual activities related to the necessary flexible management of the services:
extraordinary cash social assistance e.g. (e.g. SI);
employment-oriented case management (e.g. AT, DE, LI);
flexible application of conditionality to take account of particular situations of individuals (e.g. DK, FI, NL, NO, SI).

17. Recommendations – national level
Develop integrated active inclusion strategies
Increase use of individual activation plans and personalised integration contracts
Ensure adequacy of benefits
Enhance coordination between employment, income support & social services
move towards one-stop shop approaches
Invest in front-line staff working with LTU

18. Recommendations – EU level
Ensure EU’s €315 billion Investment Plan supports LTU
Put LTU at heart of Europe 2020 Strategy
More CSRs on LTU
Increase guidance to MS on modernising social protection
agree methodologies (reference budgets) for minimum income
Encourage full use of ESF to support LTU
esp. high risk groups (older workers/ persons with disabilities/ the Roma)

19. Finally Don’t forget the demand side Match supply side measures with:
Greater efforts by employers & governments to create good quality & sustainable jobs accessible to LTU
Progressive tax system that facilitates movement into employment
Well-designed labour market reforms