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Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Methodology and quality
  3. ESMS metadata
  4. Social services

Social services

1. Contact
1.1. Contact organisation

Statistics Estonia

1.2. Contact organisation unit

Population and Social Statistics Department

1.3. Contact name

Karina Valma

1.4. Contact person function

Leading Analyst

1.5. Contact mail address

51 Tatari Str, 10134 Tallinn, Estonia

1.6. Contact email address

karina.valma [at] stat.ee

1.7. Contact phone number

37251917446

2. Metadata update
2.1. Metadata last certified

27/03/2025

2.2. Metadata last update

27/03/2025

3. Statistical presentation
3.1. Data description

Providers of care services to adults and users of these services; providers and users of safe house service; providers and users of alternative care service; children in need of assistance

3.2. Classification system

Classification of Estonian administrative units and settlements (EHAK)

3.3. Sector coverage

Social protection

3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions

A child in need of assistance – a child whose safety, development and well-being are more or less seriously threatened and who, according to the local authority’s assessment, needs recurring interventions or long-term provision of assistance so that the local authority has commenced child protection and welfare case management during the reporting year.

The child’s need for assistance may arise from:

- special social or educational needs,

- health situation,

- the parents’ or family’s difficulties in coping,

- neglect,

- abuse or suspicion of abuse,

- child’s behaviour that threatens his or her well-being or the well-being of other persons,

- other situation violating the rights of the child.

Alternative care service (definition used since 2018) – a 24-hour social service organised by a local authority, the objective of which is to ensure the long- or short-term well-being and rights of a child, ensure family-like living conditions to a child for the satisfaction of the basic needs of the child, to create a secure physical and social environment promoting his or her development and to prepare the child for coping in accordance with his or her abilities as an adult. Alternative care service is provided by a foster family, family house and substitute home.

Alternative care service provider (definition used since 2018) – an institution providing 24-hour care to a child without parental care, ensuring the well-being, rights, safety and family-like living conditions to the child. Alternative care service provider can be a foster family, family house or substitute home, which means that the child is taken care of by 1–3 family parents (family house) or more than three educators working shifts (substitute home).

Children separated from family – children separated from the family temporarily or for a longer period, because their well-being was endangered and/or they lacked parental care. A child separated from family may later (when the danger has passed or safety and care have been restored) return to the family or be placed in substitute care.

Domestic violence – physical, sexual, psychological or financial cruelty between partners or family members that is expressed in a forceful and controlling behaviour.

General care home (definition used until 2004) – an institution established for living, care and rehabilitation for the elderly and disabled persons.

General care service provided outside home (until 2016, care of adults in a social welfare institution (excl. special care services) – a social care service organised by a local authority the objective of which is to ensure a safe environment and coping of an adult who is temporarily or permanently unable to cope independently at home due to reasons relating to state of health, operational capacity or physical and social environment.

Lack of a dwelling – a person does not have a permanent dwelling and as a result does not cope with his/her life.

Negligence at home – a situation in the case of which person’s family has an indifferent, careless attitude towards the person, and therefore the person needs secondary assistance.

Safe house service – social service organised by a local authority, the objective of which is to ensure persons in need of help (children in need of assistance due to deficient care which endangers his or her life, health or development and adults who need a safe environment) temporary housing, a safe environment and basic assistance. Upon provision on basic assistance, the person shall be ensured crisis assistance, if necessary, which restores the person’s mental balance and operational capacity in everyday life. Based on the age and needs of the person, his or her care and development shall also be ensured. The providers of safe house service do not include women’s support centres/shelters.

Social welfare institution – an institution which operates during the daytime or twenty-four hours a day, where the persons staying in the institution are ensured care appropriate to their age and condition, including treatment, nursing, education and development. A daytime social welfare institution supports the independent ability to cope of the persons or their family members staying in the institution. The persons staying in a twenty-four hour social welfare institution are not capable of living independently due to their special needs or social situation and their ability to cope cannot be ensured by provision of other social services or assistance. Twenty-four hour social welfare institutions are, in general, separate for children, the elderly, disabled persons, adults with special mental needs and persons not coping socially.

Special care home – (definition used until 2004) an institution established for persons of unsound mind or with severe mental disabilities for living, care and rehabilitation.

Special care services – services to adults who due to a severe, profound or permanent mental disorder need guidance, counselling, assistance or supervision in everyday life from a special care activity supervisor and who would not get the necessary help from other welfare measures. The services are provided during the day (so-called support services) or 24 hours and include the following:

- everyday life support service;

- everyday life support service to persons on the autism spectrum with a severe or profound disability;

- everyday life support service to persons with severe, profound, other specified or unspecified intellectual disabilities who need extensive supervision and assistance;

- supported living service;

- community living service;

- employment support service;

- 24-hour special care service;

- 24-hour special care service to persons with a severe, profound or permanent mental disorder with unstable remission;

- 24-hour special care service to persons with a profound multiple disability;

- 24-hour special care service to persons on the autism spectrum with a severe or profound disability;

- 24-hour special care service to persons referred to the service by a court ruling.

The 24-hour special care service means 24-hour care and development of an adult together with accommodation and catering to help to preserve and increase the independent coping of the adult receiving the service and to provide a safe living environment in the territory of the service provider.

Social welfare institution – an institution providing social services which operates during the daytime or 24 hours a day, and where the persons staying in the institution are ensured care appropriate to their age and condition, including treatment, nursing, education and development. A daytime social welfare institution supports the independent ability to cope of the persons staying in the institution or their family members. The persons staying in a 24-hour social welfare institution are not capable of living independently due to their special needs or social situation, and their ability to cope cannot be ensured by the provision of other social services or assistance. 24-hour social welfare institutions are, in general, separate for children, the elderly, disabled persons, adults with special mental needs, and persons not coping socially.

Substitute home – an institution providing a child without parental care 24-hour care, development and living conditions.

Vagrancy – aimless departure from one’s dwelling place and thus becoming deprived of home and food.

3.5. Statistical unit

Institution

Person

3.6. Statistical population

Institutions that provide social services and users of these services; children in need of assistance

FRAME

Social services institutions and local governments which submitted reports to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

3.7. Reference area

Estonia as a whole

Counties

3.8. Time coverage

Welfare for adults 1985–…

Substitute care in family and substitute home 1992–…

Safe house service 2016 –…

Children separated from family 2016 –…

Children in need of assistance 2020 –…

3.9. Base period

Not applicable

4. Unit of measure

The number of providers and users of welfare service

The number of children in need of assistance

5. Reference period

Year

6. Institutional mandate
6.1. Legal acts and other agreements

DIRECTLY APPLICABLE LEGAL ACTS

Not available

OTHER LEGAL ACTS

Not available

OTHER AGREEMENTS

Not available

7. Confidentiality
7.1. Confidentiality - policy

The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 32, § 34, § 35, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act.

7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment

The dissemination of data collected for the production of official statistics is based on the requirements laid down in §§ 34 and 35 of the Official Statistics Act.

The principles for treatment of confidential data can be found here.

8. Release policy
8.1. Release calendar

Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website. Every year on 1 October, the release times of the statistical database, news releases, main indicators by IMF SDDS and publications for the following year are announced in the release calendar (in the case of publications – the release month).

8.2. Release calendar access

Calendar

8.3. User access

All users have been granted equal access to official statistics: dissemination dates of official statistics are announced in advance and no user category (incl. Eurostat, state authorities and mass media) is provided access to official statistics before other users. Official statistics are first published in the statistical database. If there is also a news release, it is published simultaneously with data in the statistical database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8:00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.

9. Frequency of dissemination

Annual

10. Accessibility and clarity
10.1. News release

Not published

10.2. Publications

Not published

10.3. Online database

Data are published in the statistical database at https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat under the subject area “Social life / Social protection / Social assistance / Children without parental care and children needing assistance” in the following tables:

SK02: Institutions providing alternative care service by county, 31 December

SK03: Children in alternative care service institutions, 31 December

SK031: Children separated from family

SK032: Children in need of assistance by sex and age group

SK033: Children in need of assistance by county and age group

and under the subject area “Social life / Social protection / Social assistance / Welfare” in the following tables:

SK06: Welfare for adults, 31 December

SK07: Providers of welfare service for adults by county, 31 December

SK08: Users of welfare service for adults by county

SK25: Providers of safe house service by county, 31 December

SK26: Users of safe house service by sex, age group and main reason for staying at safe house.

10.4. Microdata access

The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 33, § 34, § 35, § 36, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act. Access to microdata and anonymisation of microdata are regulated by Statistics Estonia’s procedure for dissemination of confidential data for scientific purposes.

10.5. Other

Data serve as input for statistical activity 50101 “Regional development”.

10.6. Documentation on methodology

The production of statistics on social welfare is regulated by section 11 and chapter 4 “Database” of the Social Welfare Act. The requirements for the preparation, content of data and procedure for the submission of statistical reports on social welfare shall be established by a regulation of the minister responsible for the area (subsection 11 (4) of the Social Welfare Act). The composition of the data in the Social Services and Benefits Registry is defined in its statutes.

10.7. Quality documentation

The data for quality assurance are collected and aggregated by the Social Insurance Board and the Ministry of Social Affairs.

11. Quality management
11.1. Quality assurance

To assure the quality of processes and products, Statistics Estonia applies the EFQM Excellence Model, the European Statistics Code of Practice and the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS QAF). Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements in § 7. “Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics” of the Official Statistics Act.

11.2. Quality assessment

Statistics Estonia performs all statistical activities according to an international model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process; this information can take many forms, including feedback from users, process metadata, system metrics and suggestions from employees. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality problems related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

12. Relevance
12.1. User needs

Ministry of Finance

Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities

12.2. User satisfaction

Since 1996, Statistics Estonia has conducted reputation and user satisfaction surveys. All results are available on the website of Statistics Estonia in the section User surveys.

12.3. Completeness

The use of administrative data ensures full coverage and timeliness. All providers of general care, substitute care, special care and safe house services are entered into the Register of Economic Activities (MTR).

13. Accuracy and reliability
13.1. Overall accuracy

The data collection methods ensure sufficient accuracy.

13.2. Sampling error

Not applicable

13.3. Non-sampling error

The use of administrative data ensures full coverage and timeliness. All providers of general care, substitute care, special care and safe house services are entered into the Register of Economic Activities (MTR).

14. Timeliness and punctuality
14.1. Timeliness

The data are published 187 days after the end of the reference year (T + 187).

14.2. Punctuality

The data have been published at the time announced in the release calendar.

15. Coherence and comparability
15.1. Comparability - geographical

The data for Estonia are comparable by counties and within Tallinn. In international comparison, the difference of the social protection systems of different countries should be taken into account.

15.2. Comparability - over time

In Estonia, the main data on the providers and users of care services for adults have been published since 1985. The distribution of the providers and users of care services by county has been published for adults since 1991 and for children since 1992. Until 2004, child welfare institutions included general children’s homes, orphanages for infants, special children’s homes, residential educational institutions, family type children’s homes, youth homes and mixed-care social welfare institutions. In 2005, these institutions were combined under the term “children’s welfare institutions”. In 2007, the service was renamed as “substitute home service” and the institutions providing the service as “substitute homes”. According to amendments in the Social Welfare Act that entered into force in 2018, the new name of the service is “alternative care service”.

The data on safe house service have been published since 2016, when the new Social Welfare Act entered into force and the name of the service and its content changed. The data are not comparable with the data published in 1996–2015 on the shelter service, which was provided to more population groups than the current safe house service. Many changes resulting from the legislation have been made over the years in the content and names of social welfare services as well as in the population groups covered by the services (See the Social Welfare Act (RT I 1995, 21, 323) and Social Welfare Act (RT I, 30.12.2015, 5). The work of social welfare institutions and data collection methodology have also been reorganised. The changes, however, have not been as substantial as to disrupt the time series of tables. For instance, the list of special care services and the target group covered by the services have expanded. Until 2016, eight types of services were provided, but in 2020, there are already ten service types.

15.3. Coherence - cross domain

The cross-domain coherence can not be assessed. Social welfare data are collected by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the same data are not currently collected anywhere else in Estonia.

15.4. Coherence - internal

The outputs of the statistical activity are coherent.

16. Cost and burden

17. Data revision
17.1. Data revision - policy

The data revision policy and notification of corrections are described in the section Principles of dissemination of official statistics of the website of Statistics Estonia.

17.2. Data revision - practice

The published data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, new or better data become available.

18. Statistical processing
18.1. Source data

SURVEY DATA

Not used

ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

The following data are received from the Ministry of Social Affairs: social welfare institutions that provide social services by type of service; alternative care service in family house and substitute home; general care service provided outside home; special care services; safe house service; children in need of assistance.

DATA FROM OTHER STATISTICAL ACTIVITIES

Not used

18.2. Frequency of data collection

Annual

18.3. Data collection

Web-based collection and aggregation (S-Web, H-Web), partially from the Social Services and Benefits Registry STAR.

Social services institutions and local authorities submit web-based statistical reports to the Social Insurance Board. The Social Insurance Board prepares the aggregate report that is submitted to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Statistics Estonia receives the aggregate data electronically from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

18.4. Data validation

The data are compared with the data of previous periods.

18.5. Data compilation

The collected data are converted into statistical output.

18.6. Adjustment

Not applicable

19. Comments

Not available

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