Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 152

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successful and many VWOs and religious organisations have been able to
provide effective service to those in need. In addition, many VWOs have
been able to communicate their cause, raise community awareness and
convince sponsors to be involved in doing social good and to build bonds
in the community, often in ways that have produced benefits that surpassed
the financial formula.
Besides ensuring adequate financing for the sector, the government also
invests in manpower development. To increase the number of key social
service professionals in the sector, a range of manpower development
measures are in place from scholarships, mid-career re-training, sabbatical
leave scheme and a professional and organisational leadership scheme.

Balancing Policy Tensions and Delivering Good
Services
Policies often come with tensions. However, tensions increase when the
limits of self-reliance are challenged by global and demographic trends
beyond the control of the individuals and families. Most social policies have
to tread the state-family tension, and the government can view the increase
in tensions as opportunities to re-examine the role of the state versus the
role of the family. This is so because the question arises as to whether the
state is doing too much where the family is able to take responsibility. There
is seldom a sweet equilibrium and most policies will not impact people in
the same way. Two social service related policy tensions have surfaced more
significantly in recent years. One of these is the role of the state and family
in the “heavy-lifting” care of family members. This presents sometimes as
the tension of government assistance and intervention and the role of the
family and community. Yet another tension is that of integrated support,
efficient service delivery versus many helping hands. The pressure to review
how the many helping hands is working or not working well comes from the
growing demands on a sector with uneven capabilities, and the challenges
in navigating the web of social services.
So as needs and demand grow, new tensions will surface. Roles and how the
roles are carried out and fulfilled become central to improvement and will
require re-negotiation and re-calibration.
Stronger government hand working with other hands
Most have observed the stronger and more visible hand of the government
in recent years. The stronger and more visible hand of the government
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