Title:
How Can Delegated Responsibility Be Assessed?

Authors:
Vaike Raudava PhD, Estonia

Abstract:

Background: The delegated accountability of social work and public administration is crucial to ensure professional legitimacy, democratic legitimacy, and service quality. This is especially critical in post-communist societies such as Estonia, where the social welfare system is affected by rapid Europeanization, neoliberal reforms, and decentralization of public administration.

Objective: The aim of this article is to analyse the nature of delegated responsibility and the possibilities of assessing it on the example of the social welfare model of Estonian local governments, using a theoretical-methodological meso-level analysis framework

Methodology: Within the framework of this study, an instrumental case study design and analysis triangulation will be applied (local government, central government, European Union). The empirical control sample consists of the metadata and public welfare practices of three purposefully selected local governments in Estonia (Viru-Nigula, Lüganuse, and Mustvee) in the period 2020–2022, based on four scientific publications (2020–2024) by the author. Targeted content analysis, abductive inference, and perspective comparison were used to analyze the data collected.

Results: The analysis reveals deep systemic inconsistencies in the distribution of delegated responsibilities between state and local governments. The emergence of a "responsibility vacuum" is facilitated by the low professional autonomy of social workers, the historical lack of a professional education requirement, and the excessive politicization of decision-making processes (collegial social committees). The tension between the fundamental rights of the individual (at the European level) and the maintenance obligation of relatives arising from the Family Law Act (at the national level) is identified (Sohlberg 2009; Family Law Act 2010).

Conclusions: An effective assessment of delegated responsibility must avoid one-sided procedural checks that hamper frontline professionals’ ability to solve complex tasks. It is necessary to create balanced internal and external evaluation models that measure both the legality of processes and the results-based impact on the client's quality of life, ensuring a clear chain of legal responsibility and professional independence of social workers.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51505/IJEBMR.2026.10712