<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The article examines how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working with children from poor and socially excluded families operate in the neoliberal environment. The case of non-governmental school-age childcare centres (SACCs) in Lithuania was analysed. SACCs provide social services to children from poor and socially excluded families. The study is based on 62 qualitative interviews with experts working in non-governmental SACCs. Results indicate that financial support from ministry and municipalities enables SACCs to survive. From the perspective of SACCs it has been observed that government uses new public management tools in a modern fashion to transfer the responsibility onto the shoulders of non-governmental SACCs, while the government reduces its contribution to symbolic financial support and the request for accountability. The current government–NGOs relationship, based on neoliberal ideology and new public managements tools, has negative consequences and does not ensure social services for socially excluded target groups, especially in a country with a sizable welfare gap.</p></abstract>

The article examines how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working with children from poor and socially excluded families operate in the neoliberal environment. The case of non-governmental school-age childcare centres (SACCs) in Lithuania was analysed. SACCs provide social services to children from poor and socially excluded families. The study is based on 62 qualitative interviews with experts working in non-governmental SACCs. Results indicate that financial support from ministry and municipalities enables SACCs to survive. From the perspective of SACCs it has been observed that government uses new public management tools in a modern fashion to transfer the responsibility onto the shoulders of non-governmental SACCs, while the government reduces its contribution to symbolic financial support and the request for accountability. The current government–NGOs relationship, based on neoliberal ideology and new public managements tools, has negative consequences and does not ensure social services for socially excluded target groups, especially in a country with a sizable welfare gap.

Non-Governmental Childcare Centres in a Neoliberal Environment: the Case of Lithuania

Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy

Baltic Journal of Law & Politics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The article examines how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working with children from poor and socially excluded families operate in the neoliberal...

Non-Governmental Childcare Centres in a Neoliberal Environment: the Case of Lithuania

Published Online: Oct 23, 2019

Page range: 62 - 86

Received: Apr 09, 2019

Accepted: Jun 12, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjlp-2019-0003

Keywords
Non-governmental organizations, social rights provision, cooperative governance deficit model, socially vulnerable children, neoliberalism

© 2019 Ilona Tamutienė, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Non-Governmental Childcare Centres in a Neoliberal Environment: the Case of Lithuania

Published Online: Oct 23, 2019

Page range: 62 - 86

Received: Apr 09, 2019

Accepted: Jun 12, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjlp-2019-0003

KeywordsNon-governmental organizations, social rights provision, cooperative governance deficit model, socially vulnerable children, neoliberalism

© 2019 Ilona Tamutienė, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Non-governmental organizations, social rights provision, cooperative governance deficit model, socially vulnerable children, neoliberalism