Social services is a core area of the municipalities. For many years, the municipalities have had the main responsibility for care of the elderly and the disabled. And after the local government reform, even more responsibility has been assigned to the municipalities within this field. In other words, the municipalities undertake and finance all the authoritative tasks within social services.
If elderly people need help to get up in the morning, help to do the cleaning or if they are unable to take care of themselves, it is the responsibility of the municipality to make sure that help is provided. In some cases it is sufficient that a home helper comes around to render assistance and in other cases the elderly person is placed in a nursing home.
More or less the same services apply to the disabled, but they are also offered the opportunity to attend school or receive special education.
After 2007, when the local government reform came into force, municipalities are assigned the main responsibility for, among other things, social psychiatry, placement of neglected children outside their homes and for the institutions involved. Furthermore, municipalities are obliged to provide social services for their own citizens such as special classes, psychiatric treatment, help to those suffering from anorexia, etc.