Disadvantages of voluntary sector Flashcards
Voluntary welfare may lack accountability and regulation of its services
If a charity fails or faces problems with the service it provides, it may not be clear who is answerable for the work of the charity. Unlike state welfare, there is no government minister for voluntary welfare answerable to MP’s in Parliament.
For example, when Kids Company closed because of financial difficulties in 2015, there were media reports of mismanagement of its £20 million funds, but no action was ever brought against any member of Kids Company.
Moreover, voluntary care may lack proper regulation of its services as this care may not be subject to the same controls and inspections as state run services. Volunteers may provide poor quality care if they lack training and skills and fail to provide the high level of care that would come from a more regulated state service.
Critics say the government is relying on volunteers to run welfare services as the government is withdrawing from its responsibilities
Voluntary welfare cannot provide comprehensive provision across the country and may not be available for the long term
If a charity fails to attract funding it will be forced to close down and people will lose out on the care that was once provided. For example, in 2016 the charity Pace closed down, because of financial difficulties, after 31 years of providing mental health services for the LGBT community in London.
The users of this charity may have to turn to the state for welfare and the state may not be able to provide the level of specialist care that was previously provided. Such cases show that voluntary care is not universal across the country.
Only some parts of the country may have access to voluntary care. Johnson found that there is no logic over which areas benefit from charities. Wealthier areas often have more charitable organisations than needed as they attract more funding from wealthy donors.
