hoolekande

Hoolekande is a term used in the Estonian language to describe organized care and welfare services provided to individuals and families in need. In a social policy context, hoolekande encompasses a range of public and nonprofit activities aimed at supporting daily living, safety, and inclusion. The concept covers child welfare, family support, elder care, disability services, housing assistance, and crisis intervention, as well as preventive work such as counseling and community outreach.

In practice, hoolekande services are delivered by a combination of national authorities, local municipalities, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations. Local governments typically coordinate care within their jurisdictions, assess needs, allocate resources, and monitor service quality, while national policy offers overarching frameworks and funding mechanisms.

Key components of hoolekande include child protection and foster care, residential and community-based care for older adults and people with disabilities, home-based support for families, and programs that aim to prevent social exclusion. Service delivery emphasizes person-centered planning, rights-based approaches, and collaboration with families and informal caregivers.

The term is primarily used in the Estonian context, though variations exist in other languages and welfare systems that describe similar care provisioning. For readers seeking related topics, see social welfare, caregiving, elder care, and child protection.