This dissertation takes an important step in understanding the phenomenon of non-take-up of social support and what it means for contemporary social policies. Even when sufficient services of... Show moreThis dissertation takes an important step in understanding the phenomenon of non-take-up of social support and what it means for contemporary social policies. Even when sufficient services of social support are being offered, it is not self-evident that all individuals who are in need of help will actually use those services. Different types of problems and barriers may inhibit their help-seeking process.Despite its apparent universality, our fundamental understanding of this non-take-up of social support is limited. This is problematic because failure to understand and effectively address non-take-up leaves social needs unattended to and will lead to higher welfare costs.To better understand the ‘how and why’ of this non-take-up, this study analyzes the lived experiences and perceptions of potential welfare clients in the Dutch municipality of The Hague. It discusses what the implications of these findings are for social policies. What can be learned from the problems and barriers that potential welfare clients experience in their daily lives? Researchers, policymakers and practitioners who work in and around the social domain may all benefit from the insights of this study. Show less
The Financial Crisis since 2007 is one of the most important challenges in recent decades. Starting with financing problems in the United States’ real estate market, the financial difficulties... Show moreThe Financial Crisis since 2007 is one of the most important challenges in recent decades. Starting with financing problems in the United States’ real estate market, the financial difficulties developed into a major crisis affecting nearly all economic sectors in industrial countries. Next to citizens and private companies, the public sector was – and partially still is – affected by the Financial Crisis, thereby implying a variety of direct and indirect implications for public budgets.On closer inspection, the impact of and responses to the Financial Crisis involved all levels of government, depending on the division of tasks and responsibilities within systems of multi-level governance. While the roles of the national, supranational, and international levels during the Crisis were widely reported in news coverage and academic research, the implications for sub-national government has received far less attention.The main intentions of this study are to analyse how the Financial Crisis affected the financial situation of the local level of government in the Netherlands and its approximately 400 municipalities and to identify the factors that determined variation. By following a multidisciplinary approach, the study combines theoretical considerations from the academic disciplines of public administration, political science, economics, law, psychology, and sociology. Show less
