Social farming in the Netherlands. Marjolein Elings

Transcription

1 Social farming in the Netherlands Marjolein Elings

2 Program Development of Dutch social farming sector Results of effect studies Implementation of research results in practice Key success factors Clever strategies Questions and discussion 2

3 Social farming: the Dutch situation Growing sector: 1100 care farms, more than clients Different client groups Different care provided 3

4 Social farming: the Dutch situation Farmer s wife with background in health care Former health care workers Social motive Financial motive New perspective/future alternative for intensification

5 Development of the social farming sector in the Netherlands 1999: Start of the National Support Centre 2003: Personal Budgets for clients 2005: Liberalization of long term health care 2010: National federation of care farmers

6 The broader European perspective

7 The Dutch care farm doesn t exist In size (number of clients) Client group Type of agricultural production Type of care offered (day activity, 24/7 care educational programs)

8 Research: Effect studies Youngsters with behavioural problems People with mental ill health and/or addiction history Elderly with dementia

9 Youngsters with behavioural problems Performance-Indicator Start Finish Follow up programme % % % Good contact with father Good contact with mother Daytime activity Good use of leisure time Wellbeing Self-confidence No police contact No drugs No behavioural problems

10 People with mental ill health/addiction Quasi-experimental setting Follow-up T=0, T= 1 (half year) T=2 (one year) N=149 No significant change on quantitative data No negative change in QoL, mental health or social functioning Decrease of use in medicine Highly satisfied with care on farm (8.2 and 8.3)

11 Elderly with dementia Quasi-experimental Care farms regular day care Positive significant change in dietary intake Relief of informal care takers

12 Qualities of Care Farms Attitude and engagement of farmer and co-workers Social community Informal non-care context Useful and divers activities Green environment

13 Implementation of research results Project subsidized by ZONMW Workshops for care farmers per region Aim: inform farmers, check results and use results in practice Project was not a total success because: - Effect studies gave not always an answer to the why care farms work for clients - Care farmers have other priorities at the moment

14 Positive aspects of involving the social farming sector in research Research: - Built up a network of care farms who can cooperate in research - Longitudinal studies and evaluation - Bigger data sets

15 Positive aspects of involving the social farming sector in research Social farming sector: - Built up a network and use research results in communication with government and institutes - Monitoring the development of clients - Status: research or monitoring on farm gives quality status

16 Key success factors in the development of the Dutch social farming sector 1990 s: Isolated initiatives, lack of legitimacy and no financing In line with objectives Ministries of Agriculture and Health Care Support ministries National support centre (networks, database, quality system) Changes in regulations (personal budgets and liberalization of health care sector (new entrants) Regional collaboration and entrepreneurship Professional regional organisations New services initiated by care farmers

17 What is important for innovation? Connect to desirable changes, sense of urgency, embedding by creating influential coalitions Seeing and making use of opportunities, commitment and entrepreneurship Connecting and strengthening initiatives at local, regional and national level and dividing the tasks Connecting and strengthening practice, research and policy Learning on different levels Interaction with customers (clients) Public Relations Organize structural financing

18 Clever strategies Pioneers Looking for support from influential persons; parents of clients, media, alternative financing Support Centre/ Federation of care farmers database, pr, quality system, connecting to policies, promoting research Regional organisations: Framing to be innovative (focus on clients, innovative services, meeting demands of municipalities and ministries) and professional Care farmers at this moment Good relation municipality, focus on participation, collaboration and being part of chain

19 Discussion or questions? 19

20 Thank you for your attention!