Nordic preparedness plans in the social and long-time care sector

Crisis preparedness must cover all sectors – not least the social and long-time care sectors, where vulnerable groups such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, the homeless and the socially disadvantaged are particularly dependent on welfare services. 

Experiences from the pandemic showed that certain groups are difficult to reach with essential information. At the same time, the digitalization of care and social services is increasing, making municipalities more vulnerable to cyber threats. Climate change increases the risk of extreme weather events that impact local communities, and thereby the groups targeted by this project. While the Nordic countries have clear preparedness structures in the health sector, both nationally and across borders, preparedness within the social sector is less clearly defined. 

Objective: Strengthened crisis preparedness 

The project aims to strengthen crisis preparedness in the Nordic region within the social and long-time care sectors. It provides an overview of the countries’ efforts to include the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens in preparedness planning. 

The work includes mapping national efforts to consider vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in areas such as crises, conflicts, cyber threats, and climaterelated events. It will also look at the role that civil society and private actors can play in preparedness planning. The project will also highlight good examples from the Nordic countries. 

The results can be used for future Nordic recommendations and as input to the EU’s preparedness union strategy. 

The project supports the Nordic Council of Ministers’ goal of strengthening societal resilience and aligns with the UN principle of leaving no one behind. 

Mapping preparedness plans 

The project is led by the Nordic Welfare Centre and carried out in close cooperation with representatives from all Nordic countries. 

The work is conducted by an expert group with representatives from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The project also has an advisory group and a reference group, both including representatives from all eight Nordic countries. 

The project aims to support knowledge sharing in the social and long-time care sectors regarding effective methods for including vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in preparedness planning. In doing so, the project contributes to more stable and robust crisis management in the Nordic region, where all parts of society are included.