Exploring the Contribution of Frontline Welfare Service Delivery to Capability Development in Australia.

This study explores how interactions between frontline welfare service delivery employees and recipients are seen to affect welfare recipients’ capabilities. Seventeen employees and fifty-two welfare recipients from the Australian Department of Human Services were interviewed regarding their service delivery experiences. Interviews were transcribed and participants’ descriptions of the outcomes achieved from welfare service delivery interactions were analysed to determine the major themes. Burchardt and Vizard's (2007) capability list captured many of the effects described by participants, particularly the capability domains labelled ‘Individual, family and social life’, ‘Education and learning’, ‘Standard of living’, ‘Health’ and ‘Productive and valued activities’. Other outcomes were described by participants that might represent early indicators of positive or negative impact. Our findings suggest that welfare service delivery can both promote and impair capability development for welfare recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]