The decentralization of social work: The evaluation of roles, capacities and potentials of municipalities depending on the example of the Konya Metropolitan

Since the 1980s, there have been different debates on the qualification and efficiency of public services. Especially globally accepted idea of decentralization, in which institutions and organizations responsible for services and administrators of these services are assessed, has been stated as a good solution for the implementations of these services. Therefore, regarding various services areas in many countries, a mandate shift from central administration to local one has been observed. As a consequence of these developments, Turkey has also taken some vital steps to implement the idea of decentralization into the area of social work. With the help of additional reforms, Turkey has made its municipalities one step ahead in the area of social work. Following newly enacted laws, some social works have been assigned to local administrations. In turn, local administrations especially municipalities have been more vital and functional institutions for the area of social work. Soon after the final adoption of the Metropolitan Municipality Law numbered 6360, metropolitan municipalities have been more powerful and played a more active role in the areas of legislation, and duties and responsibilities. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the roles, capacities and potentials of these more powerful metropolitan municipalities in the period of decentralization. The study covers the Konya Metropolitan Municipality and district municipalities in the city of Konya. In this context, comprehensive interviews with administrators, specialists and practitioners, who work in municipalities and are responsible for social work, were carried out. All interviews were depended on the supposition that municipalities could not maintain the duties and responsibilities for social work due to the lack of current capacity and opportunities. The data obtained from the administrators and practitioners were evaluated by using content analysis method. Therefore, duties, responsibilities and current capacity and problems of the municipalities following the law and new metropolitan municipality administration were presented. That's why, the results of the study are intended to illustrate steps and attempts to be taken in the future.