E-government in Social Services: Exploring the Use of E-government Services in Social Service Settings

E-government services are rapidly becoming a permanent part of the governing process the world over. These services involve the use of the latest information and communication technologies to facilitate and enhance access to government information and services. E-government represents an entirely new mode of service delivery that promises some of the most important advances in the area of government accessibility since the advent of the modern welfare state. These resources have a number of unexplored social service applications that are examined in this book. E-government principles and practices are reviewed at the local and international levels, with particular attention paid to the Government of Canada?s e-government initiative, known as Government On-Line (GOL). Seven specific e-government applications that can benefit the social service sector and its clients are identified and discussed. The results of eight interviews with directors of local agencies regarding the future of e-government in social services are reported and examined. Specific recommendations and directions for future research are provided.