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The methods to protect rights of the social service users

‘The protection of the users’ rights for the social service’ is an important issue that would provide a basic source of justification to improve the quality of services, but in reality, when we discuss it more specifically, it often ends up with “no action, talk only.” The Korean society has rapidly gone through so many changes in the social service sector in just half a century that has taken many centuries for the Western countries. As a result, Korea is finding itself in a difficult situation where it should not only secure the common wealth and universality, but also simultaneously promote the participation of the users and protect their right of choice in the course of implementing the social service system. It would require in-depth analysis and cautious approach to the improvement in the social service system that has been institutionalized in many of welfare societies in Europe including the U.K. since 1990. The basic mechanism to protect the rights of social service users, can be divided into the preventive, post-service, and supplementary mechanisms. The preventive mechanism calls for the right of appropriate assessment, information sharing,of the users, service contract system, user supporting system, and explicit and procedural provisions of the laws and regulations. Included in the post service mechanism are the introduction of the pre-examination system like the relief through lawsuit, official objection, and petition to the National Human Right Commission. Finally, the supplementary mechanism includes the ombudsman system, sponsorship system, and assistance to the private organizations. While the protection of users’ rights is one of the most important elements of the social service, it is equally important as a mechanism to maintain the quality of the service as it can promote the participation of users, and strengthen the rescue procedures, while enhancing the efficiency of and satisfaction with the services by inducing the implementation based on the rights and needs of the users. More efforts should be made at all levels of society to establish the definition of the users’ rights, and develop the appropriate ways to respect and protect such rights, and enhance such protection.