Canary Islands government advances social service protections

The Government of the Canary Islands is working to strengthen the ‘concierto social’ (social agreement) to ensure stable and secure social services for vulnerable populations. Candelaria Delgado, the Minister of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood, and Families, stated that the administration is pursuing a rigorous and legally complex process to establish this indirect management instrument.

The initiative aims to provide legal certainty and economic stability for third-sector organizations. According to Delgado, the goal is to complement and preserve the public social services system rather than privatizing it. The framework is being developed through two administrative files: one to modify Decree 144/2021 and another specific file for the Directorate General of Social Services, which has already passed key administrative stages, including a legal report from the Government's Legal Office.

The proposed model is designed to be financially sustainable, with cost studies intended to cover salary expenses and ensure that resources reach those most at risk of social exclusion in a predictable manner.