Central

The Ministry of Welfare
is responsible for:

• Administration of legislation related to social affairs and social security;
• Policy-making on social affairs and social security;
• Welfare homes;
• Social security;
• Gender equality;
• Child protection;
• Financial assistance to parents of chronically ill children and seriously disabled children; and
• Affairs of the elderly.
  

Responsible ministries/bodies

Ministry of Welfare

Local

Municipal authorities are responsible for:

• Responsible for social services within their boundaries. Social services means:
• Social counselling;
• Financial assistance;
• Social assistance in the home;
• The welfare of children and young persons;
• Services for adolescents;
• Services for the elderly,
• Services for people with disabilities;
• Housing;
• Assistance for alcoholics and the prevention of drug abuse;
• Kindergarten;
• Nursery,
• Family welfare services;
• Welfare homes;
• Child protection; and
• Social service committees, elected by the municipal councils, are responsible for the implementation of the social services in the municipalities as agents of the municipal councils.

Sources:

Association of Icelandic Local Authorities in, Local governments in Iceland

Association of Icelandic Local Authorities, Social Project

Ministry of Welfare

Municipalities Social Services Act, No. 40/1991

Whitaker, D and Thorsteinsson, G (2016) The Iceland Watch: A land that thinks outwards and forwards, Memoirs Publishing