Reflexive Regulation Using Narrative Approaches

Project description

Public regulation and supervision are under pressure. The social position and legitimacy of regulators can no longer be taken for granted due to the increased horizontalization of society. Moreover, public service provision increasingly has a networked character, which creates complex regulatory environments. The complexity of the work of regulators is further exacerbated due to a greater emphasis on person‐centeredness as a quality criterium for public service provision. This requires a more flexible form of quality control, because clients differ in their needs and preferences which can also change over time.

In response to these changes, innovative regulatory arrangements with new connections between regulators and their environment are needed to add social value and strengthen both the legitimacy and accountability of regulators. This is particularly the case with regard to people in a vulnerable position who often use different services across sectors, which are supervised by different regulators.

In order to assess the person‐centredness of public service provision, users – not regulators – are the touchstone, in dialogue with service providers. Currently, regulation is primarily top-down, based on enforcement of predetermined fixed standards, and not focused on networks of service providers but on individual service providers in a specific domain. Thus, a paradigm shift is necessary.

Currently, there are promising narrative methods used by service providers that take an extra step to improve person‐centred care that may also facilitate the much‐needed regulatory paradigm shift. In this research we focus on three groups of people in a vulnerable position: people with dementia and their family carers in the community, children with psychological and behavioral disorders and their parents, and people that have limited education and are searching for a job. In collaboration with stakeholders, we will develop reflexive regulation based on narrative methods for these three groups. The project aims at innovating and improving the relationship between users and providers of services- and regulators from different domains. Furthermore, the project develops a toolkit based on narrative methods for regulatory practice to improve dialogue and accountability of networks of relevant stakeholders.

This project consists of six workpackages (WP’s), using mixed-methods action research. In WP2-4, instruments will be developed to stimulate person-centered integrated service provision and (external) accountability. Each WP is focused on a group of people in a vulnerable position mentioned before. In WP1 the theoretical and methodological background for this project will be investigated. This information will be translated into theory about reflexive regulation in WP2-4. In WP5 a toolkit will be developed for regulatory practice based on insights of WP1-4. 

Publications

• International Psychogeriatrics (2023) "Regulation of long-term care for older persons: a scoping review of empirical research". Anne Margriet Pot, Josje Kok, Lina Schoonmade, Roland Bal
• Recht der Werkelijkheid (2023) "Getting the Job done: a narrative approach in person-centered service provision for unemployed people in a vulnerable position". Marilie Odding

Team

ESHPM: Prof. Dr. Anne Margriet Pot, Prof. Dr. Roland Bal, Prof. Dr. Hester van de Bovenkamp, Prof. Dr. Iris Wallenburg, Dr. Josje Kok, Mirjam Kalisvaart and Milan van Keulen, both PhD-researchers.
RUG: Prof. Dr. Marc Hertogh, Dr. Paulien de Winter, Marilie Odding, PhD-researcher.
RU: Prof. Dr. Jan-Kees Helderman, Dr. Dorien Schaap, Eline Verheijen, PhD-researcher.

Stakeholders: Alzheimer Netherlands, Zorgbelang Inclusief, Divosa, Mind foundation, Association for Dutch Municipalities (VNG), Municipal Health Services and Regional Medical Assistance Organisations (GGD GHOR), National Ombudsman, Foundation of Reading and Writing, The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP), Health and Youth Care Inspectorate, The Inspectorate of Justice and Security, Inspectorate of education, Joint Inspectorates Social Domain, Netherlands Labour Authority.

Contact

If you wish to get in touch with us, please visit the Dutch version of this website for individual contact details.