E-Government in Social Services

E-government services are rapidly becoming apermanent part of the governing process the worldover. These services involve the use of the latestinformation and communication technologies tofacilitate and enhance access to governmentinformation and services. E-government represents anentirely new mode of service delivery thatpromises some of the most important advances in thearea of government accessibility since the advent ofthe modern welfare state. These resources have anumber of unexplored social service applicationsthat are examined in this book. E-governmentprinciples and practices are reviewed at the localand international levels, with particular attentionpaid to the Government of Canada's e-governmentinitiative, known as Government On-Line (GOL). Sevenspecific e-government applications that can benefitthe social service sector and its clients areidentified and discussed. The results of eightinterviews with directors of local agenciesregarding the future of e-government in socialservices are reported and examined. Specificrecommendations and directions for future researchare provided.