The functioning of European social protection systems in fulfilling the needs of persons with disabilities during COVID-19 – a semi-systematic review

Abstract

Previous research has shown that pre-existing social and economic inequalities deepened during the COVID–19 pandemic. Persons with disabilities were among the most affected social groups. This article focuses on the social support that persons with disabilities and their families received during the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. A semi-systematic literature review was conducted: 578 records were identified, and 31 empirical papers were included. Four themes emerged from thematic analysis: (1) challenges in formal social support and care, (2) challenges in informal social support and care, (3) access to information and assistive technology, (4) positive practices, innovative methods and opportunities. In public policy, health-related needs overshadowed the needs to be met by the social support system, revealing the already existing dysfunctions of social protection systems.

Points of interest

• The COVID-19 pandemic had a more significant impact on the lives of persons with disabilities than on the general population in Europe.

• As a result of the closure or reduced operation of the residential and community-based social services, persons with disabilities and their families have been deprived of essential forms of support, access to assistive technology, and thus opportunities to participate in society.

• To fill the gaps created by the changes in the formal support system, families have had to step in to ensure that all disabled family members’ needs are met.

• Persons with disabilities and their families did not receive reliable and accessible information about the pandemic and the lockdown regulations.

• In addition to the negative impacts of the pandemic on persons with disabilities, their families, professionals, and the service system, there were also some positive, innovative developments worth maintaining in the post-pandemic period.

Keywords:

• Persons with disabilities
• COVID-19 pandemic
• formal social support
• informal social support
• social protection
• policy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Post-COVID Research Fund under Grant POST-COVID-2021-41: The capital and small letters were not consistent, please change accordingly. Social innovations in the ecosystem of formal and informal sectors supporting persons with disabilities in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.