Dos Serviços Sociais das Forças Armadas ao Instituto de Ação Social das Forças Armadas, I.P.

: transformações e desafios

Abstract

The Social Services for the Armed Forces (SSFA) were created in 1958 under the aegis of the Estado Novo’s political-ideological and social project of corporate welfare. Since its creation until today, the SSFA crossed different periods of time; the consequent political, economic and social changes imposed alterations and different challenges to its mission of supporting the military family. The current economic and social changes underway in Portugal renew the challenges imposed to social action for the Armed Forces, forcing a restructuring of its operation mode in order to ensure the continuing effectiveness and efficiency of its activities. Therefore it was considered appropriate to develop a study to analyse the evolution of the SSFA and to define strategic guidelines for its activities in the future. In order to pursuit this goal, its historical trajectory was outlined, along with the study of the evolution of social protection in Portugal within the European framework. Posteriorly, the current context of the social action for the Armed Forces, within the Institute of Social Action for the Armed Forces (IASFA, IP), is presented and an analysis of the implications on the functioning and mission of IASFA, IP due to new challenge of the need of management of health insurance to the military (ADM) is performed. Finally, some challenges that IASFA, IP faces in the prosecution of its mission are presented, in the current context of transformation of public policies, and some strategic guidelines for the future are drawn.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Francisco Branco (Supervisor)