Social action of municipalities and inter-communalities – ASCO survey

The survey on the social action of municipalities and intercommunalities (ASCO) carried out by DREES provides in-depth information on the whole of the social action implemented by the French municipalities and intercommunalities in 2014.

Municipalities are bound by few legal obligations in the social field, but they can set up many so-called “optional” social actions for their citizens. This communal social action can be carried out both by the communal services or by the Communal Centres for Social Action (CCAS) and can also be entrusted to an inter-community (a public institution of inter-communal cooperation (EPCI)).

Communal social action can cover many areas. It is aimed at the elderly, people with disabilities; it also covers the fight against poverty and exclusion, housing or housing policies, early childhood, youth and family policies, occupational integration, access to care and health prevention. Other areas may depend on social action: transport, urban planning, sport, environment, culture, etc.

The main topics covered are the types of services set up in the municipalities, the establishments they manage (institutions for the elderly, disabled people, young children, etc.), the areas of action and the public targeted by communal social benefits, the arrangements for granting aid and the distribution of these actions between the municipalities’ services and their communal social action centre (CCAS), but also the transfer of these powers to the EPCIs and a possible intercommunal centre for social action (CIAS). Also mentioned are the reports of municipalities to departments and their other partners (in particular social security funds).