The Social Security Act (Uradni list RS, No. 3/2007 – official consolidated text, 23/2007, 41/2007, 114/2006 – ZUTPG; ZSV), specifies several types of social services that should be available to assist individuals, families and groups in coping with personal distress, as well as to provide care, protection, education and training. Social services are provided to:

• prevent social distress and difficulties 
• alleviate social distress and difficulties.

The Social Security Act provides for the prevention of social distress and difficulties through social prevention service which includes activities and support for self-help to individuals, families and groups.

To alleviate existing distress and difficulties, the Act provides for different types of services which include:

• counselling to individuals to which every person in need who resides in the territory of Slovenia is entitled
• help to family
• institutional care that covers all types of help provided in an institution, in other family or through other organized forms with the purpose to substitute or complement the functions of home and own family to an adult or child needing attendance; institutional care is provided in public social care institutes and in other social care homes
• organized care for adult persons with physical or mental handicap, offering guidance and employment under special conditions, provided in care nad work centres which hold a status of public social care institute
• help to workers employed with undertakings, institutions and other employers in solving personal problems relating to work or upon the termination of the employment relationship as well as help with exercising their rights from health, pension and disability insurance, and child and family protection.

The Social Security Act stipulates that services have the nature of right, which implies that an individual in need of certain services can exercise his/her right pursuant to the envisaged procedure. Entitlement to services is asserted according to the principles of equal accessibility and free choice of forms for all entitled persons under the conditions set forth by the Act and according to the principles of social justice.

Tasks under the Social Security Act are directly carried out by public social care institutes, namely:

• 62 social work centres
• 55 residential homes for the elderly 
• 7 special institutes for adults
• 5 social care institutes for training of children and youth with severe or serious mental development disorder
• 40 occupational activity centres
• 8 crisis centres for children and adolescents