The aim of this study was to find out what can be learned from Finnish social work preparedness to develop future interventions and use of social capital in disasters. The data consisted of municipalities’ social sector’s disaster preparedness plan documents. Quantitative content analysis was used as the research method. The analysis was based on the concept of social capital and its forms of bonding, bridging, and linking. The results show that micro-level social work and bonding social capital were emphasized. Bridging and linking social work to disaster-related structures should be developed and social capital enhanced pre and post disasters.

The Nordic states have extensive welfare systems in which the local social services are an important component. Despite a growing research on societal disaster resilience, we lack research examining in systematic way whether and how local social services in the Nordic countries contribute to such resilience. Aiming to fill this gap, this article asks whether we can identify a common Nordic model of the role of local social services in disasters, or whether the countries have taken different paths.We use policy documents and legislation to examine the extent to which roles for local social services are embedded in the disaster management systems of the five Nordic countries. We analyze the institutional organization in each country, as well as the models of social services related to disasters from a comparative perspective. We find that the Nordic countries have chosen quite different paths regarding local social services' role in disaster management. A general conclusion is that the governments of the five countries ought to strengthen the position of local social services within the disaster management system as a way to enhance disaster resilience in the Nordic countries as a whole.