The article examines how citizens assess the quality of public social services provided to residents of the Republic of Buryatia who find themselves in difficult life situations.

The sphere of social protection in Russia is currently undergoing transformation that is determined by various socio-demographic factors related to the aging population, an increase in the number of people with disabilities and limited health capabilities, and a decline in the birth rate. In order to find ways to solve the existing problems, the study of the quality of services provided to the population by social services and agencies is required. The scientific problem addressed in this article is the possible discrepancy between the conceptual foundations of state social policy, the practices of its implementation at the local level, and, finally, the perception of its results by the direct recipients—citizens.   The paper is based on field research conducted in the Republic of Buryatia in 2024 with the participation of the authors. The respondents were urban and rural residents of different age groups and social status who were registered with the social services system as needing assistance. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of key socio-demographic factors (gender, age, social status, level of education, place of residence). The study revealed a fairly high level of citizen satisfaction with the quality of social services provided. However, differences in the degree of satisfaction with these services were also identified, depending on place of residence and level of education. The study also identified the most and least sought-after types of social services and social groups requiring closer attention from social services (the elderly, people with disabilities, participants in the Social Support Program, and their families). One area that requires more detailed study, development, and implementation of new methods using modern technologies is raising public awareness of social assistance and support measures, the conditions, methods, and places where they can be obtained. The study provided a deeper understanding of the processes of social differentiation and resource distribution and revealed the specifics of the functioning of the regional social protection system. The results open up prospects for further study in this area and improvement of the research methodology in this field.

social protection, social service, customer orientation, difficult life situation, social support

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