Social Assistance in Poland in the Past and Nowadays. Selected Issues Cover Image

Tradycje i współczesność pomocy społecznej w Polsce
Social Assistance in Poland in the Past and Nowadays. Selected Issues

Author(s): Wiesław Sieciński
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Public Administration, Public Law
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego
Keywords: public administration; social assistance; social policy

Summary/Abstract: Social assistance as an institution of the social policy of the State is developed by both the administrative authorities of central and local governments and other social and charitable organizations. It has acquired special significance within the globalised world especially at a time when numerous unfavourable phenomena like unemployment, the aging population, the abuse of stimulants, the weakening of the family, the disintegration of extended families and the growing disparities in terms of income of the population can be observed in the modern world. In the past social assistance focused on the most urgent needs, i.e. the running of poorhouses and at a later stage financial allowances, some of the of a permanent nature. Nowadays the modern forms of social assistance are undergoing the process of diversifying. In Poland the administrative reform of the State carried out in 1998 reorganised the tasks of the public administrative authorities in the field of social assistance. The tasks performed by the communes are of a basic nature, performed by the districts are of a more specific nature and the tasks performed by the voivodship-level administration are of a general and strategic nature aiming at supporting the communes and districts in fulfilling the tasks imposed. The duty to perform all the tasks in the area of social assistance also lies with the central authorities of the government.

  • Issue Year: 2016
  • Issue No: 08
  • Page Range: 61-78
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish