The “For Life” programme has been implemented since 1 January 2017. Last year, it was subject to review. The resulting assessment showed the need to update and supplement it with new elements, the implementation of which is to start as from 2022, and in the case of the “Family Advisor” measure – from 2023. During the press briefing, the Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled People, Paweł Wdówik talked about the planned amendments to the programme. The briefing was also attended by Marzena Machałek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education and Science and Maciej Miłkowski, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health.

Interdepartmental programme

– The main feature of the “For Life” programme, continued and expanded this year, are almost doubled financial inputs for its implementation – said the Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled People, Paweł Wdówik at the press briefing devoted to amendments to this programme. – However, these are not all funds that we allocate for helping persons with disabilities and their families – stressed the Deputy Minister.

Deputy Minister Wdówik informed about the activities in this regard implemented by the Ministry of Family. They include the launch of a helpline for families and the preparation of an information portal.

– It will be a source of up-to-date knowledge and will refer interested persons to specific institutions where they will obtain help – explained the Deputy Minister.

He also pointed to the interdepartmental nature of the “For Life” programme, implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health.

New measures and higher financial inputs

On 27 December 2021, the Council of Ministers adopted a resolution amending the resolution on the comprehensive support programme for families - “For Life”. 4 new measures have been added to the programme: “Family Advisor”, “Transition to the labour market”, “Conscious and responsible parenthood – educational activities for secondary school students” and “Increasing the availability of legal assistance, civic counselling and legal education for families raising children with disabilities”.

Financial inputs for its implementation have also been increased. For the years 2022-2026, at least PLN 5.95 billion is planned. It is worth recalling that the amount for the years 2017-2021 was about PLN 3.1 billion. In 2022, funds in the amount of more than PLN 970 million are planned.

In education, not only “For Life”

According to Marzena Machałek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education and Science, the key measure of her ministry will be the launch of Leading coordination, rehabilitation and care centres.

– It is the support for the family, child and student in the field of necessary rehabilitation, provision of psychological assistance or facilitating access to necessary medical services – explained Deputy Minister Machałek.

The Family Advisor provided for in the programme will help prepare a support programme, indicate available social assistance or facilitate finding rehabilitation equipment.

- These are not the only tasks of the Ministry of Education in this area – added Deputy Minister Marzena Machałek. The Ministry will allocate PLN 10 billion for supporting children with special educational needs and PLN 700 million for paying for additional lesson hours and work of specialists.

Prenatal care

– Prenatal diagnostics should be available at any time to women who need it – declared Deputy Minister of Health, Maciej Miłkowski. – We want to offer support to pregnant women and their families, along with psychological assistance and good obstetric care.

Thanks to the programme of coordinated childcare, we will facilitate access to rehabilitation, by expanding the number of places offering it – said the Deputy Minister.

Other forms of support

The “For Life” programme is part of a set of existing or new forms of support addressed to persons with disabilities and their caregivers. These are, inter alia: programmes financed by the Solidarity Fund, e.g. in the field of personal assistance. It is also co-financing for the provision of rehabilitation equipment, orthopedic items and aids, elimination of architectural, communication and technical barriers in connection with individual needs of persons with disabilities, participation in rehabilitation camps.

A novelty is the “Independence – Activity – Mobility!” (S-A-M!) package concerning social, vocational and therapeutic rehabilitation of persons with special needs resulting from disability, consisting of 4 programmes, for which an additional amount of PLN 1 billion has been allocated. It consists of: a programme of flats for persons with disabilities, a car programme, financing for the creation of new occupational therapy workshops and vocational development centres and the launch of a rental of rehabilitation equipment, medical devices and assistive technologies.

Some of the designed activities, aimed at helping families with children with disabilities, have been included in the Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030, adopted by the government on 16 February 2021.