22 October is a special date - this is when Family Rights Day falls. The family plays a key role in the activities of our ministry - from programmes that provide direct support to families with children, to reforms in the labour market area, to restoring social justice in the context of the elderly. Family is our common denominator.

Monday's meeting of the Social Dialogue Council was the last chaired by the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk. At the end of the government side's term, a representative of the employees' side - the President of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union 'Solidarność' Piotr Duda - will take over the presidency.

‘How to rebuild and stimulate social dialogue as a modern formula for public management’ was the title of Thursday's panel organised as part of the European Forum for New Ideas, in which the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk participated. ‘The fundamental aim of dialogue is to understand each other's attitudes, limitations and challenges, even if these positions are not always shared,’ said the head of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy in Sopot.

The new ‘Active Parent’ programme, monthly allowances for social workers, greater protection of workers from harmful substances – these are just some of the solutions prepared in recent months at the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy that have already come into force. Many more are waiting to be introduced – such as widow's pension, longer leave for parents of preterm babies or reform of labour offices. It has been a busy time at the labour ministry.

The Council of Ministers has adopted a regulation enabling the use of the solutions provided for in the special purpose Flood Act. Employers and employees, social workers and persons with disabilities from the areas affected by the floods are among those who can benefit from the social assistance for flood victims.

The registered unemployment rate at the end of September this year, according to estimates by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, was 5%. 771,000 persons were still unemployed – September marks the lowest number of registered unemployed persons since the first measurement in 1990.

Cooperation during the Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the priorities of the EPSCO Council were discussed today by the Minister for Family, Labour and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, and Beate Andrees, Deputy Director General of the International Labour Organisation.

The receipt of applications for a new benefit to support parents of young children in balancing professional and family life started on 1 October. Under the Active Parent scheme, the parents will receive up to PLN 1,500 monthly per child. The parents will receive the funds no later than two months after filing the application and, importantly, with adjustment.

A draft amendment of the Labour Code concerning the calculation of length of service is currently under interministerial consultations and assessment. It is authored by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.

773.7 thousand unemployed were registered at labour offices in August this year. – This is according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. A lower August number of unemployed people was recorded 34 years ago.