Social policy includes many areas that cover various social groups. Their common goals include improvement of the quality of life, comfort and safety of resident of all regions of Poland, regardless of age, level of ability or place of residence.

EMPOWERED IN THE SOCIETY

The change in the State policy which we have been offering since 2015 is based on the belief that everybody is responsible for everybody. If we really care about building a community, then we must not exclude anyone from it. Everyone, regardless of age or health, should have ensured access to support.

"It is not that persons with disabilities should adapt to the environment – the public space should be accessible to everyone, regardless of age of level of ability. Since the very start of our rule, we have been searching for the best solutions which provide real support to persons with disabilities and their guardians. Support which will really improve the quality of their lives, ensure full participation in social life and greater independence," emphasised Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy and Plenipotentiary for Disabled Persons Paweł Wdówik.

In 2022, support for persons with disabilities reached PLN 37 billion, compared to PLN 16 billion in 2015.

What has been done in this area in recent years?

• Establishment of the Solidarity Fund

Persons with disabilities often need daily support and care which is suitable to their needs in social, professional, health and financial terms. Such support is ensured by the Solidarity Fund under which tasks are implemented concerning assistance services, respite care and establishment of residential care centres.

• Introduction of a supplementary benefit for persons incapable to live independently

Addressed to persons who have been officially deemed incapable to work or to live independently, the benefit is paid in the amount of up to PLN 500 a month. Seniors aged 75 years or older account for nearly a half of all persons who use this form of support.

• Strategy for Persons with Disabilities

The Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 is a comprehensive document aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to live an independent and active life. The priority areas include independent life, accessibility, education, work, living conditions and social security, health, awareness building, coordination.

• "For Life" Programme

The main objective of the programme is to provide for real and full social integration of persons with disabilities as well as psychological, social, functional and economic support for their families. Around PLN 3.1 billion was allocated to the implementation of the "For Life" Programme in 2017-2021, with at least PLN 5.95 billion planned in 2022-2026.

Conversion of the system of support for persons with disabilities and their guardians

The Act of 26 July 2023 on the supplementary benefit addressed to persons with disabilities and their guardians will enter into force on 1 January 2024. Parents and guardians of persons with disabilities aged up to 18 years who are eligible to the modified care allowance will be allowed to work without any restrictions. The Act provides also that a new benefit will be available beginning on 1 January 2024 - it will be the support benefits addressed to adults with disabilities.

GREATER PROTECTION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Ministry is also enhancing protection of victims of domestic violence.

"The amendment has been awaited for years by victims of domestic violence as well as those who deal with prevention of that phenomenon on a daily basis. However, in addition to the new regulations, it is necessary to, first of all, increase the public awareness and hold a public discussion to open eyes to what is happening around us, to overcome the social indifference and to ensure sensitivity not only among the competent services and people who work on preventing domestic violence, but also among general public. Domestic violence is not a private matter - it is a public issue that is important to everyone's good," says Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy and Government Plenipotentiary for Equal Treatment Anna Schmidt. 

What has changed?

On 9 March 2023, the Polish Sejm passed the Act amending the Act on counteracting family violence and certain other Acts. The amended Act entered into force on 22 June 2023.

It provides for, among other things:

• changing the current wording from "on counteracting family violence" to "on counteracting domestic violence" as violence occurs not only in families but in different types of human relationships and all sides of those relationships must be covered by protection;
• introducing two other forms of domestic violence to be prevented in addition to physical violence, mental violence and sexual abuse, i.e. economic violence and cyber-violence;
• expanding the group of people covered by the amended law; a victim of violence will now receive protection against the former spouse, former partner or other family members, even if they no longer live together after their relationship ceased to exist;
• introducing protection for children who are witnesses to domestic violence; the amended law treats them as victims of violence.

The amendments enhance security and protection of persons who are either at risk of or experience domestic violence, in particular by making the attitude towards support and help more individualised and person-specific. In this context, municipalities establish diagnostic and help groups composed of a social worker and a police officer who will provide support to, respectively, the victim and perpetrator of violence. (Under the previous law, such groups consisted of at least five specialists, which did not allow maintaining any personality focus or atmosphere of trust).

Furthermore, the amended act enhances the effectiveness of the functioning of the anti-violence system, both at the central and local government level, by e.g.

• stronger representation of various communities in the Domestic Violence Monitoring Team (an advisory and consulting body at the Minister of Family and Social Policy),
• clear separation of the tasks of interdisciplinary teams operating in municipal governments from the tasks of diagnostic and help groups. An interdisciplinary team has tasks of strategic character that determine the directions of "anti-violence" activities in the commune concerned. A diagnostic and help group has tasks that are executed directly with the victim and perpetrator of violence.

As security of persons who suffer from violence is of utmost importance, the new law provides for automatic seizure of weapons from the perpetrator of violence upon initiation of the "Blue Card" procedure.

The provisions of the new act have been designed to even better protect the victims, increase their sense of security and affect the perpetrators in order to reduce the scale of domestic violence in Poland.

We are introducing into the act a new type of therapy for perpetrators of domestic violence, namely psychological and therapeutic schemes that offer persons who use violence a chance to return to appropriate relations within their domestic environment. Perpetrators who will persistently abscond evade the therapy will be penalised by deprivation of liberty or a high fine of even up to several thousand złotys.

GREATER SUPPORT TO SOCIAL ECONOMY

We at the Ministry of Family and Social Policy are perfectly aware of the great importance of giving opportunities to persons at risk of social exclusion, including the persons with disabilities, the unemployed and persons who leave orphanages. It is best evidenced by the Social Economy Act which was signed by President Andrzej Duda in August last year, and which was hosted by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy.

The main aims of the Act include developing social economy, creating new jobs at social enterprises and, as a result, provide a broader support to people at risk of social exclusion.

The new Act will provide persons at risk social exclusion with optimum employment and reintegration conditions at social enterprises. They will receive not only jobs, but will also be included in decision-making processes taking place at social enterprises. We wish to see more such enterprises and more such jobs, as they play an invaluable role," says Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy and Government Plenipotentiary for Social Economy Anita Czerwińska.

Opportunities for people at risk of exclusion

Today, there are some 100,000 social economy entities operating across Poland employing more than 200,000 people.

An important part of the Act includes provisions concerning the status of a social enterprise, i.e. an entity that operates either for the purpose of social and occupational integration or to provide social services. It can be awarded to social co-ops, non-governmental organisations, worker co-ops , cooperatives of the disabled and blind as well as entities that run social integration centres and clubs, occupational therapy workshops and occupational activity facilities.

The entry into force of the Social Economy Act has enabled social enterprises to benefit from support forms which were previously available only to social cooperatives, including one-off subsidies for creating jobs for persons referred by district employment offices as well as co-financing of payroll costs of such persons. Social enterprises can also apply for a refund of social security contributions paid for workers at risk of exclusion.

Such programmes as "Resilience and development of social economy and entrepreneurship" and "Social Enterprise+" enable social economy entities, in particular social enterprises, to benefit from subsidising. More than PLN 220 million has been allocated to this purpose.

GOOD CHANGES IN FOSTER CARE

Foster parenting is a unique mission. It is not easy, but the satisfaction given by creating a safe home for children who have no home cannot be compared to anything else. Foster families demonstrate their silent heroism every day by giving a part of themselves to others, enabling them to spread their wings. Thanks to their work, children get what is most important, i.e. a safe home and sense of being important to someone.

As the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, we are making all efforts to create favourable conditions for foster families, thus gradually moving away from institutional forms of foster care. Every child deserves to have home. We are doing our best to make it happen. We are aware that from the point of view of foster families it is very important also to create a friendly atmosphere at district level enabling foster families to be treated not as customers but as valuable partners in implementing their tasks. Family forms of foster care should be treated in a special manner and appropriately supported, and professional entities should enjoy decent conditions of employment and work," says Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy and Government Plenipotentiary for Demographic Policy Barbara Socha.

What has changed so far?

1 February 2023 marked the entry into force of the amendment to the Act on family support and foster care system which provides for a rise in remuneration for professional foster families and families who run family orphanages.

• The remuneration for professional foster families and person who run family orphanages increased from at least PLN 2,168.76 to minimum PLN 4,100 per month, and from at least PLN 2,819.39 to minimum PLN 5,084 for families who serve as family emergency centres.
• The said amounts will be adjusted according to the inflation rate.

The amendment includes also provisions that contribute to the development of family forms of foster care and improve organisation of adoption procedures. But that is not all. The Ministry of Family is working on another amendment which will regulate the matter of family assistants and children with disabilities.