This is much more than the current budget of the programme - for the years 2017-2021 it was about PLN 3.1 billion.

The increase in the inputs for the implementation of the “For Life” programme is a consequence of our approach to supporting persons with disabilities. In recent years, we have launched a number of new programmes and have allocated much more money for this purpose. We also analysed how the “For Life” programme works and we considered that it needs to be strengthened in the coming years – says the Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled People and Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy, Paweł Wdówik.

In the new financial plan, for the years 2022-2026 at least PLN 5.95 billion were planned for the programme implementation. Only in 2022, this will be more than PLN 970 million. The Council of Ministers has already adopted an appropriate resolution on this issue.

New measures in the “For Life” Programme

The launch of new measures has been planned in the programme.

• A family advisor is a measure aimed at providing pregnant women and their families as well as families with a child/person with disabilities with access to advice on the forms of support that families, persons with disabilities and their caregivers may make use of. The government would like such an advisor (at least one) to be employed in each district, full-time, in proportion to the population in the district.
• The labour market transition is a measure which, inter alia, assumes modifying the system of vocational preparation of students with disabilities for participating actively in social and professional life. It will be implemented by non-governmental organisations specialised in work with young people with disabilities, employers’ organisations and special schools.
• Conscious and responsible parenthood are the educational measures for young people in secondary schools. Their objective is to, inter alia, help young people prepare for the future roles of spouses and parents and prepare them for responsible parenthood.
• Improving the availability of legal assistance, civic guidance and legal education for families raising children with disabilities will be implemented based on the functioning points of free legal assistance and free civic guidance. Pregnant women and children with disabilities and their families will be able to make use of assistance on a priority basis. The criterion of the difficult financial situation in applying for assistance is also to be lifted.

The implementation of the new measures is to start in 2022, in addition to the measure regarding the family advisor, which has been planned to be implemented since 2023.

Changes in the existing measures

The resolution adopted by the government also implies changes in the selected measures of the programme. This will concern, inter alia, the development of a network of homes for mothers with young children and pregnant women. This form of assistance may also be used by fathers and other persons taking care of young children.

More funds will also be received by establishments which prepare children with developmental problems for starting their education. In 2017, at the start of the programme, it was PLN 47 million, in 2022 it will be more than PLN 97 million, and in the years 2024-2026 – it will be PLN 110 million each year.

We would like to ensure that the support under the programme is designed to meet the real needs of persons with disabilities and their families. The review and assessment of the programme carried out in 2021 were used just to develop these best solutions – says Deputy Minister Paweł Wdówik.

“For Life” Programme

The “For Life” comprehensive programme of support for families has been implemented since 2017. It covers solutions, in particular in the areas of support for pregnant women and their families, early support for the development of a child and their family, assistance and rehabilitation services, housing support, coordination, education, guidance and information, as well as other support instruments.