SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE POLISH SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM. A FEW REMARKS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE SYSTEM

2021 ◽  
Vol specjalny (XXI) ◽  
pp. 331-347
Author(s):  
Wiesław Koczur
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Assistance System ◽  
Full Time ◽  
System A ◽  
Social Welfare System ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Times

This article presents – in the context of the evolution of the Polish public social assistance system – the genesis and shaping of the personnel of this system, with particular emphasis on the place and role of social workers in this system. Attention was drawn to the direction of the evolution of the personnel of the Polish social assistance system: from the honorary activities of social workers in the times of the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939), through a mixed model of full-time social workers supported by a network of socially active local social workers in the times of the Polish People’s Republic, to professional social service, performing the regulated profession of a social worker in modern times. It also indicated how social workers were perceived in different periods of the evolution of the social welfare system and how the regulations of their legal status were assessed

Social assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic – first comments related to practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-83
Author(s):  
Beata Mańkowska
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Assistance System ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Difficult Time ◽  
The Social ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
The Face ◽  
The One

The purpose of the article is to draw attention to the challenges and threats faced by social assistance institutions in the face of the second month of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, with particular emphasis on disturbing phenomena and behaviours involving employees of these institutions. The text, on the one hand, supported by examples derived from personal experiences and reports of the social workers themselves, on the other, by the author's observations and reflections, can serve as a warning against hasty, chaotic actions undermining the morale and reputation of the social assistance system. In the current particularly difficult time for all, it should pass the test in responsible management, coherent cooperation, developing effective solutions and missionary character – serving the ones in need.

Social assistance in the face of the crisis produced by the pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-71
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Wojtanowicz ◽  
Adam Białas
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Crisis Intervention ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Assistance System ◽  
Social Intervention ◽  
New Approach ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Face ◽  
Face Support

Today’s complex social situation, pandemic and isolation place demands on the social assistance system. Society is experiencing a number of difficulties and identifies the needs that social workers have to face. Support for overcoming this crisis requires a new approach. Strengthen methods and tools for preventive and interventional work. The article shows the context of social intervention work and the organisational requirements for the social assistance system. It also draws attention to the problems experienced and the needs identified by clients benefiting from the support of the crisis intervention centre.

Vulnerability, Law, and Dementia: An Interdisciplinary Discussion of Legislation and Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Titti Mattsson ◽  
Lottie Giertz
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Social Welfare System ◽  
The Social ◽  
Vulnerability Theory

AbstractLegislation for dementia care needs to be continually rethought, if the rights of older persons and other persons with dementia are to be addressed properly. We propose a theoretical framework for understanding vulnerability and dependency, which enables us to problematize the currently prevailing legal conception of adults as always able — irrespective of health or age — to act autonomously in their everyday lives. Such an approach gives rise to difficult dilemmas when persons with dementia are forced to make decisions on their own about basic living conditions, such as housing and care, without decision-making support. In Sweden, for example, such matters are frequently left to the person him- or herself to decide, often without any assistance from social workers, and with family members serving as caregivers of last resort.Using vulnerability theory as the framework for our discussion, we argue that policymakers should not apply a group-oriented approach (based on factors like age, legal status, or mental capacity) to persons suffering from dementia. The needs of such individuals are as complex and varied as they themselves are. We discuss our findings from an interdisciplinary (law/social work) research project in which we examine the dilemma that social workers face when they are required, under the terms of the Swedish Social Services Act, to determine whether persons with dementia are to be granted support.We argue further that a cross-disciplinary approach — in which vulnerability theory furnishes the framework — opens up for new ways of understanding and developing social welfare law and practice. This, we believe, can help us better address the rights, interests, and needs of people with dementia, of their families, and of professionals in the social welfare system. Finally, many of the problems faced by ageing societies in general can be understood on the basis of such an approach.

Social workers in times of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic. First Polish experiences

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-105
Author(s):  
Sławomir Wilk ◽  
Monika Szpoczek
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Residential Care Facilities ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
The Times ◽  
Self Protection

The spread of the epidemic of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and the announcement of the state of epidemic emergency determined the necessity of the changes in the functioning of the social welfare units. This article is an analysis of the literature sources related to the functioning of the social workers during natural disasters, that have served as the basis for conclusions. In addition, twelve pilot interviews with social workers were conducted. Previously the institutions were not prepared for such a threat, did not have procedures nor regulations and means of self-protection. In the times of the epidemic the feminization of the profession of a social worker and the fact of the necessity of taking care of the children of the age of up to 8 years, resulted in the staff shortages. The new reality created the necessity to reorganize the work system of the social assistance units especially in the area of the safety regulations that is to say teleworking, rotational work and shift work, limitations in dealing with the clients and fieldwork, conducting community interviews by phone. Working at residential care facilities, which were closed to protect their residents from infection, has become of particular nature. Due to the epidemic situation, normative acts regarding benefits for persons threatened by the infection of SARS-CoV-2 virus, implementation of assistance for persons experiencing violence or support for people in crisis of homelessness are constantly changing. The text discusses in detail five factors hindering the performance of professional activities for employees of social assistance units: organizational and legal, physical, interpersonal, ethical and psychological. Finally, it is essential to start working by applying the method of organizing local communities (and using social capital), as its absence will be a barrier to the development of Polish municipalities after the epidemic.

Readiness and regulation: perspectives of Canadian stakeholders on the labour mobility of internationally educated social workers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Brown ◽  
Annie Pullen Sansfaçon ◽  
Kate Matheson
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Research Council ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Labour Mobility ◽  
Cultural Adaptations ◽  
Social Welfare System ◽  
The Social ◽  
Neoliberal Ideology ◽  
Regulatory Bodies

This chapter synthesises the data from two knowledge exchange fora where the findings of a four-year research study funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) were shared with, and subsequently responded to by, social work employers and provincial regulators as well as internationally educated social workers. The key themes of knowledge, values, and skill transfer, cultural adaptations, and understanding of the Canadian social welfare system align with the priorities of migrant social workers themselves (Pullen Sansfaçon et al, 2014), suggesting a congruence of central concerns. At the same time, tensions exist between the actual, lived experiences of the social workers and the expectations and practices of the stakeholder group. In this chapter we analyse these points of convergence and divergence, shaped as they are by Canadian social welfare’s prevailing neoliberal ideology and its structural manifestations brought to bear on social work service employers, supervisors, and regulatory bodies.

STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING THE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR THE ELDERLY IN IAŞI

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luminița MUNTEANU
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Assistance System ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Social

The article is the result of a complex research activity. The starting point was to make a diagnosis of the Iasi community on the needs of social assistance. The interest of local authorities is to ensure optimal conditions for the provision of quality social services, leading to an improvement in the quality of life of people at social risk. This article makes a complex assessment of the social problems faced by the local community in Iasi, using the analysis of documents, questionnaires and focus groups. The special contribution is given by the development strategy of the resulting local social assistance system, with emphasis on the category of elderly beneficiaries.

Around ethical dilemmas in the work of a family assistant

2021 ◽  
Vol 597 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-17
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Ciczkowska-Giedziun
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Helping Relationship ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Right ◽  
Voluntary Cooperation

The purpose of the article is to describe selected ethical dilemmas in the work of a family assistant, based on the typology of ethical dilemmas of Frederic Reamer. In accordance with the typology adopted in the article, in the area of cooperation with families, ethical dilemmas regarding direct work with families, implementation of social assistance programs and relationship between representatives of the profession arise. The information presented in the text is based on publications, studies and reports on family assistantship. The first group of ethical dilemmas is revealed when constructing supportive and helping relationship between assistants and families. It refers to such areas as: voluntary cooperation, limits of cooperation, the right to self-determination or limits of responsibility. The second group of ethical dilemmas is related to the planning and implementation of various solutions in the field of social policy and also support and assistance programs offered to the family. The last group of ethical dilemmas results from a different understanding of family assistantship in the structures of the social assistance system. They are also revealed in the construction of relationships with social workers. The text also includes solutions how to cope with these dilemmas.

Strategy for solving social problems as a tool for managing the development of the social assistance system in a county. Theoretical and methodological aspects

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 51-67
Author(s):  
Marek Klimek
Keyword(s):  
Social Participation ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Assistance System ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Methodological Aspects

The obligation to develop a county (powiat) strategy for solving social problems results from the provisions of the Act of March 12, 2004 on social assistance. This article presents the role of this strategy in the process of reducing social problems: unemployment, poverty, homelessness, addictions, problems of the elderly and disabled, orphans, etc. It indicates the role of social participation in the process of developing the strategy and implementing its objectives. The cooperation of local authorities, social assistance units, NGOs and many other institutions remains a basic condition for the effective implementation of the strategy.

scholarly journals Wybrane uwarunkowania polityki pomocy społecznej na Podkarpaciu

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 7-27
Author(s):  
Piotr Frączek
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
The Social ◽  
Socially Excluded

The chosen conditions of social assistance policy in Podkarpacie ProvinceIn each country, a very important part of social policy is a social assistance. The social assistance helps people who are poor and socially excluded, because of economic and social reasons. The efficiency of social assistance is determined by many external and internal conditions. This article presents results of empirical research conducted on 378 social workers and chosen conditions of social assistance policy in Podkarpacie Province. The results of research and analysis suggest that policy of social assistance in the Podkarpacie Province is ineffective.

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