• Between theory and practice
    • The socio-pedagogical support as an element of social work with a chronically ill and disabled person (5)
      Disability and chronic illness are social issues that have been constituting one of the most frequent reasons for social assistance given by social welfare centres for many years. The aim of the paper was to present the social support and pedagogical support in social work provided to people with chronic illness and disability. The text is a cause for thought about finding new areas of activity in social work based on socio-pedagogical support.
    • Will power to violence, social and cultural aspects of the phenomenon of violent behaviour in the family (16)
      This article refers to the phenomenon of domestic violence examined from the point of view of cultural factors and in the context of negative predispositions of particular social actors to undertake actions motivated by their need for power and domination over others. These issues were analysed in three thematic sketches, which relate to violence against men, women and children. Particularly noteworthy is the first group of recipients of violent behaviour. Violence toward men is in fact a phenomenon so far definitely marginalized in public discourse or even considered to be non-existent. In many cases, it is treated as a kind of cultural schizophrenia of the male social role.  Therefore it requires more detailed analysis of the research, however while maintaining the necessary criticism realistically taking into account significance of violence experienced by men as a social problematic issue, not a media sensation and competitive issue in relation to the violent behaviour towards women and children.
    • Outreach in social work (40)
      This publication is an attempt to draw attention to the outreach approach in social work. The work is as a result of the author's experience rather than from scientific literature and expresses the importance of the implementation approach during the current situation of social problem explosion. The text is based on describing the range of requirements necessary for the usage of the outreach approach; hence on the detailed diagnosis of a person in a social risk situation, the fiels assessment by the social worker, plan and spontaneous action as well as the good psychological base. The author presents various techniques that may be used in operation and looks into situations that are a result of the specific outreach approach.
    • Conflict and violence involving the elderly in social care homes in Podlasie - legal solutions and recommendations for improvement (50)
      The presented article takes up the subject of conflict and violence infolving elderly residents of social care homes for chronically ill. Firstly, it discusses the legal regulations appropriate to these situations, to further evaluate these regulations and recommend improvements, based on qualitative research conducted in three social care homes in Podlasie. Particular attention was payed to changes in legal regulations regarding placing residents in care homes, legally expanding the staff's rights with regard to preventing aggression, filling staff vacancies in care homes, investments in improving staff qualifications, improving communication and information regarding payments for care services, improving the image of the institutions and mutual respect, and thought-through distribution of residents within the facility.
    • Implementation of health services in the nursing home for the elderly (70)
      In the light of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland the citizen nas the right to health care. This also applies to elderly people in a nursing home (DPS). The deepening of indigestion, the coexistence of many diseases, their chronicity and the level of complications trigger the increase in demand for DPS for systematic, 24-hour geriatric medical care (medical care, nursing and rehabilitation services). Realizing the health needs of elderly people in DPS by health care providers is a source of controversy, hence the need for legislative changes to shift the burden of health financing in DPS to the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ).
    • Working with the children and youth with intellectual disabilities in the environment of a nursing home - the trajectory of social orphans' lives (85)
      The main aim of this article is to present the issues of working with children and youth with intellectual disabilities in the environment of a nursing home. The authors try to answer the questions which methods and forms of work with children with intellectual disabilities are practiced, and which of them are considered the most effective. The attention is also drawn to the relationship with a family and socio-economic situation of parents as important factors which determine the decision about putting a child in the nursing home. The considerations have the theoretical and empirical character.
    • Selected normative and practical aspects of awarding of a educational allowance in the form of in kind or payment for services (104)
      The Act on State Support for Raising Children introduced to the Polish legal system a new educational allowance. Its purpose is a partial coverage of costs connected with raising children, including care for them and satisfying their needs. The araticle makes an attempt to consider the legal solution that aims to prevent wasting educational allowance. The paper shows the main practical quesstionsconcerning the change of the form of educational allowance in the form of in kind and payment for services.
  • Research
    • Attitudes of Social Welfare Centre employees as the determinant of openness to innovative changes in social work (123)
      The practice of social work shows that innovations in social work are introduced slowly and their application often meets with resisstance from social workers. The article presents the results of a survey conducted in August 2015 among the employees of the Warsaw Social Welfare Centre. The research was largely exploratory (cognitive) and was aimed at identifying the concerns of employees connected with the separation of social work from administratiave actions related to services provision. The purpose of the study was also to see how much interest in innovation there is in social work and to check how much knowledge on the subject the SWC employees have.
    • Practical lessons carried out in social work fiels of study in the opinion of the AMU in 2011th and 2015th graduates. A reflection on the education staff social assistance (137)
      This article consists of four parts. In the first I show theoretical approach the development of Polish social work as an academic discipline from the 60s to present time. I focus on the changes introduced in the education of staff of social assistance and how it developed as the autonomy of social work at Polish Universities. he second part is dedicated to the research methodology, constructed purposes, the proposed methods, techniques and the conduct and organization of research. In the third part I analyse the collected results of research devoted to the general feedback on the direction of social work and detailed, addressing specific practical subjects such as practical training in education, social project, professional practice, specialization practice, the areas of social work. The last part are the conslusions of the research and identification of the main dilemmas related to the academic education of future social welfare staff.
  • Practice
    • Origins and development of the modern hospice movement on the background of ongoing demographic and social changes in the world (155)
      Modern hospice movement in the world owes its contemporary apperance to the actions of Cicely Saunders in the 1960s. The initiatives undertaken in the field of widespread palliative care at the time resulted in the development of the dying and its family support. The manifestations of hospice care had their place in the development of the history of societies in ancient times. In the following historical epochs one should observe specific changes related to the relation of societies to illness, dying, and finally providing the patient with one or another kind of care. Tha aim of this article is to present and describe the changes that have occurred in the area of projects related to the implementation of the policy towards the dying and their family. Sketching this extremely important historical context will provide an in-depth understanding of the contemporary image of the world's hospice movement and will help to understand why such initiatives worls's hospice movement and will help to understand why such initiatives are currently being undertaken supporting specific groups involved in the border situation. The presented description is based on the analysis of thematic content of domestic and foreign literature. It covers the historical period from the ancient times and the latest history. Due to progressive social and demographic changes around the world (aging of the population, cancer incidence, family changes, and others), special attention should be paid to issues related to the development of palliative care, so that we can focus on active interest in this subject, to what I hope this article will enable readers.
  • For discussion
    • Disciplines of pedagogy in the training of social workers and family assistants (175)
      The aratiacle presents the model of pedagogical education across three stages of social workers and family asssistants training: bachelor studies (job title), master's studies and continuing education programs, justifying the necessity of pedagogy in an education process. The model consists of the disciplines of pedagogy ascribed to each stage of education and the justification of their importance for a solid and effective aid process in the light of principles and standards of social work and family assistance.
    • Vocational preparation of future social workers and rehabilitation educators (190)
      In Poland, the activities undertaken by social workers are usually separated from the tasks performed by rehabilitation educators. In other countries, these two professions are often correlated due to the converging interests. This is why an attempt has been made to undertake a certain reflection on the functiions performed by these professionals in the context of their knowledge, social and professional competences, and the values that they hold. The educational effectiveness of the special education studies (specialization: rehabilitation pedagogy) and social work studies at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, one of the state universities, were also reviewed.