Family, educational and vocational situation of young adults with disabilities in Poland and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Persons with disabilities are people whose physical, psychological, intellectual condition permanently or temporarily limits or prevents everyday life, education, work and fulfillment of social roles. There are about 4.7 million people with different kinds of disabilities in Poland (12.2% of the population) (Skoczynska- Prokopowicz, 2016). People with disabilities face major stigma and prejudice, although they form an important part of each society. In recent years, there has been a change in perception of possibilities and needs of people with disabilities in Poland. This improvement has not been seen in all aspects of everyday life of this group (e.g. job market, public life, some limitations connected with partial or full incapacitation). The Polish Constitution, as well as other legislation including UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), provides a general protection from discrimination and exclusion and guarantees access to education, employment and care. There arc some new organizational solutions that support people with disabilities (including those with an intellectual disability) and help them to participate in society as equal citizens. The education system and preparation to adulthood are a crucial stage to enable persons with disabilities to function as equal members of society with high quality of life. The article analyzes different aspects of family, educational and vocational situation of young adults with disabilities in Poland and shows main barriers, chances and recommendations to improve their access to social life according to assumptions of CPRD. There is still a need to develop a system of support and to improve cooperation between different entities like local government, educational bodies, employers, members of NGO and adults with disabilities.