Polish social services to families of children with disabilities: practice in an emerging setting

This article discusses a pilot study of the roles that social workers in Poland perform as they attempt to assist families whose children have disabilities. Questionnaires were administered to service providers at both government and non-profit agencies. Barriers to service provision for families were examined, as were the cultural, economic and political frameworks in which those services are provided. Results demonstrate the emergence of a dynamic group of workers interested in clarifying the mission of their profession and in educating the public about the services it can provide to families.