Social work at the crossroads. Dissident social work and changes in education for the field of social work in Poland

Abstract

The critical debate on the current condition of social work in assistance systems is reflected not only in Poland, but also internationally, and it concerns the issue of the role of social work in societies affected by various crises. The article discusses the assumptions resulting from Paul Garret’s concept of dissident social work, referring some assumptions of the concept to several problems related to the scientific and professional condition of Polish social work and the needs and barriers to developing such forms of education for social work that correspond to changing social and market needs.Reviewing the educational offers of universities in Poland in the field of education for social work and comparing the popularity and possibilities of education for social work with the situation from a dozen or so years ago, the author of the text notes new educational opportunities, as well as a decrease in both the number of universities offering education in this field and the number of applicants for studies. Analysing the changes, she also draws attention to the dilemmas and the role of the Polish Association of Social Work Schools, which for over thirty years has been participating in the development of research, education and practice of social work in Poland and the integration of schools educating for social work, connecting three generations of researchers, teachers and social work practitioners.