EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF FAMILY STUDIES IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY POLISH SOCIAL POLICY

Abstract

Taking into consideration the major activities of the state and non-governmental bodies in the area of social policy, the paper focuses on the question of to what extent the educational offer in the field of family studies conducted in public higher education institutions is related to current needs, problems and social issues. An analysis and evaluation of education in the field of family studies in correlation with contemporary social policy in Poland was carried out. It was observed that the learning objectives assumed in the curriculum in the areas of knowledge, skills and social competence as regards the field of family studies are not always directly related to the specific specialisation. This may lead to only apparent acquisition by the students of family studies of proper professional qualifications required in the labour market (e.g. as a family assistant, a mediator in family matters, caretaker of the elderly, a childcare professional, a coordinator of foster family care). Consequently, it seems justified to change the offer of education in the field of family studies from a general academic profile to a practical one, with close cooperation between academic teachers and employers. A significant challenge that deserves particular attention is a dual (alternating) mode of studies. This would allow the students in the field of family studies to obtain higher qualifications in a specific profession and prepare them for the competitive labour market.

Keywords

• education
• family studies
• pedagogy
• social policy
• studies