Overview of the Polish family policy in 1989–2015

The paper presents main directions of family policy in Poland. The author distinguishes and analyses three main periods: the transformation period (1989–1997), the transition period (1997–2005), and the mature period (2005–2015). The paper identifies and discusses three most durable characteristics of the Polish model of family policy, i.e. the lack of coherence and institutional integrity, pro-natalism, and familialism. In general, differences between main political actors in the area of family policy have not been significant. However, the tensions between pro-market and culturally conservative ideas have influenced the policies to the largest extent