THE PERSONAL BUDGET AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE TRANSFORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. FROM WORLDWIDE CONCEPTUAL ASSUMPTIONS TO POLISH IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSALS

The main aim of the article is to introduce the concept of a personal budget (PB) for people with disabilities to a wider academic discussion in Poland. The article is based on an analysis of the literature on the subject and of foreign solutions as well as Polish proposals that have emerged recently as part of the operationalisation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.The key issue is the ideological basis of the PB and the resulting construction of the instrument. These are based on the postulate of a shift from creating social services in a 'system-centred approach' to a 'person-centred approach'. The nature of PB makes it have the potential to build a balance between these approaches.The article also contains preliminary remarks and discussion directions concerning the possibility of implementation and the role of PB as an instrument of social policy in Poland supporting persons with disabilities. It also presents the advantages and disadvantages of the instrument and possible implementation difficulties for its users, organisers and providers of social services.