Inwestycje społeczne w Polsce na tle wybranych rozwiązań europejskich

The paper presents the research results of the Innovative Social Investment Strenghtening Communities in Europe (InnoSI) project. The main objective of the paper is to analyse the social investment approach implemented in the practice of social policy in Poland. The social investment instruments established in other selected European countries are also included in this article. After introducing the theoretical and conceptual background of social investment, the following models of social policy in Europe are described: Anglo-Saxon, Continental, Mediterranean and Nordic. The typology proposed by G. Esping-Andersen is used to present the approaches to social investment in four European countries represent four models: the Great Britain, Germany, Greece and Finland. Then the Polish social policy case study is analysed. The results of scientific literature review and policy analysis show that Poland represents another type of social policy model, named as paternalistic-market hybrid, inspired by different European solutions. In this model the social investment instruments like for instance parental leaves, vocational trainings, and social activation of elderly people go together with traditional social compensation and benefits.