In the paper there are analyzed different perspectives and interpretations of the notions: social marginality and exclusion, there is also undertaken an attempt of their systematization. There are presented the fields of activities where different forms of marginality appear. There are also indicated the official, applied in the social policy documents interpretations of the mentioned notions. Another field of analysis are complex factors conditioning the state of social marginality as well as etiology and mechanisms of the social exclusion indicated in the light of chosen theoretical conceptions. The attention is also focused at the social change taking place after 1989 in Poland, as well as at the process of globalization, important undertaken in the paper issues are related to problems of poverty and social inequalities, especially connected with the unequal access to education.

Nowadays our place in the hierarchical structure of social relations (social ladder) is defined by education, knowledge and professional skills we possess. Broadly conceived education has a determining influence on the social position and prestige of individuals as well as social groups and even whole societies (states). The Human Development Index has become the most frequently used synthetic measure of social development adopted for respective countries all over the world. This index is based not only on economic development, but also the health and education factors.

The article aims to present the reasons for and consequences of educational inequalities among children and adolescents in danger of being marginalized. The annual Social Diagnosis or PISA findings confirm how a child’s dysfunctional family environment (poverty, addiction, violence) contributes to difficulties in gaining a proper level of education. Education is an indispensable tool in the process of offering children equal opportunities and can be used in programmes for teaching adolescents skills that would help them change their life situation. The project presented in the article, entitled “Enterprise in the street” and carried out by the Foundation for Poland, is one example of such measures.

In the paper there are analyzed the chosen dimensions of illness — the medical, psychological and social one. There is discussed the theory of the ill man’s social role in the light of T. Parson’s work, as well as there is presented the conception of disease in the context of notions of social deviation and stigmatization. There are presented the interpretations of A. Schulz and M. Douglas. There is also taken into consideration the specificity of the chronic disease and educational activities helpful in the work with chronically ill people (especially children and teenagers). There are presented the chosen consequences of the chronic diseases affecting young people in the school-age and directions of supporting the pupils’ development, health and education. In the next fragment of the paper there are indicated the chosen initiatives of European Union agencies related to the citizens’ health promotion and the tasks considered in the National Health Programme for the years 2007—2015.

This article presents the results of a study of the relations between parental socio-economic status (SES) and the organizational forms of education of their children with mild intellectual disability. The study was conducted on a Polish national sample of 260 families. It found that parental SES has a significant effect on the form of pupil education: most children from low SES families attend special schools whereas most children from higher SES families attend integrated schools. The study also found that this difference can largely be attributed to higher SES parents’ greater involvement in the choice of school for their children and different SES-dependent parental preferences. The author concludes that parental-SES-contingent diversification of children’s educational pathways is a socially and educationally adverse phenomenon.

The text presents the research into social distance towards people with mental retardation in two environments: the multicultural and monocultural ones. The presentation of studies has been preceeded by a brief introduction on social concepts of disability, with particular regard for intellectual impairment and the description of distancing in the multicultural environment.

Persons with disabilities are included in the group against the risk of marginalization and social exclusion in different spheres of social life. In this paper, was made references to the specific participation of people with intellectual disabilities in the labor market and the legal basis of vocational and social welfare in Poland. The attempt was taken to clarify the difficult access to the profession, or the lack of labor market participation of people with intellectual disabilities in the context of social exclusion and marginalization.

Analysis undertaken in the paper are focused at the problem of socially maladjusted persons’ educational exclusion. The problem is presented in the context of the social exclusion and analysis are related to two aspects: the first one is related to children’s and teenagers’ exclusion from the general education system, the second one is focused at the problems of socially maladjusted teenagers’ education in the context of resocialization institutions.

The article is describing examinations conducted in correction institutions and shelters for minors. Analysis of curriculum vitaes of young offenders constitutes the rich source of knowledge concerning determinants of the social maladjustment and school delays as well. Authors of the article shows in what way rehabilitation institutions are counteracting the social exclusion of their pupils organising the learning for them and vocational education. Authors regard the lack of the consequent care after leaving the correction institutions as the serious shortcoming of system of social rehabilitation.

The object of the article is the emancipating potential of critical theories exemplified by: empowerment theory (treated as an element of the radical social work), critical race theory, LatCrit theory and LGBT theory. The basic assumption accepted in the paper indicates categories of race and sexual orientations as the social constructions. In the context of racism and heteronormative rules they can become the base of social marginalization (as the discredited features). Critical discourses of the indicated theories are helpful in revealing the social bases of disadvantage statuses created by the criterion of race and sexual orientation as well as they are helpful in stimulating competencies of creating the positive identities and practicing emancipating actions.

The article contains an analysis of education as a way out of being marginalized in terms of population movements. The author presents the idea of meritocracy, the reasons for failure as a means of achieving social advancement. Then examines the causes of migration graduates not only in terms of an informed decision about upgrading the skills, but also in terms of coercion associated with the inability to find work in line with education on the domestic market.

The juxtaposition of high abilities and high risk in children’s behaviour which is the leitmotiv of this article, was treated in the category of specific educational paradox. The author tried to show that gifted and talented children and youths who have roots in the high risk group and are endangered of social marginalization, have a big potential and are not only ungifted in a stereotypical perception. Gifted and talented children and youth who are disruptive, or violent, or delinquent, or underachievers are an educational paradox worthy of explanation in a search for new and adequate solutions and explanations.

The aim of the article is to determine educational chances of rural children based on the research conducted at the Public Gymnasium in Łapów (Świętokrzyskie Province). The project also sought to identify socio-economic situation of the student respondents, their standard of living, educational chances, access to different forms of culture and education or possibilities to satisfy individual needs for development and education. Additionally, the research was aimed to determine financial and professional situation of the respondents’ families, their parents’ level of education, family structure and living standards, as well as parent-child relationship, parents’ involvement in their children problems and participation of students in socio-cultural events. According to the research findings, rural children have similar, but not the same, possibilities for individual personal and educational development compared to urban students. A detailed analysis of rural children’s educational chances in relation to the factors specified above has been included in the article. The research results allowed the author to identify the nature of educational chances of rural children who need assistance in receiving equal educational opportunities.

There are a lot of research, papers and books that undertake the problem of social exclusion touching various groups of people: women, disabled, ethnical, religious, poor or former prisoners. But there is a kind of gap, especially in polish social literature, a field of scientific reflection and social practice where few has been said, yet — children’s exclusion. In Polish conditions a convenience that “children and fish has no voice” is still strong and active, whereas all around the approach to children’s social status is named as an idea, a need and efforts to develop child participation, to build child citizenship. The paper presents the international instruments and tools of the idea od child participation and its development, the clue of contemporary idea of child participation, essential factors and strategies of promoting children’s social participation and creating children’s citizenship.

The term “exclusion” reflects properly the situation of children who are not accepted by their peers. This category of children includes children whose peers don’t allow them to play important roles or take up tasks in the group and openly show antipathy towards them. Also children who experience indifference from the group and are neglected in plays and other forms of team activity of the group belong to this category. The most common reason for exclusion of children is their incorrect functioning in relations with other people. The primary cause of which is the improper care and education in the family. This article gives a short characteristic of excluded children and describes examples of early prevention targeting parents whose children are in early childhood. The aim of this prevention is to educate parents belonging to the risk group, that is these parents who might have or have serious problems in fulfilling the parental role.

The aim of this article is to present the application of the idea of resilience in school pedagogical practise in order to foster the resiliency in students from the risk group who are potentially at risk of social exclusion. The aim of fostering resiliency in students is to achieve positive adaptation, understood as positive adjustment despite risks and adversities. At first the article presents the characteristic of the phenomenon of resiliency and basic assumptions of the concept, explaining the mechanisms of the phenomenon. Then, on the basis of the study of an individual case, the way of application the concept to plan the process of fostering resiliency in students was suggested.

The text concerns the increasing problem of marginalization of teacher’s occupational role in education system as well as in general public opinion. Historical context of the issue and its origins are presented. It has also been attempted to analyse several complex solutions to the problem.

In the process of socialization the man is collecting the number of diverse experience which are deciding on his further individual development. Constructive experience influences for shaping the mature identity and they enable to build positive social relations. However they aren’t a participation of everyone — the part of growing up persons is a subject of traumatic experience which are disturbing the psychosocial development and they can become the basis of the deviant social participation. Adolescents which experienced a trauma need the appropriate support in dealing with their traumatic experiences. In the article helpful forms of assistance were described in the social inclusion of persons presenting different problem behaviours, developing on the background of experienced injuries.

This paper provides a framework for how the system of support and educational aid addressed to children and youth of special educational needs works in Germany. The subject of analysis are contemporary German systems of regular and special education as well as formal and non-formal forms of support for children, youth and families which are either socially excluded or at danger of such exclusion. Example referred to in this paper is presentation of how the aforementioned institutions work in one of the states — North Rhine-Westphalia.

The aim of this paper is to broaden the perception of the function of art and exploring its potential, particularly with the focus on the theatre, in the process of education addressed at the young generation. The presence of the art in the process of education does not only produce individual practical benefits in the development but also serves as a preventive measure in terms of disturbing social phenomena.

This article aims at calling the readers attention to the classic concept of life affirmation contained in the upbringing philosophy of Bronisław Ferdynand Trentowski. The author refers to one of the original theses proposed by Trentowski, according to which the fundamental source of life affirmation of a young human being is the proper upbringing process, carried out by the first educators of children and the youth, i.e. parents, guardians and teachers. In his upbringing aretology Trentowski considered first of all such stoical virtues as wisdom, freedom, bravery, diligence, cheerfulness, punctuality, independence, honor, fortitude, inner peace, hope and modesty. The essence of his praxeological prescription for a happy life of children and the youth has been included in the final part of the article.