Social Policy and Social Work in the Czech Republic: Partners at Fragile Times

The present Czech social policy is a result of long-term historical development. There are a number of influences on its formation. These include the political direction of the country, the level of European integration, as well as the socio-demographic development of society and social problems, which have an increasingly intense impact on its character. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the reader to the specifics of social policy in the Czech Republic, both at the general theoretical level and at the purely practical, applied level. The emphasis is placed, among other things, on a critical assessment of its current state and the identification of weaknesses and threats arising from hitherto unresolved or insufficiently addressed social problems. Special attention is paid to the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech social welfare system. On top of that, the role of social work as a helping profession is discussed. It strongly follows the development of social policy and social and political affairs as it mainly serves as a protection agent, a mediator between social policy actors and citizens in need.