Building Local Ecosystems for Social Services: Key Drivers of Deinstitutionalisation in Poland

Social services – including healthcare, education, child protection, elderly care, and housing – are key investments in human capital and sustainable development, not just welfare. In line with Agenda 2030, they are crucial for poverty reduction, improving health and education, and addressing inequalities. This paper proposes an ecosystem-based perspective on social service delivery, focusing on deinstitutionalisation and community-based provision. Addressing the gap in Poland’s research on ecosystem evaluations, we explore local drivers and barriers to effective service delivery, with a focus on CUS-led network governance and co-production. The study provides a policy framework linking ecosystem design to SDG outcomes and offers evidence to guide implementation in similar contexts. Based on literature review and PESTEL analysis the key factors shaping Poland’s deinstitutionalisation ecosystem have been identified. Service provision is shifting towards community-based models, supported by local service ecosystems integrating public institutions and civil society organizations.