Street educator as an element of social prevention and rehabilitation system in Poland

The history of work with children and youth at risk of social maladjustment in their own living environment in Poland has over fifty years of tradition. However, it is only with the socio-political changes of the nineties of the last century and the formation of civil society that this form of work, help, support and education of young people at risk of social exclusion found its permanent role in the preventive and rehabilitative intervention system in Poland. Pedagogy of the street, despite facing resistance and criticism of punifically oriented representatives of the world of science and politics, recognizes the potential and possibilities inherent in the interactions taking place in the immediate environment of children and youth, without the need to separate them from it. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the role of the street pedagogue (educator) in the preventive and rehabilitative intervention system in Poland, examples of his/her work and possible difficulties they may face.