The role of the informal care in the social security system in the Czech Republic

The aim of this dissertation is to examine and analyze the state support of informal care in the Czech Republic, to point out the importance of informal care in the context of long-term care development in the Czech Republic and on the basis of own research to propose such socio-political measures activities. The thesis defines informal care in the context of long-term care in the Czech Republic in the period of transformation of social services and the process of deinstitutionalization of residential social services. The basic theoretical basis is the theory of the welfare state. The thesis describes and analyzes the current forms of support for informal care in the Czech Republic. The theory of social construction of target populations was chosen as a theoretical framework for the descriptions of individual supports; attention was paid to the development of the policy design of the researched policy. A research survey using the questionnaire method was conducted to research the situation of informal carers. It has been found that support for informal care takes place at several levels. While indirect support for informal carers in the form of a care allowance is on the rise and can be expected to increase very significantly, the number of beneficiaries and thus government spending, the new direct support, the long-term sickness benefit to and the sickness insurance scheme it is far from being used as expected. Other state support is very marginal support. Following the findings, a modification of long-term carer’s allowance, a new benefit for informal caregivers, a comprehensive analysis of the care allowance and support for the development of long-term care, especially relief services, are proposed.