EN
The aim of the article is to examine all issues related to social services - definition, theoretical approaches, historical development, institutional and legal instruments, as well as the presentation of the particular areas of social services and their increasing role in the implementation of active social policy. Popularization of this topic seems to be very current at opportunity of many ongoing discussions about the condition of the welfare state, social policy reforms, the search for new paradigms in science and social practice. The aim of the publication is to demonstrate the increasing role and importance of social services to satisfy the needs of individuals and groups in different areas of socio-economic development. (original abstract)