The goal of the article is to analyze theoretical consequences of applying a network perspective to the research on local social policy. I try to answer questions: if a researcher uses this research perspective, how does he or she understand local social politics and policy, which aspects of social politics/policy does this approach help to understand? The analysis of a network research on local social policy conducted in Poland in the recent years leads to the conclusion that three diverse understandings of the link between politics and local policy appear. In the fi rst one, based on Putnam’s approach, it is the dense civil society network that helps to understand the effectiveness in the provision of local services. In the second, it is the governance approach, the effectiveness is explained by pooling diversifi ed assets of local actors. The third approach allows to distinguish local advocacy coalitions and includes values in the analysis enabling to understand not only the effectiveness but also the contents of local social policy.