Changes for Children June, 2006 Newsletter of the Project "Development of Integrated Social Services for Exposed Families and Children", financed by the European Union
officially declared 2006 the Year of Child children homes, and to deliver assistance IN FOCUS Protection in Ukraine. One of the steps to families caring for orphans. The goals of toward providing child support is an 11 the Ukrainian State as outlined by the Children Rights fold increase in the financial grant to President are concurrent with the aims of the EU Project "Development of Integrated The international day of child protection has been celebrated on 1st June in Europe for Social Services for Exposed Families and more than 50 years. This date reminds adults, of the importance of children's rights: to Children" which, starting from 2005 is live and be brought up in a family, to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, to edu being implemented in Kyiv Oblast by the cation, rest and leisure as well as to protection from violence. Since 1991 when Ukraine Representative Office of 'EveryChild' in ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the State has guaran Ukraine. The main goal of the Project is to teed to secure and protect children's rights. reduce the number of children living in res idential institutions and to support family > President Victor Yuschenko said this mother's on the birth of their children. He based care for children. Newly developed year "It is the sacred duty of our society, voiced a hope for a 2 fold increase in Integrated Social Services have been the state and individuals to do everything financial support for mothers taking care established in 32 rayon and city adminis possible to ensure that Ukrainian children of children under the age of 3 years old, trations throughout Kyiv Oblast. are happy and content; to support gifted which the State is considering. The children and to encourage those with spe President highlighted the commitment of You can read more about their activities cial talents and to develop their personali State authorities to overcoming child and achievements in supporting vul ties. Together we must advocate for and homelessness, to support for families in nerable families and children in this stand up for our small citizens". He also crisis, for the development of family type edition of the Newsletter.
Work of Integrated for children who cannot live with their own ers with their children. 6 infants require Social Services families to live in a family environment, substitute family care. either through adoption or foster care. > During 2006 a range of services to The pilot sites of Vyshhorod and Fastiv were ensure the right of the child to live in a fam Promoting foster care and adoption and the first rayons where the programme "A ily have been developed within the frame providing, training and support for such Family for Every Child" (so called Plan of work of the Project. Each of the services is families are the main tasks for FCSS. Action for the local authorities in terms of aimed at either supporting families to care Information campaigns initiated by the the EU Project) has been developed and for their own children or where this is not social workers from FCSS have been implemented. The programme was dis possible finding substitute families for effective in identifying 120 residents of cussed at the extended meeting of the them. Early Intervention Services (EIS) and Kyiv Oblast who have expressed a desire Coordination Councils for Childhood Family Care Support Services (FCSS) are to become foster carers or adopt a child. Protection and approved by the Heads of 20 people have completed the training rayon State Administrations. In the above and 10 have been recommended mentioned rayons as well as in Borodyan as foster carers or adoptive par skyy, Pereyaslav Khmelnytskyy and ents. FSS are operational in 31 Skvyrskyy rayons the Project was officially rayons and city administrations of presented to Heads of Village and Township Kyiv Oblast and provide assis Councils to include them in the activities. tance to families in crisis. This year 837 families have been referred and supported. 60 In This Issue: social workers are working for 31 EIS, preventing abandonment of Activities of Services 2 the newly born children. In 2006 there were 27 attempts of aban Local Work 3 donment registered in Kyiv Working meeting of Project Team Leader Elayn Sammon Oblast. 8 cases are successfully Legislation Reviews 3 with foster families in Vyshgorod prevented (Kyievo Svyatoshyn skyy, Bohuslaskyy, Borodyanskyy Training Component 4 Rayons, Fastiv and Brovary towns). working predominantly to prevent the EU Project at 1st 4 breakdown of a vulnerable family, provid 13 mothers applied for temporary National TV Channel ing short term intervention or long term placement of the children to residential support, while Family Care Support institutions and receive continuing Services (FCSS) are finding possibilities social work support to reunite the moth
This project is financed by the European Union This project is implemented by the «EveryChild» Consortium Newsletter of the Project "Development of Integrated Social Services for Exposed Families and Children", financed by the European Union ACTIVITIES OF SERVICES
Family Care Amendments made to the Regulations on the Foster Family (Decree of the Ruslan`s Story Support Service Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 565 as of 26 April 2006) and Regulations on > 10 year old Ruslan lives with his fos > Preamble of Convention on the Rights Family Type Children's Home (Decree ter carers Svitlana and Oleksander. of the Child says that "for the full and har of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Energetic, active and restless Ruslan monious development of child's person No. 564 as of 26 April 2006) require has already received 2nd category in ality, he or she should grow up in a fami people who wish to become foster car trampoline jumps and acrobatics. He is ly environment, in an atmosphere of hap ers or parent educators to undertake a diligent and responsible student who piness, love and understanding"1. Family specific initial, on going and regular enjoys playing computer games and Care Support Services (FCSS) are aimed training. It is expected that in several spending weekends with his family at to ensuring possibility for the children years foster parents and parents edu the dacha. Life for Ruslan was difficult orphans and children deprived of cators from the family type children's after the death of his parents and he parental care to be brought up in a fami homes will develop advanced skills in lived for some time in a children's caring for children and will be recog ly environment. Services are developed home. Now he has a real family again nised as highly qualified professionals. in the framework of the EU Project and he is once again enjoying life. Lyubov Tlostyuk, a social worker from operate in Kyiv Oblast. Certainly social workers play a primary Vyshhorod Family Care Support EU Project Assistant Oleksiy Kurka role in the development of substitute Service, is almost considered another describes the services and their work in family care for vulnerable children. They more detail. are responsible for conducting informa member of the family. She was tion campaigns, assessing and select involved in training Svitlana and ing carers with the capacity to care for Oleksander and helped the family in FCSS have been created and are opera the individual needs of children, and for the initial days when Ruslan left the tional in 19 rayons and towns of Kyiv training and supporting foster carers children's home. She continues in her Oblast. In accordance with the agree and families when children are placed. professional capacity to support and ments signed between Representative Social workers of FCSS, developed meet the family regularly. Office of EveryChild in Ukraine and within the framework of the Project are oblast/rayon leadership, social workers also trained in providing complex social employed to provide Integrated Social support to families, foster carers, par Services are required to undertake train ent educators of family type homes and ing to ensure they have the necessary adoptive families. skills to provide innovative and complex social services The social workers from FCSS are cur rently applying their knowledge and skills In cooperation with specialists from Kyiv in order to assess the capacity of those oblast Training Centre the technology for who have come forward as potential fos development and support of foster car ter carers, and have noted an increase in ers, and family type homes has been for those willing to establish foster families. mulated and training in this methodology Each month in almost each rayon and has been provided to social workers town of Kyiv oblast approximately 3 or 4 since April 2006. The initial training was families shows a firm intention to adopt dedicated to methods of assessing the Ruslan and his family or foster a child. They are registered with capacities of the potential foster carers FCSS where they begin the process of and parents educators of Family Type collecting the necessary documents in Children's Homes. The training also cov preparation for attending the obligatory The Project therefore plans to work with ered the legal aspects and implications training. There are 78 families overall reg the State Institute for Family and Youth of foster care. istered in Kyiv oblast, which makes Problems, which is responsible for edu cation and certifying trainers amongst Further training is planned with the approximately 125 persons. Of these, 20 social workers in order to increase the objective of ensuring appropriate selec people have undertaken training, organ number of certified trainers by at least tion and matching of children and foster ised by Kyiv oblast Centre of Social 20 this year. Meanwhile the staff and carers, provision of on going social sup Services for Family, Children and Youth. Experts of the Project will continue to port of the children placed in the family Since training for the potential candi work to improve the theory and practice type institutions, and enhancing parents' dates to become foster carers can be of the family types of state placement and carers professional skills in realising conducted only by certified specialists for children orphans and children their responsibilities towards children. from the social sector, of which there deprived of parental care and support, Although the first foster placement in are currently only 4 in Kyiv oblast, this in co operation with partners — nation Ukraine was made more than 7 years ago means that a growing number of fami al and local State administrative author it is only now that professional training lies and children will have to await ities, NGOs and community groups, has begun at a national level. assessment selection and matching. parents and children.
1 http://everychild.org.ua/uk/laws/international/convension/
This project is financed by the European Union 2 This project is implemented by the «EveryChild» Consortium Newsletter of the Project "Development of Integrated Social Services for Exposed Families and Children", financed by the European Union LOCAL WORK
have been already prepared to be News from Vyshhorod Here is what the clients of the placed in the foster families. > The social economic crisis in service say: "I am really thankful you helped me. I can't believe our country has impacted on the Within the structure of the centre what life would look like now without my brother". welfare of families and subse there are three extra services A young woman supported to care for her quently has seen conditions for developed and acting: Emergency children deteriorate. Vyshhorod younger brother. "Thank you. My kids are still with me. That is the Protection Service, Reintegration rayon is not an exception: of a Service for those children living in child population of 12,000, 1005 most important thing". Single mother. residential institutions to help them live in multi children families, return home and a Service provid 1481 in single parent or extended ing support to Children who are in Services. They began their activities families, 576 in families in crisis. 246 Conflict with Law. The system of in May, working in Vyshhorod, at the children are with limited abilities, 202 Integrated Social Services developed address Shevchenka Square, 1. of them are children orphans or chil in the rayon allows us to concentrate dren deprived of parental care. Each the activities of all the organisations "One of the main directions of fourth child in the rayon needs spe and institutions in the rayon to pro Integrated Social Services in cial attention. Taking into considera vide comprehensive assistance while Vyshhorod rayon is ensuring the right tion the importance of ensuring chil observing the interests of the child. of every child to grow up and develop in a family or family environment" tells head of Vyshhorod centre of Legislation social services for family, children and youth, Nataliya Rud'ko who Reviews describes in detail, the work with families in crisis. "There are 3 spe > Within the framework of the cialists supporting 50 families in cri Project a monthly review of legisla sis. Agreement is made with the fam tive acts and draft regulations is ily and a joint plan of action is produced covering issues of child defined. When a case is closed the protection and development of family is asked to complete a ques innovative services. The review is tionnaire asking about the support undertaken and written by the they received and allowing them to Project Legal Experts and is aimed make suggestions for improvement at representatives of national and to the service. international non governmental The FCSS is also successful. Two organisations, local and national social workers provide information State executive bodies within the campaigns in order to promote devel context of childcare and child wel opment of the foster families. They fare reform activities in Ukraine. Meeting of Coordination Council for Childhood are also involved in selection, educa If you wish to receive legal reviews, Protection, Vyshgorod Rayon State tion and support of the candidates to Administration please, send your request to become foster carers. Currently [email protected]. You can there are 5 foster families developed also download them from the web dren rights Vyshhorod Rayon State in the rayon. Now social workers con site of EveryChild Representative Administration was among the first duct work with 5 couples and 4 candi Office at www.everychild.org.ua which supported the idea of develop dates to become foster carers; 10 ment of the Integrated Social children from the children's homes
Children in Focus addiction, to find a job and a home. the baby in the Baby Home. Her She worked with the whole family so case was referred to the early inter that the boys could go home. Now vention service that identified a Tarashcha Rayon they are all living together happily social worker to support her. She > Petrus and Ivanko Mum, Katya, had and the social worker continues to received psychological counseling; separated from her husband and had monitor and support them. help with repairing her home, sup lost her job and her home. She port to obtain social financial bene began to abuse alcohol and subse Bila Tserkva Rayon fits, and appropriate medical care. quently the two boys were placed in > Liudmyla was pregnant with her Working together, her social worker children's home and were very third child when her husband left and the health professionals helped unhappy to be separated from their her. She lived in very poor condi Liudmyla to feel more optimistic and Mum. The Family Support Service tions, was in debt to the utilities subsequently she changed her was alerted and began to work with company and had very little support mind. Now Liudmyla and her three Katya. The social worker helped her from her family. She had decided children are living happily and safely to receive treatment for her alcohol that the only solution was to leave together.
This project is financed by the European Union 3 This project is implemented by the «EveryChild» Consortium Newsletter of the Project "Development of Integrated Social Services for Exposed Families and Children", financed by the European Union
Training Component Family Children and Youth and the Heads of Service for Minors. > To be a skilled professional in The main goal of the 4 day training working with children and families "Management and Cooperation of social workers need to understand the Services for Minors and Social the psychology of families, to be Services for Family, Children and able to work with them as educators, Youth: Strategies for Change" was help to resolve conflicts and be team to enhance cooperation and multi players. All these key elements are agency working and to develop the integrated into practical training professional competency of programs for social workers. Managers. On the basis of case In April 2006 a set of regional work studies 69 participants worked to shop trainings was held for the Participants of the training 17 19 of April, 2006 develop methodologies for resolv workers from Early Intervention and ing problems, and discussed issues introduced to the Job Descriptions of Family Support Services. Participants of cooperation and interaction when the FSS and EIS social workers and the reviewed the activities of the Social advocating for the rights of the chil principles of inter agency cooperation Services for Families, Children and dren. They agreed a Plan of as the basis for the social support of Youth within the context of the state Cooperation between Services for families in crisis. As a result a further policy to ensure the rights of the child; Minors and Social Services for Family, 119 social workers are now putting learned about criteria for accepting Children and Youth at the rayon levels, learning into practice. referrals, how to assess families and which reflects reality as it was noted by how to provide effective support to The next step in the training pro the participants that the models and families in crisis, as well as methods of gramme was development of effec situations proposed during the training social work to prevent abandonment of tive management skills for Directors were similar to those they are facing in infants. Additionally participants were of Centers of Social Services for their daily activities.
EU Project at 1st National On 26 May key stakeholders of the EU Project "Development of TV Channel Integrated Social Services for > A television marathon on 1st Exposed Families and Children" National TV Channel described the Elayn Sammon, EU Project Team life of the European Union and its Leader, Volodymyr Kuzminskyy, relationship with Ukraine. Every EveryChild Country Director and Friday "Five out of Seven" program Svitlana Tolstoukhova, Head of the presented the most successful and State Social Services for Family, efficient projects currently being Children and Youth were invited to implemented in Ukraine with the the lively broadcasted TV program financial support of the European "Five out of Seven" in order to dis Union. cuss "Social support to the exposed children and families". Every day in Ukraine the number of children living in residential institutions increases, although none of these institutions can substitute for the love and care Svitlana Tolstouhova and Volodymyr of a mother and father for a child. Kuzminskyy in TV Programme "5 out of 7" The programme addressed this issue and discussed how the dren in Ukraine. A foster family European experience is being spoke about their experience and applied to provide solutions for the the role of the social workers in Kushnirenky`s foster family care and support of vulnerable chil helping them to become a family. Contacts
Project "Development of Representative Office of the State Social Services for Family, Representative office of Integrated Social Services for European Commission in Ukraine Children and Youth EveryChild in Ukraine Exposed Families and Children" 10, Kruglouniversytetska Street 51 B, Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street 3, Lastovskogo Street, office, 2 14, Desyatynna Street 01024, Kyiv,Ukraine 01030, Кyiv, Ukraine 01011, Kyiv, Ukraine 01025, Кyiv, Ukraine Tel.: +38 (044) 253 30 20 Теl.: +38 (044) 234 45 85 Теl.: +38 (044) 537 22 94 Tel.: +38 (044) 270 55 16, 279 52 53 Fax: +38 (044) 253 45 47 Fax: +38 (044) 244 40 00 Fax: +38 (044) 285 75 82 E mail: [email protected] Web: www.delukr.cec.eu.int E mail: [email protected] E mail: [email protected] Web: www.everychild.org.ua Web: www.dcssm.gov.ua Web: www.everychild.org.ua
Responsible for issue: Halyna Hudz
This project is financed by the European Union 4 This project is implemented by the «EveryChild» Consortium