Transforming an Orphanage Into a Family Support Facility

Home , Home Children, Orphan, Orphanage

Committee on the Rights of the Child United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Kazakhstan

TRANSFORMING AN ORPHANAGE INTO A FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY

A Procedural Guide

Shymkent 2008

Pictures: Raikhan Amzeyeva, UNICEF, Kazakhstan 2008

The views expressed in this document are the responsibility of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy and views of UNICEF. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNICEF concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authority, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The figures and material in these publications cannot be reprinted, cited, or used in other way without reference to this report.

This report is disseminated free of charge.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative office in the Republic of Kazakhstan 10-a Beibitshilik, block 1, 010000 Astana Tel: (+7 7172) 321797, 322969 Fax: (+7 7172) 321803 Web-site: www.unicef.kz E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

This procedural guide has been prepared as part of a project entitled "Transforming Orphanages to Protect Children’s Rights in South Kazakhstan Oblast (SKO)". The project was launched by children’s home No.3 in Shymkent and the SKO department of education under the auspices of UNICEF. These guidelines are aimed at specialists working in residential institutions, care facilities and children’s rights departments, social workers, psychologists and all those who have an interest in the future of children who have lost their families or found themselves in difficulty.

Compiled by: R.U. Amzeyeva, T.V. Prackht, Y.N. Fatkina – NGO, Harmony Family Psychology Center, Shymkent

3 Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Main Stages of Transformation

Step1. Assessing the ability of the staff of Shymkent Children’s Home No. 3 to undertake the transformation and the training and materials required

1. How and why the assessment was carried out 2. Results of the assessment and staff training recommendations 3. List of materials and software required for staff duties and for training

Step2. Teaching, training and motivating the children’s home staff 1. Training workshops for care facilities and staff 2. Motivation, teaching, training 3. The transformation plan, the objectives, responsibilities, activity, and structure of the Family Support Facility 4. Responsibilities of Family Support Facility staff. Job Descriptions.

Step 3. Setting up and managing field social work teams, staff training 1. Stage 1– Preparation 2. Stage 2–Theory 3. Stage 3 – Practice

Step 4. Developing procedures for reuniting a child with his/her birth family. Mapping and individual planning 1. The Family Support Facility’s work with the birth family of a child placed in the institution 2. Assessing the birth family’s circumstances 3. Electronic database of birth families 4. Individual child protection plan. Integrated child and family records. The concilium.

Step 5. Developing a working relationship with a foster family 1. Guidelines for working with a foster family 2. Information campaign to recruit prospective adoptive parents 3. The criteria for selecting adoptive parents and assessing their motivation to adopt 4. School for Adoptive Parents 5. Planning and preparing for the placement of a child with a foster family 6. Foster family support and monitoring 7. Criteria for evaluating a child’s care and well-being in the foster family

Step 6. Working with dysfunctional families 1. Risks involved in identifying a family as dysfunctional 2. Working with dysfunctional families 3. Identifying and registering dysfunctional families 4. Profile of a dysfunctional family 5. Family support models: educational; social and legal; psychological and medical 6. Criteria of family dysfunction 7. Specialist techniques for counselling a dysfunctional family

4 Step 7. Creating a child-friendly environment in care facilities

1. What constitutes a “child-friendly environment” in care facilities 2. Assessing a child-friendly environment in care facilities 3. Indicators of child-friendliness in care facilities 4. Friendly environment models for different care facilities (infants’ home, special sheltered accommodation, youth home, children’s home) 5. Training for children’s home and Family Support Facility staff on the psychological aspects of their work with families and children

Step 8. Evaluating the knowledge, skills and motivation of children’s home and Family Support Facility Staff after training

1. Comparative analysis of the initial evaluation and re-evaluation after training 2. Conclusion

III. Estimated cost of gradually transforming Shymkent Children’s Home No.3 into the South Kazakhstan Oblast Family Support Facility and of De- Institutionalizing South Kazakhstan Oblast

1. Cost estimates for the gradual transformation of Shymkent Children’s Home No.3 into a Family Support Facility 2. Comparative analysis of financial expenses for current and proposed types 3. Estimate of the cost of de-institutionalization in South Kazakhstan Oblast

IV. Appendices

V. References

5 I. Introduction

Recently, many European countries and countries in the CIS (Russia, Belarus) have acknowledged that being placed in care nearly always affects the development and health of a child with no family. Numerous studies prove that children brought up in institutions often have physical, emotional, social, and cognitive impairment. There are many reasons why children in care have personal and developmental problems. Among these are : − various forms of deprivation (maternal, motor, sensory, mental, emotional, social); − group education; regimentation of the child’s life; − instability (i.e., repeated change) of adults looking after/teaching children; − lack of privacy; each child is with other children and adults 24-hours a day; − no personal possessions or private space; − narrow developmental environment restricts children’s specific sentient experiences because of the small number and uniformity of objects the children operate with (welfare items, special toys); − no lasting relations with or sense of belonging within the community, which is essential for socialisation; − inadequate psychological and teaching qualifications among staff members; − lack of rehabilitation and assistance programs oriented at child developmental problems caused by the absence of their family; − Uniform approach to the education of each child in the institution. Indications of inadequate personal development are noticeable in emotions and behavior, inability to interact socially, self-mistrust, lack of self-organization and sense of purpose. Therefore in children’s best interests, it is essential, where possible, to avoid placing a child in an orphanage institution. For young children already in these institutions, action should be taken as soon as possible to place them with families, thus minimizing harm and maximizing their chances of recovery. In most cases, family is the only natural protective environment for a child. The family ensures care and protection of a child. In the family, each child is a personality. In an institution, that personality is lost among others. The right of a child to live and be brought up in a family is enshrined in law. The “Children of Kazakhstan” Program adopted on 21 December 2007 by the Government of the RoK emphasizes the importance of the gradual transformation in the functioning of orphanage institution. Placing children with families or creating conditions similar to families appear to be the most effective means of successfully socializing orphaned children and children without parental care.

This procedural guide is an account of the transformation of SKO Shymkent Children’s Home №3 into a Family Support Facility. This was undertaken as part of the “Transformation of Children’s Homes to Protect the Rights of the Child in South Kazakhstan Oblast” – a project implemented by Children’s Home №3 and the SKO Education Department under the auspices of UNICEF. The main objective of the project is to contribute to the protection of a child’s right to live within a family by transforming children’s homes and developing family support institutions in South Kazakhstan oblast.

The guide describes each step in the first stage of transforming the institution: − assessing the staff of the children’s home’s ability to make the changes; − informing and training the staff; − setting up and managing field teams; − establishing and testing procedures for working with birth families; − establishing and testing procedures for working with adoptive families; 6 − establishing procedures for working with dysfunctional families; − creating a child-centred environment in a children’s home; − making a final assessment of the knowledge, skills and motivation level of children’s home staff

This guide includes information on the gradual change in the funding required to finance the residential child-care system as the de-institutionalization process in SKO progresses.

The appendices include documents used in the FSF. Role-play and other techniques used in personnel training are of particular interest.

We would especially like to thank the specialists of the Child Protection Department of South Kazakhstan Oblast’s education administration; the staff of children’s homes Nos.1, 2, 3 and 4, the Bauyrzhan children’s home, Shymkent Child and Adolescent Rehabilitation Centre, the Infant Home, the Oblast Youth Centre, CIIARM and the following NGOs: the Sana Sezym Legal Centre for Women’s Enterprise, the Enterprise Support Centre and the Intellect Economic and Civil Education Centre of South Kazakhstan Oblast, who put their hearts and souls into this project.

7 II. MAIN STAGES OF TRANSFORMATION

Step1. Assessing the ability of the staff of Shymkent Children’s Home No. 3 to undertake the transformation and the training and materials required

1. How and why the assessment was carried out

The first stage of the transformation was the assessment of children’s home staff and their ability to modify and extend the function of their establishment. This was critically important since the success of such projects depends on how motivated staff members are to make the required changes. A motivated specialist will potentially achieve a great deal: adapt to new requirements, undertake retraining, develop his/her personality and aptitude for working with children and families on a different level.

Assessment objectives: 1. To assess the ability and motivation of the staff to make changes to the way the children’s home operated. 2. To determine if their skills were sufficient for working with families and children (birth families, foster families, at-risk families). 3. To assess their psychological and practical competence and their ability to interact successfully with parents and children, i.e.: - parental capabilities (education, knowledge of age-specific aspects of child development, acceptance-rejection of a child, respect for and trust in a child, understanding children’s personalities); - empathy (ability to empathize, maintain a friendly approach); - communication skills (competent communication, ability to respond to conflict, etc.). 4. To determine the training the children’s home staff would need and any materials or established methodologies for working with children and families. Assessment methods: 1. Conversation. 2. Observation. 3. Questionnaire (Appendix 1): - Questionnaire №1 assesses staff motivation and level of skill in working with children and families; - a further questionnaire was used to determine the parental aptitude and level of psychological and practical competence of the staff, i.e., answering the question “What do we know about our children?” 4. Testing (Appendix 2): - Test of parent’s attitude - “I am at work” test. - Testing the "carer’s ability to empathize" (I. М.Yusupov). - Assigner’s Test (assessing the carer’s aggressive tendencies). - questionnaire assessing the carer’s mental resilience.

2. Results of the assessment and staff training recommendations

The assessment showed that some children’s home personnel are sufficiently motivated to make these major changes, while others demonstrated resistance and unwillingness to adapt. This appeared to relate mainly to the age of the employees and their established view that orphaned children should live in a state institution. Many employees are willing to help children and have vast experience of working in these institutions. However, in order to improve the way they carry out their duties, they also require a sufficient awareness of the aims and responsibilities of the children’s home, namely, the children’s personal development, preparing children to become 8 responsible people, able to socialize, adapt, and integrate into society, allowing a child’s ego to develop. It is also essential to increase the knowledge and skills of children’s home staff with regard to their work with families and children: their knowledge of and role in family placement issues, ability to work with families; their ability to interact effectively with parents and children; their knowledge of activities used in developing a child’s personality (emotional and behavioural, cognitive, and communication aspects) and social and psychological adaptation; their ability to work autonomously. The assessment results enabled us to identify three key areas for staff development and training: information and methodology, education and practice, motivation and prevention.

Information and Methodology

This category aims to improve the skills of children’s home staff by raising their awareness of particular issues. Staff development would include the following: − educational and counselling work to establish an environment in the institution conducive to the accommodation, education and rehabilitation of children and the development of the mental, ethical, physical, aesthetic and social aspects of a child’s personality. A children’s home employee is unique in that he/she becomes very important to a child, devotes most of his/her time to the child and is their example of behaviour, relationships and emotional response. If specialist carers are not skilled enough in their work, children do suffer and the damage to them may be irreparable.

− psycho-physiological child development, implementing individualised educational and developmental techniques, understanding different aspects and stages of child development and the developmental problems which may stem from psychological trauma, family separation or abusive treatment.

− preparing a child for placement with a foster family, working with foster and birth families, at-risk families, measures to prevent orphanhood. It is very important that children’s home staff understand their role in working with children and a families, and have the skills necessary to assess a child’s needs.

− co-operating with and offering basic psychological support to a child in crisis or in a situation of conflict. If orphaned children have suffered psychological trauma they are sometimes assessed as being or having the potential to be “problem children”. Children’s home staff often have to manage aggression, anxiety, fear, and behavioural problems but do not always manage to prevent them.

Education and Practice

Enhancing the psychological and pedagogical competence of children’s home staff by developing the skills and qualities essential to their work and their ability to put them into practice: • Developing basic competence and skills to work successfully in a family support facility: - ability to establish a relationship of trust with children and families; - ability to handle conflict; - ability to offer basic psychological support; - ability to understand a child’s emotions and attachments as their lives change and to explain these to a child’s new parents;

9 - experience and competence when offering help to a child and a family where a child is being moved (from his/her birth family to a children’s home, from a children’s home to a family, from family to family etc.); - ability to work in a team and share information with other colleagues and services; -ability to work systematically and act in accordance with the general aims of the organization; - competence with documentation, planning activities, and preparing reports; - other professional skills.

• Developing institutional carers’ empathy and friendliness with regard to children • Developing staff motivation and ability to create friendly relations with families and children. Friendly relations between staff and families encourages mutual trust and helps parents and children feels secure and supported. This in turn enables staff to be more effective in their work. • Help staff to understand their subjective attitude in child education and emotional perception characteristics of orphan children on the basis of the following principles:

1) By recognising the value and uniqueness of every personality, adults can learn to be more responsive to children. This responsiveness affects communication between adult and child in certain conditions : - recognising a child’s right to his/her own point of view (personal “ego”); - granting the child’s right to choose how to deal with real-life situations; - cooperation and partnership in adult and child activities; - recognising a child’s right to be brought up by an alternative family.

2) Positive acceptance of a child’s personality rests on positive expectations (advancement). Positive or negative expectations are realized by predicting actions and are regulated by a reward and punishment system. It is recognised that children acquire the traits of character that the adults expect from them. Adults will continue to say: “I knew you would get dirty (fight, break that vase, fall, etc.)”. Expectations may differ but persistent warning of a child is an indication of acceptance or rejection of that child’s personality.

Motivation and Prevention

Focused on developing the adult’s desire to change his/her personality, i.e. self- improvement of children’s home personnel. Self-improvement is important in the establishment of learning strategies and motivating adults involved in the care system to maintain quality in their work. This includes psychological/preventive work with carers; mental stability and stability in one’s personal life and within the community are important for the emotional health of social workers, since the difficult nature of work in child-care institutions can lead to chronic emotional strain on staff. When social workers feel unable to cope with the strain, they lose both their capacity and desire to work and their ability to recover, even after extended leave.

Recommendations:

1. Psychological support to solve personal problems. Aggression and frustration in adults should not be visited upon on children as this dangerous and unchecked form of release is harmful to the psychological health of children. Social workers should also not direct negative emotions back at themselves (self-aggression), since this upsets their own equilibrium, increases tension and reduces their ability to work effectively. 10 2. Work on improving the psychology of the team . Cultivating effective cooperation and conflict resolution skills. 3. Organizing an effective team. Workers who are motivated, properly qualified and skilled and who work in an atmosphere of continuous improvement are the cornerstone of the child and family social protection system. 4. Teaching methods of individual and team self-direction in order to prevent emotional detachment of children’s home staff.

3. List of materials and software required for staff duties and for training

Based on the results of the assessment, a preliminary list of required methodological material and software has been compiled. It comprises methodological literature on education in social work and psychology, software designed to develop cognitive and emotional awareness and intellectual capacity, and educational software (Appendix 3).

Step 2. Teaching, training, and motivating children’s home staff

Training workshops for care facilities and care workers The assessment highlighted the main components: information, motivation, and training. This is one of the most important elements of the transformation process. Care home staff are naturally resistant to change in their established system of working, and concerned for their future. They need to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their new functions. This in turn requires time and training resources. It is important that the workers are engaged in reforming the system, change their view of their work objectives and duties, and of the content and nature of teaching and learning materials. Therefore, the following training workshops have been set up for care facilities and social workers: 1. Transformation of care facilities’ functions. 2. Work on reuniting a child with their birth family. 3. Mapping and individual planning. 4. School for Adoptive Parents. Working with a foster family. Establishing a child-friendly environment in care homes.

Experienced specialists can provide invaluable help to institutions wishing to make changes in response to new regulations, practical experience, or local conditions. Therefore experienced care-home specialists and staff from the oblast have undertaken further training. “Practice-based learning” and training is the best form of team training and organization. Training has taken the form of mini-lectures, group work, brainstorming, discussion, role play. The aim of the workshops has not only been to train and inform but also to motivate care home specialists and representatives from relevant authorities and broaden their knowledge of and attitude to the problems faced by children’s homes. The training workshops have helped to produce a structure for the family support facility (which has since been accepted) and to submit proposals operating principles and standards for the facility.

1. , Awareness, Motivation, Training

It has long been accepted that the only proper incentive to motivate a person to work more effectively is material reward. But modern motivation theory suggests that using only authoritarian and material incentives does not encourage creativity amongst

11 personnel in meeting organizational goals. In order to achieve maximum efficiency personal motivation is also important. Socio-psychological methods aimed at increasing personnel’s social activity influences mainly the workers’ conscience, people’s social, aesthetic, religious, and other interests and socially inspire work activity. The so-called ‘involvement system’ was used in training workshops which involves children’s home staff and care facility workers in discussions and decision-making with regard to the problems of orphaned children. The sense of involvement in team work and team spirit have proved a very potent stimulus. Where there is resistance to change, it is clear that motivation is also at stake. Raising motivation requires knowledge so that those involved understand why the changes have to take place. The first task of the training workshops was to enhance participants’ understanding of why de-institutionalization is necessary. Their understanding increased when they took part in the creative process of investigation and came to conclusions when they proved the truth of their views and proposals in groups. During training, participants were given tasks to complete which would help them understand why the changes are necessary. This increased their motivation and provided the basis for completing the project effectively. It is also important that the participants have a view of their own professional development and, at the same time, their stake in this development. Many workers are afraid of losing their jobs. This is natural since they have responsibility for ensuring the children in their care do not suffer. Managers should therefore take steps to minimize staff resistance to change: − assess staff needs as the institution changes − assess each staff member’s career development − assess training requirements and the availability of resources for this − inform the staff of planned changes − involve them in discussion of these changes − encourage their active participation in preparing for and implementing the changes − demonstrate that their skills and experience are appreciated − encourage them to train and acquire new skills − ensure there is open competition for jobs − give existing staff preference over external candidates − refer to other authorities on issues of potential employment of their workers

Management support is a positive motivation for staff and helps to minimize the difficulties they experience in adapting to change and acquiring new skills. Fear and lack of confidence discourage personal advancement and growth.

Awareness leads to better understanding of the urgency to reform the existing system and reshapes our vision of the child and family protection system. It is essential, first of all, to inform participants of the reasons for de- institutionalization:

1. It has been proved that being brought up in an institution influences a child’s health, development and future life. Transforming institutions provides children with a significant opportunity to change their life and their future. 2. Placing children in poorly functioning institutions is expensive for the government. It is better to invest money in preventing orphanhood, in family assistance programs, and in the development of new forms of family education.

12 Awareness of international experience of care in the community (rather than institutions), new approaches to child protection and preventing orphanhood strengthens desire and determination to implement reforms.

Learning acquired through training is based on the principle of “practice-based learning”. Interactive teaching methods were used. Involvement in case-study analysis or role play engages the personal experience of each participant, and performing tasks in a new environment makes this process creative and effective. Training workshops helped participants to recognize their personal role and role of their organization in de-institutionalizing children in care.

2. The transformation plan, the objectives, responsibilities, activity and structure of the Family Support Facility

Following on from the awareness training, participants discussed and drafted elements of the transformation project: the transformation plan, objectives and tasks, activities, proposals for the operating standards and principles of the Family Support Facility. Participants were asked to consider the cases of similar facilities in Belarus, Great Britain, Russia and Romania. Some of them were updated and adapted, others were developed and adapted in the course of the project. The children’s home transformation plan consists of three stages: Stage 1 – December 2007 – 2009 Stage 2 – 2010 – 2011 Stage 3 – 2012 – 2013

13 Plan for Transforming a Children’s Home into a Family Support Facility Activities Dece 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 mber 2007 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Shymkent Children’s Home No 3: Assessment of the readiness of personnel to change the functions of the institution, and requirements for training and materials for working with children and families

Pilot project in the children’s home

Development and approval of regulations governing the Family Support facility

Revising the responsibilities of children’s home staff and the function of the Family Support Facility

Work planning taking into account responsibilities of children’s home staff and the function of the family support facility

Documentation required in a Family Support Facility (comprehensive family and child records, individual child protection plans, Concilium, field social work teams, counselling, planning and accounting)

Introducing FSF staff to the board of governors

Forming a field social work team. Training workshops: - Family case review aims and methodology - Database management, mapping, individual planning - Family counselling. Support and monitoring

Training for the child-care services, care homes, and care-home staff. Training for children’s home and Family Support Facility staff on “the psychological aspects of working with families and children”

Meetings between authorities engaged in protecting children’s rights aimed at securing inter- authority cooperation to ensure an integrated approach to assisting children and families

Creating and testing a database of children and prospective adoptive parents.

Creating and testing a database of natural parents

Creating and testing a database of at-risk category families

Field social work team assisting families in the oblast

Arranging Concilium

Reuniting children with their birth families

Developing family education methods (adoption, foster care, guardianship)

Arranging and work of a parenting school

Awareness campaign Provisional outcomes: - transformation model - proposals for principles and standards of FSF work - proposals on revisions to the children’s home charter, staffing arrangements, institutional structure, staffing requirements, staff responsibilities - procedural guide to stages of the transformation

Establishing the legal framework for the stage-by-stage transformation of the children’s home into a FSF (change of status, change of charter, institution name, personnel arrangements, structure)

Opening of day-care department

Developing a financial plan for the stage-by-stage transformation

Appropriation of funds from the state budget for implementing the transformation project

Staff development and training

Re-design of buildings and construction of cottages to create a family setting for children

Workshops, exchange of experience

Research and methodological activity

FSF monitoring activity

15 After its transformation, the Family Support Facility should be structured as follows:

Family Support Facility

Support Social foster care Foster family department department department

Development of

family education Department for children Preventive and providing a family rehabilitation work with Assistance for setting families and children For orphans and children foster families. being reunited with abandoned by their parents who cannot be their birth family placed in families Assistance for families and children in difficulty and work to keep children within

Children’s day -care their families

center

For children with family

difficulties

The capacity of the children’s home is 110 children. Currently, 101 children reside there. The step-by-step transformation of Shymkent children’s home No. 3 into a Family Support Facility is expected to take between five and eight years. During the first stage, in 2009, Children’s Home No. 3 is due to continue functioning as a state-run institution for orphaned children and children with no parental care. By the end of 2013, the residential child care system must include a Family Support Facility, a department for orphaned children and children with no parental care and those who cannot be placed in families, and a day-care department. The full transformation of the children’s home into a Family Support Facility will be completed by the end of 2016.

The objective of the Family Support Facility in SKO is to protect the rights and interests of children in need of state support, to give immediate assistance to orphaned children, children with no parental care and parents and foster families in difficulty, and ensure the right of children to be brought up in families.

The responsibilities of the FSF:

• Gradual transformation of children’s home into a Family Support Facility and transition from children being brought up in care homes to family-type placement for orphaned children and children abandoned by their parents.

16 • Development and implementation of an inter-agency approach to solve problems of children who need the protection of the state. • Preventing orphanhood. • Reuniting children with their birth families. • Increasing the provision of family placements for orphaned children and children deprived of parental care. • Supporting foster families • Organizing forms of psychological and social help for children in the state’s protection. • Creating the conditions to prepare children for a full life in the community. • Arranging legal support in adoption proceedings.

The responsibilities of different FSF departments:

Support department (coordinator – FSF social worker)

The department engages: a paediatrician, a psychologist, a social worker and a lawyer. The department’s responsibilities: − Receiving into the unit children in need of the state’s protection (orphaned children, children left without parental care). − Gathering information to determine a child’s legal status. − Providing a primary health check for referred children. − Providing primary health care and emergency psychological support. − Providing a healthy, clean environment for children. − Gathering a child’s personal details, e.g., the place of his/her parents’ or carers’ residence. − Socio-legal protection of the rights and legitimate interests of children. − Preparing an individual child protection plan (as approved at Concilium). − Where possible, children are prepared for placement with a family, and the relevant documents drawn up. − If a child is not placed in a family, he/she stays in the institution. − Gathering information about a child and providing further psychological, medical and social care or rehabilitation of a child. − Assessing whether the child is suffering any psychological and physical effects of trauma. − Remedial, developmental and psychotherapeutic work focused on the child’s cognitive, emotional and social skills. − Helping with the child’s socialization, assessing whether a child is ready to be placed in a family, and helping to select a family for a child. − Organizing the up-bringing and education of children in the institution, supporting their integration into society.

Foster care department (coordinator – FSF social worker)

The department engages a social worker and a psychologist. The department’s responsibilities: − Keeping electronic records of birth families in order to maximise possible opportunities to place children with families. − Mediation and rehabilitation work with birth families and children in the institution with a view to reuniting children with their birth family. − Working with families identified as dysfunctional with a view to keeping children in that family.

17 − Socio-psychological and rehabilitation work with children living in a dysfunctional birth family where state protection is deemed necessary. − Implementing individual child protection plans. − Monitoring the development and up-bringing of children in foster care. − Advising families who are having difficulties.

Foster Family Department (coordinator - psychologist) The department engages: a psychologist, a social worker, a lawyer. The department’s responsibilities: − Enhancing opportunities to place children with families. − Raising awareness through media and other campaigns of the different types of family placement available to families who want to foster a child. − Engaging public resources to solve the problems of children leaving institutions. − Working in cooperation with government bodies to identify and develop opportunities for the placement of children cared for by the state, and to defend the rights of children. − Searching for, selecting, and preparing families wishing to foster or adopt. − Maintaining a database of children and foster families. − Supporting foster families, counselling adoptive parents, running a school for adoptive parents. − Managing individual child protection plans. − Preparing a child for placement with a foster family. − Assessing and monitoring the development and upbringing of children in foster care.

Requirements of Family Support Facility staff. Job descriptions

The value of any organization is its personnel — this statement has been proved in practice over many years. Effective performance of specialists can contribute to implementation of an organization’s objectives. Employees in social care have to meet very strict requirements since carers, social workers, their assistants and other staff members form the social environment which shapes the child in their care. The proposed standards and requirements for FSF staff are based on best international practice. These proposals were discussed in training workshops early on in the project. The suggestions and opinions of SKO’s social care specialists who have the most experience of working with orphaned children and children with no parental care were taken into account. The Facility’s main responsibilities are: to identify children and/or families in need of state protection; to identify problems; to undertake rehabilitation work; to prepare children being reunited with their natural families or to place children with foster families; working to keep children with their families wherever possible. In order to carry out these functions, staff must have the vision, belief, skill, and knowledge required to work in the social service system. This means that all specialists must be very aware of the effects that violence or loss can have on a child’s development, of the relationship between emotional, physical and intellectual problems, the potential problems children in care may face adapting to society. Social workers must also be skilled and resourceful in supporting children and families. FSF staff should not only be guided by professional standards but should also participate in establishing these standards by developing new methods and approaches in response to new and existing demands, and by defending values, ethical principles and professional practice and helping to update and improve them.

The standards are divided into seven categories:

Standard 1. Personnel selection and employment. 18 Standard 2. Professional competence. Standard 3. Professional responsibilities. Standard 4. Attitude to children placed in FSF. Standard 5. Personnel training. Standard 6. Monitoring. Standard 7. Relationships within the team.

Staff performance is assessed using certain requirements and indicators in each category.

Proposed Family Support Facility staff job descriptions are attached (Appendix 4).

Proposed Minimum Standards/Requirements for Family Support Facility (FSF) Personnel

Standard Requirements Standard 1. Personnel 1.1. FSF management shall appoint qualified specialists selection and according to the provisions of this standard and the engagement. relevant job descriptions. FSF specialists shall be 1.2. FSF shall establish rigorous selection criteria for staff selected according to according to these standards, the needs of children current legislation and and families, and current legislation. the needs of the 1.3. When hiring, each candidate will be judged on their institution. personal suitability for working with children 1.4. FSF director shall supervise the revision of job descriptions where requirements for a particular position change 1.5. The number and type of specialists shall be determined by the provision of services envisaged for the FSF in its annual plan.

Standard 1 indicators. 1.1. Diploma and other certificates proving the qualifications of personnel recruited. 1.2. Personnel selection criteria. 1.3. Information contained in the worker’s personal file on results of the interview for the relevant position. 1.4. Job descriptions. Specialists must be acquainted with job descriptions and prove this by signature. 1.5. Personnel structure. Quantitative ratio of adults to children Standard 2. Personnel 2.1. Specialists shall possess knowledge of social and professional humanitarian sciences. competency. 2.2. Specialists shall have an awareness of existing FSF specialists shall regulations, research and current professional practice have the education, in child and family rights protection. knowledge and skills 2.3. Specialists working directly with children shall have required for working extensive experience of communicating with children. with children. 2.4. Specialists shall possess the following knowledge and skills required for working with children and families: 2.4.1. Skills to engage with and offer initial psychological support to a child facing crisis or conflict. 2.4.2. Knowledge in the field of educational and psychological techniques to help a child overcome 19 the effects of abuse. 2.4.3. Knowledge of the psycho-physiological aspects of child development. 2.4.4. Skills to communicate effectively with families and children. Ability to establish trusting and secure relationships with children and families. 2.4.5. Knowledge and skills required to prepare a child for placement in a foster family, and to work with foster and birth families and at-risk families. 2.4.6. Knowledge and skill required to help children and families where a child is moved from his/her birth family to an institution, from an institution into a family, between families, etc.). 2.4.7. Ability to understand children’s emotions and attachments as they are affected by significant life changes, and the ability to explain the feelings of a child to his/her new parents. 2.4.8. Understanding the role of the family in child development. 2.4.9. Knowledge of family assessment and counselling methods. 2.4.10. Knowledge of current professional practice with regard to assisting families.

Standard 2 indicators. 2.1. Diploma and other certificates proving a background in social and humanitarian disciplines. 2.2. Specialists must be aware of current regulations, research and best practice in the protection of the rights of children and families. 2.3. Employment records of specialists’ work in children’s homes or in institutions working with children. 2.4. Certificates and proof of completing refresher courses, workshops, training related to child and family support. Performance indicators: - quantitative indicators: number of children returned to birth family; number of cases when child placement in care was prevented; number of families being counselled; number of parents who attended School for Adoptive Parents; number of foster families extending their contract; number of children adopted by foster parents; - qualitative indicators: improvement in a child’s psychological and physical condition as a result of preventive and psychotherapeutic work and medical rehabilitation; comments of adoptive parents and children; availability and content of rehabilitation programs, counselling register, detailed timetable of workshops, training, lectures. Standard 3. 3.1. Specialists shall gather information on each child, Professional activity. his/her personal history and birth family to promote Specialists carry out the most favourable outcomes for a child. their professional duties 3.2. Specialists shall take into account the opinion and according to RoK interests of each child and family; involve children legislation, job and parents in making decisions concerning their 20 descriptions, and families, except in cases where this might endanger a institution rules in favour child. of children and families. 3.3. Specialists shall draft and regularly update individual child protection plans. 3.4. Specialists will respond quickly to changing circumstances and provide the most effective help to children and families. 3.5. Specialists shall work together when assessing needs and risks, and in planning and analysis. 3.6. Specialists will be competent with documentation, planning and drafting reports. 3.7. Specialists shall respect confidentiality and use information on children and families responsibly. 3.8. Specialists shall be responsible for their decisions and actions as they affect children and families and be prepared to represent clients in court hearings and meetings. 3.9. Specialists shall treat all clients equally and take responsibility for their own actions. 3.10. Specialists shall cooperate with other authorities, organizations and specialists to ensure that children and families receive the most appropriate help.

Standard 3: Indi cators 3.1. Database of children and birth families. Statements, court decisions, responses to enquiries and other official documents. 3.2. Parents and children shall be informed of decisions affecting their lives. 3.3. – 3.6. Individual child protection plan recording all decisions, responsible persons, implementation results, recommendations, and changes. minutes of mediation. Report. Field social work register of visits. 3.7. Specialists shall follow strict guidelines on confidentiality. 3.8. – 3.9. Specialists will be instructed of their responsibility for their professional actions and this shall be recorded in the minutes of his/her meeting with the director. 3.10. FSF shall follow a protocol for work undertaken in conjunction with other agencies and organizations. Specialists shall be fully conversant with these procedures. The FSF shall maintain agreements on cooperation with other organizations.

21 Standard 4. Attitudes 4.1. Specialists shall possess the knowledge and skills to children placed in required to create a psychologically comfortable FSF. environment for children. Specialists shall create 4.2. Specialists shall recognize and respect children’s a child-friendly individual goals and their differences irrespective of environment in which their ethnic origin, culture, language, sex, or family children may thrive and circumstances. be successfully 4.3. Specialists shall show empathy and friendliness integrated into society towards children. 4.4. Specialists shall create a child-friendly, happy environment and communicate in a friendly and cordial way with children. 4.5. Specialists shall be emotionally involved with children and participate actively in their lives. 4.6. Specialists shall manage children’s behaviour using positive methods. 4.7. Specialists shall celebrate events with children appropriate to their age, establish an environment conducive to socialization and positive interaction, and avert or resolve conflict between children.

Standard 4 indicators 4.1. Criteria of what constitutes a child-centred institution. 4.2. – 4.6. Management shall provide courses, training, workshops on how to create a child-friendly setting. Specialists shall apply the knowledge gained in their work. 4.3. Education plans. Full programs of activities. Hobby groups, sports, competitions, etc.

Standard 5.Personnel 5.1. In-service training will be provided for specialists to training. enable them to continually build on their professional Specialists shall have skills. the knowledge and 5.2. Specialists shall have the capacity and willingness to experience enabling undertake such training. them to respond 5.3. Each specialist shall have the qualifications required successfully to the to carry out the responsibilities of their position. needs of children and 5.4. If at the time they are recruited the employee does families. not have enough experience to work in child protection, he/she shall be have the opportunity to undertake the required training at the employer’s expense. 5.5. In order to further knowledge, aptitude, and skills in responding to the needs of children and families, each FSF specialist shall have a minimum 36 hours annually of in-service child-protection training at the employer’s expense. 5.6. FSF specialists shall participate in different training programs, including workshops and conferences, to improve their performance. 5.7. Continuing education of specialists and in-service training is provided for in current legislation and shall take the form of refresher courses, retraining, medical and professional training.

22 Standard 5 indicators. 5.1. – 5.7. Certificates upon satisfactory completion of professional retraining courses, training programs and workshops Research and methodology board meetings. Examples of knowledge and skills which FSF personnel have or can acquire: child psychology, social responsibility, protecting children from abuse, exploitation, failure of parents to fulfil their obligations, child trafficking and other forms of exploitation and domestic violence.

Standard 6. 6.1. Specialists shall have the help and support of the Monitoring. institution’s managers, be assured that their opinions FSF has effective are respected and their rights observed. monitoring systems of 6.2. Management shall provide external and internal to ensure that staff can monitoring of employees’ performance. work with maximum 6.3. Management shall, from time to time and when efficiency required, hold meetings to discuss monitoring. All these meetings shall be documented. 6.4. The institution’s management shall fairly and effectively distribute work between specialists based on the needs of the children. 6.5. The institution’s management shall monitor the quality of care provided, and make changes to specialists’ working practices if required. 6.6. Specialists shall be monitored to prevent the risk of child abuse. 6.7. Specialists shall always be able to consult where required. 6.8. Management shall provide the conditions for specialists’ professional and personal growth. 6.9. Specialists’ work shall be regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with FSF requirements. 6.10. The institution’s management shall provide with induction training for each new FSF employee covering the institution’s philosophy, responsibilities, rules and regulations.

Standard 6 indicators 6.1. Specialists shall be aware of their rights. 6.2. Timetable of routine checks on staff members’ professional competence and compliance with FSF requirements, assessment of the quality of work and performance of FSF departments. Monitoring results. 6.3. Agenda and minutes of meetings with the Director. 6.4. Job descriptions. 6.5. , 6.7. Schedule of the Facility specialists open sessions. Research and methodology board meeting agenda and minutes. 6.6. Teachers’ council, minutes of directors’ meetings, job descriptions. 6.8. Schedule or agenda of retraining and personnel development. Personnel training certificates. 6.9. Certification documents. 6.10. FSF charter, principles, rules, and regulations. 23 Specialists shall have information on the organization’s responsibilities, regulations, and rules.

Standard 7. 7.1. Specialists shall follow a systematic approach to their Relationships within work and adhere to the organization’s overall the team mission. FSF specialists shall 7.2. Specialists shall be able to work in a team and share communicate effectively information with other colleagues and facilities. with one another and 7.3. Specialists shall be able to communicate and act work as a team. effectively in conflict situations. 7.4. Specialists shall be able to control their emotions.

Standard 7 indicators. 7.1. Concilium minutes. Individual child protection plan identifies a team leader responsible for coordinating the work of specialists, anticipated action and results, and setting deadlines. 7.2. FSF sets out procedure for cooperation with other facilities and specialists. Specialists shall be trained in these procedures. Cooperation agreements with other organizations. 7.3. , 7.4. The management shall provide specialists with the opportunity to participate in psychological training. Training certificates. Specialists shall be aware of and follow the principles of establishing a child-friendly environment in the institution.

Glossary Family support facility (FSF) – organization that, irrespective of its legal organizational form and ownership type provides socio-medical, psychological, and legal support for families and children; protects rights; provides support to orphaned children, children deprived of parental care and children in difficulty; implements individual child care activities in agreement with care facilities. Institution – governmental or non-governmental institutions, the staff of which work with orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, their families, and children and families in difficulties. Specialists – Family support facility employees working directly or indirectly with children and/or their families. Child-friendly setting in an orphanage institution – living conditions and quality of a child’s life in the institution providing a psychologically comfortable environment that encourages children’s self-actualization and self-development, maintaining individual approach to the development and upbringing of each child; successful adaptation and socialization of children; ensuring they are secure and cared for; respecting the boundaries and personal space of a child, professionalism and emotional involvement of personnel and others. Biological/birth family – family members with whom the child has a biological relationship. These are his/her natural parents, brothers, sisters, other blood relatives. Foster family – family caring for a child on a permanent or temporary basis (adoption, foster care, guardianship).

24 Individual child protection plan – plan reflecting decisions made with regard to a child’s life (reunion with natural family, placement in foster care, placement in the institution). The plan also determines activity aimed at the child’s rehabilitation, his/her physical, mental, emotional, and social development. The plan is decided then implemented and revised throughout the child’s stay in the institution and in supporting a child being reunited with his birth family or placed in foster care. Systematic approach – means surveying and studying all the child’s potential needs (restoring physical health, normalizing mental development, emotional rehabilitation, socialization, education etc.) Team approach – implies coordination of actions and general understanding of problems by all specialists. Concilium – general meeting of all the FSF employees headed by the Director, during which final decisions are made regarding placement of a child with a family. Placement agreements can also be overturned at these meetings. Field social work teams – they offer emergency care to families and children and to local services working with families. If required, they are entitled to observe families at home, and to give a preliminary assessment of a family’s situation on behalf of care facilities or together with representatives of these facilities. One of the field team’s tasks is to help develop the family support activities of SKO by acting as consultants to and training orphanage staff.

Step 3. Setting up and managing field social work teams, staff training

1. Stage 1– Preparatory: Awareness, identifying the field team’s objectives and responsibilities. Training

A three-day training workshop on setting up field social work teams was held for social workers at children’s home No3. The participants set the aims and objectives for the team, suggested working methods and developed a diagnostic package for field team specialists (questionnaires, tests, etc.). Children’s home personnel learned the basics of psychological testing and counselling.

2. Stage 2 – Theoretical: discussion, establishing working methods and regulation, documentation for field social work teams

During the training workshops, care home specialists discussed the proposed working methods and documentation for field social work. Regulations for field teams have been drafted based on these proposals.

Regulation of field teams 1. General Provisions

Field teams were set up to provide emergency assistance to families and children in SKO towns and districts and to local centres working with families.

2. Responsibilities of the field team

1. Counselling families in difficulty and foster families. 2. Gathering information on children in need of state protection. 3. Advising and training care specialists on the establishment in SKO of the Family Support Facility.

3. Management of field teams

1. The FSF can engage one or more field teams. 2. The setting up of field teams is governed by the new regulations. 3. Each field team shall cover a specific region. 4. A field team consists of three specialists: social worker, psychologist, and lawyer. Other specialists are involved if required, e.g., paediatricians, speech therapist and educationalists. 5. Field team visits can be prearranged or a response to emergency. 6. Information on children and families in need of state protection is taken from the FSF database. 7. Prearranged visits are conducted according to a field team schedule approved by the FSF Director. 8. Decisions to make emergency visits are taken at meetings of the field work team. Visits take place within three days of receiving a request. 9. Where an emergency visit is requested, the FSF Director instructs the field team to make the visit. 10. Each visit is recorded in the field team register. 11. During emergency visits, specialists offer emergency help to families and children; they make a preliminary assessment of the family’s circumstances and any threat to a child’s health or safety in that environment. 12. If a child is assessed as being at risk, a request to remove the child from his/her family and place him/her in residential care is sent immediately to the care facility. 13. If the family situation is deemed safe, children remain with the family. 14. In order to provide assistance to families needing state help, social workers make a written agreement with parents or other adult family members confirming the family’s consent to receive the help. 15. The agreements are placed in the child’s and family’s personal file. 16. Information gathered by field social workers is handed to an administrator who enters this into a database or register. The administrator also retains hard copy. 17. After the visit, each social worker makes his/her own assessment of the case. 18. Each social worker’s assessment is entered into the child’s records and the individual child protection plan is then drawn up. 19. The individual child protection plan is approved at the concilium. 20. The individual child protection plan sets out the individual area of responsibility for each social worker. 21. The individual child protection plan is revised regularly. 22. Once the case work outlined in the plan has been completed, a further plan of ongoing support for the family, including monitoring of the child’s well-being in that family, is drawn up. This plan is entered into individual child protection plan and is approved at the concilium.

4. Field team documentation

1. Register of families and children in need of state protection 2. Field team visiting schedule 3. Field team visits register 4. Assessment documents for field social workers

3. Stage 3 – Practical: Testing and amending regulations governing field social work and the documentation involved

The working practices of the field social work teams were tested during visits and related work to assist children and families in need of state protection. Field teams always document their work.

Diagnostic package for field team specialists:

1. Questionnaire for risk group families (see Appendix 5) 2. Test/checklist of parents’ attitude to children (CPA, А. Y.Varga, V.V.Stolin) 3. Kinetic Family Drawing test 4. “Nonexistent Animal” test 5. “Family Drawing” (family series) test 6. Aggressiveness test: Bassa-Darka questionnaire 7. “Picture of a Human” technique. 8. E.G. Eidemiller Family education analysis (FEA) questionnaire 9. “Family Sociogram” test (V. Yustitskis, E.G. Eidemiller) 10. “Typical Family Conditions” technique (V. Yustitskis, E.G. Eidemiller) 11. “Family Anxiety Analysis” technique (V. Yustitskis, E.G. Eidemiller) 12. PARI technique (E.Sheffer, R. Bella) 13. Ability to empathise questionnaire (А.Meckhrabien, N. Epstein)

Assessment methods are selected depending on the situation, i.e.,

1. Depending on the stage of social workers’ intervention with family: - preliminary examination - ongoing monitoring and assessment

2. Depending on family type: - at-risk family - birth family - foster family (foster care, temporary care, adoption)

Field team visits register

# Full Addre Reason Time Specialists Results Recom name ss (tel) for visit /Length of visit mendati of visit ons emergency prearranged 1

At this stage it is important to offer training to FSF personnel to develop their communication skills. Family Support Facility specialists often act as agents on behalf of the child, the family and various public and governmental institutions, they are the third-party communicators of the link between personality and surroundings, between children and adults, etc. One of their most important skills, therefore, is effective communication. Facility specialists must have the ability to influence people, build relationships with people based on dialogue, and motivate and inspire them to act effectively. They need to possess professional qualities such as sociability, ability to sympathize with people and help them to solve problems. They have to use interpersonal communication skills in the course of their daily work. Training may include the following subjects: 27

1. Mastering and developing social skills in order to communicate with clients. 2. Teaching communication skills: establishing contact through verbal/non-verbal signals 3. Teaching skills of active listening: - correct phrasing of questions - the “short conversation” technique - Clarification and encouragement to explain answers 4. Teaching methods to reduce emotional stress: - emphasizing commonality - emphasizing significance - Verbalization of emotional state

Step 4. Developing procedures for reuniting a child with his/her birth family. Mapping and individual planning

1. The Family Support Facility’s work with the birth family of a child placed in the institution

A child’s natural family is generally better able to provide for a child’s needs than an institution. Therefore, working with birth parents and relatives is a high priority when deciding child’s future. The search for a foster family begins only when the situation has been carefully assessed and any possibility of returning a child to his/her natural family has been ruled out. The facility’s specialists have developed procedures for reuniting children with families including guidance on working with birth families.

Responsibilities:

1. Gathering information on the birth family and recording information in the electronic database. 2. Searching for and establishing contact with biological parents and relatives. 3. Assessing family problems and resources; potential for salvaging relationships between a child and his birth family; assessment of child’s well-being if returned to the birth family. 4. Entering assessment results into the case file of the child and the family. 5. Drawing up an individual child protection plan and filling out an integrated family and child record. 6. Discussing and approving the individual plan at the concillium. Appointing responsible persons and trustees for the child and family. Handing the case over to the foster care department. 7. If it is established that the child’s needs can be met and the birth family has the means and the ability to take a child back, then procedures for supporting that family are included in the protection plan. 8. Intervention. Depending on the family’s situation and the needs of the child and the family, psychological, social, medical, and educational support can be offered to the family. 9. Arranging meetings between the child and his/her family. 10. Encouraging the child’s parents or relatives to attend parenting classes, giving individual psychological support; involving all those affected in an analysis of why family reunification is preferable. 11. Working to ensure children in care have a positive image of family life. 12. Preparing children to be reunited with their parents and for their return to their birth

28 family. 13. Conducting periodic reviews of family settings. Where circumstances change and a family is seen as being able to care for a child, the Council of Practitioners may take the decision to return a child to his/her birth family. 14. Completing the paperwork required when children return to their birth families. 15. Delivering a child into the care of his/her family. 16. Family support. Providing access to psychologists, social workers, lawyers. 17. If returning to the birth family is not in the best interests of a child, or where families would like to adopt but does not have sufficient means, the Council of Practitioners may revise the individual plan and hand the case over to the fostering department.

At every stage the FSF cooperates with the authorities, relevant organisations and institutions, and with the birth family and relatives. Where a family is reunited, monitoring continues and the family is still able to access social, educational, psychological and legal support.

2. Assessing a birth family’s circumstances

When completing the assessment, social workers must identify the problems and strengths of a family, and try to gauge financial circumstances. Assessing the family’s problems and resources is the basis for all subsequent action to protect the interest and rights of a child, and for further intervention in that family’s life. The assessment must be conducted in the best interests of the family and child, and explore all possible options. Bearing in mind preferable outcomes, and the child’s right to remain with the family, the whole family should be very carefully assessed. This assessment includes: 1. Gathering information on a child’s natural family: − Studying the child’s history; − searching for parents; − searching for relatives – potential adoptive parents; − maintaining contact between the child and his/her parents and relatives; − maintaining a relationship between a child and his/her elder brothers and sisters, who are unable to act in loco parentis for whatever reason; − maintaining contact with parents who are in prison or detention; − maintaining contact with parents who abandoned a child at birth, and understanding the reasons for this; − maintaining contact with disabled or devoid of parental rights parents; − maintaining contact with parents who have temporarily placed their child in a children’s home

The data are entered into an electronic database which is used to track all progress in the search for a child’s biological relatives: information includes procedures already completed, search results, remarks on a child’s potential placement in natural family if relatives are found, or that it has not been possible to reunite a child with his/her family.

2. Assessing the family’s needs and its resources:

- assessing the child’s needs (see questionnaire, Appendix 6) - assessing parents’ position - survey of family circumstances and setting (See questionnaire Appendix 8)

29 1. Assessing a child’s needs

Parameters Specialists Methods Health Health worker, Appraisal by specialists, psychologist, speech conversation, medical card, medical therapist examination, psychological assessment Education Social worker, Conversation, testing, questioning, educationalist, speech assessment of cognitive therapist, psychologist development, reference from school, case notes Emotional Psychologist, social Observation, conversation, development and worker psychological assessment behavior Personality Social worker, Conversation, observation, psychologist, school reference from school, opinion / teacher information, psychological assessment Family and social Social worker, Conversation, testing, psychological relationships psychologist, school assessment teacher Behavior in social Social worker, Opinion, behaviour assessment – environment psychologist, child’s own observation, testing school teacher Self-help skills Health worker, school Conversation, visual examination, teacher, psychologist observation

2. Assessment of parental skills

Parameters Specialists Methods Primary care Social worker, Observation, conversation, polling psychologist Ensuring child Social worker Examination, observation, polling, safety conversation Emotional aspect of Psychologist Conversation, observation, testing relationship Child-parent Psychologist Conversation, observation, testing, relationship information from acquaintances Ensuring child’s all- Social worker, Conversation, testing, information round development from acquaintances Instructions and Social worker, Conversation, observation, testing rules in the family psychologist Family stability Social worker, Conversation, testing, observation, psychologist information from acquaintances Personality traits of Social worker, Conversation, observation, parents psychologist information from acquaintances, testing

3. Assessment of family circumstances and setting Parameters Specialists Methods Family history Social worker, Information from acquaintances, psychologist conversation, filling in questionnaire Relatives Social worker, lawyer Official request (if necessary), opinions of neighbours, teachers 30 Housing Social worker, lawyer References from BTI, address bureau, request to justice body Employment Social worker Request to Employment Centre Income Social worker, lawyer Request to State Pension Payment Centre Family’s social Psychologist, social Opinions of neighbours, teachers, integration worker colleagues, relatives. Psychological assessment Social setting Psychologist, social Opinions of neighbours, teachers, worker colleagues, relatives. Psychological assessment

The nature and extent of any further intervention into the family’s life will depend on the on the assessment. When making the assessment, the interest of both family and child are taken into account and all possible options are explored.

3. Electronic database of birth families

A database has been set up to include information on all children and families who need assistance from the FSF . The database includes: Information on a child’s − Biological families − Foster families − At-risk families

All information on the biological family is entered into the database. The database contains information on the child’s parents, brothers, sisters and relatives. The database can be used to track any changes in the family.

No. Full name of a child Date of birth Sex Father Date of birth Ethnic origin Health Education Address Place of work

Mother Date of birth Ethnic origin Health Education Address Place of work

Family income Monitoring Information on living conditions

Notes

4. Individual child protection plan. Integrated Child and Family records. The concilium

The Assessment results are also entered into an integrated child and family record (see Appendix 9). Once information has been gathered and a family assessment completed, the next stage is to draw up an individual child protection plan (see Appendix 10). The plan includes information on how all the child’s needs will be addressed, and will specify who, when and how this will be done. The plan includes the date when the report will be submitted. Putting the plan into effect requires a supervisor, who regularly reviews action taken and assesses with other specialists the efficacy of any interventions. The plan is revised once the assessment results have been received. It is essential that the final plan is realistic and reflects the child’s main needs, taking his/her wishes into account. The individual child protection plan is reviewed and adopted by the concilium (Council of Practitioners).

Regulation of the Family Support Facility concilium

General Provisions The concilium is a key part of the FSF. It is a meeting of the people who must be present in preparing a statement, i.e., the decision by a group of experts regarding a child’s fate. The concilium considers all the ways the child’s development will be affected whether that child’s life is in an institution or with a family. The Council of Practitioners acts to protect children’s rights and best interests and ensures that, wherever possible, children are not orphaned, or that those who are have the opportunity to be placed in the care of a family in some way rather than into an institution.

The responsibilities of the Council of Practitioners: − Review and approval of the individual child protection plan.

32 − Considering any proposed revision to the individual child protection plan. − Taking decisions on which child should be placed with which family, whether or not a child should be with a family or in care, and other measures to assist a child.

Composition of the FSF Council of Practitioners: 1) Permanent Members: − President of Council of Practitioners – the director of the children’s home − Coordinator − Counsellor − Lawyer − Psychologist 2) Temporary Members – people invited to the meeting: − Care Department employee − Children’s home doctor − Children’s home carers 3) Emergency meeting of Council of Practitioners: − In case of emergency, the Council of Practitioners can be convened with just three members: the president or coordinator and two specialists.

Council of Practitioners Management: 1. The Council of Practitioners is created and governed according to the Regulation on the Council of Practitioners. 2. Council of Practitioners meetings are both scheduled but can be called to discuss emergency cases. 3. The quarterly plan of Council of Practitioners is drafted and approved by FSF Manager. 4. Scheduled Council of Practitioners meetings are held twice a month. 5. The individual child protection plan is submitted with all documents enclosed at the Council of Practitioners meeting. 6. The Council of Practitioners examines all documents and studies the case in detail before approving the individual child protection plan. 7. The Council of Practitioners can make a decision on behalf of the care home, which in this case is treated as a recommendation. 8. The Council appoints a supervising social worker for each child or family. 9. The administrator keeps the minutes of Council of Practitioners.

Council of Practitioners documentation: 1. Order on Council of Practitioners establishment and approval its structure. 2. Council of Practitioners minutes. 3. Extracts from the minutes of Council of Practitioners meetings.

Step 5. Developing a working relationship with a foster family

1. Procedure for working with a foster family

The foster family, as referred to in this manual, is a family that undertakes to bring up a child either by fostering or adopting. We know from experience that certain conditions have to be met if a child is to settle with a foster family. For example • there must be psychological compatibility between the child and the family • the child must have a clear understanding of the reasons why he/she was placed with that family • there must be recognition of the security and permanence of the child’s new family 33 • there should be bonds of affection between child and family • adoptive parents should understand that a period of adjustment is necessary • adoptive parents should understand the psychological effects on a child of being without his/her biological family. Etc.

For these reasons, a great deal of care is taken in the selection of adoptive parents, ensuring that there is compatibility between the child and the adoptive family and preparing both for their life together. Support is always offered after the adoption process. FSF personnel have identified the following key stages in their work with a foster family: 1. Recruiting prospective adoptive parents through information campaigns. 2. Creating and maintaining a database of prospective adoptive parents. 3. Selecting adoptive parents. Assessing prospective adoptive parents’ social and legal status and their aptitude for parenting. 4. Preparing adoptive parents (through the School for Adoptive Parents, individual counseling). 5. Arranging meetings between children and adoptive parents. 6. Preparing paperwork and submitting it to the relevant care homes. Documents include the family assessment; health of adoptive parents; social and psychological suitability to adopt, etc.. 7. Supporting families socially, psychologically and legally through consultations and visits. 8. Placing children in foster homes. 9. Supporting families (coordination and assistance). 10. Monitoring the child’s welfare and development within the foster family.

2. Information campaign to recruit prospective adoptive parents

A long-term information campaign has been planned to raise public awareness of the orphanage and its work. The campaign aims to prevent children being orphaned, to enable children who are deprived of parental care to be brought up in families wherever possible, to promote family values and to impress upon society the importance of family (Appendix 7). Local newspapers have begun to run a new column entitled I want to live with my mother . There are also regular TV programs about fostering and adoption and the procedures involved. Posters, stickers, leaflets and brochures are distributed in clinics, large supermarkets, cinemas, educational institutions and on public transport. TV stations have also broadcast animated films about children rights. This information campaign has increased the number of people willing to help orphans.

3. The criteria for selecting adoptive parents and assessing their motivation to adopt

Information on prospective adoptive parents is entered into a database.

The selection and assessment of foster families can then begin. Studies on the development of fostered and adopted children leave no doubt as to the importance of selecting and preparing foster families with great care. Children and families appear to adapt to one another much more easily when families are prepared for adoption rather than this major event happening spontaneously. Families who have undertaken preparatory counselling tend to accept a child more readily, showing patience and understanding during the adaptation process throughout which children may display aggression or signs of anxiety and depression. The selection process for adoptive parents must take into account the impact that the parents’ age, their place of residence and their social environment may have on the on the process of adaptation between child and foster family.

1) Criteria for selecting adoptive parents

FSF social workers take the following into account when selecting prospective adoptive parents: 1. Parents’ motivation. 2. Parents’ abilities. 3. Family’s psychological suitability to adopt. 4. Adoptive parents’ social and legal status. 5. Parents’ personal characteristics. 6. Stability of family and marital relations.

2) Assessment of parents’ motivation

V.V. Martynova, N.S. Pospelova, G.I. Rudenkova and other authors point out that success or failure of a foster placement depends mainly upon the motivation which persuaded the family to come forward. They have defined several motives for wanting to foster: −−− Wishing to become a parent; −−− Hoping to find meaning in life; −−− Fear of being alone in old age; −−− Wishing to have a happy life; 35 −−− Wishing to fill a vacuum after the death of their own child; −−− Wishing to provide a child with a family, love, care and attention; −−− Seeking payment; −−− Seeking social approval and recognition for a noble action, etc.

In every case, social workers must carefully study the family’s motives and identify any apparent (or less apparent) issues in order to ensure the decision to adopt is based on sound motives. There are many cases where parents, knowingly or otherwise, try to use the adoption of a child to resolve their personal or family problems. It is important for parents to understand that the adopted child needs support and cannot be used as an instrument for parents to solve their problems. Psychologists and counsellors can help in this situation. It is clear that every single case should be studied individually, taking into account the family’s place of residence (urban or rural), as well as its traditions and values. All the motives listed above are legitimate, but only if parents wish to bring a child up with love and care, prepare him/her for adulthood and accept and understand a child whatever his/her problems. The interests of the child must always be paramount when selecting adoptive parents. The motives of prospective adoptive parents are assessed by a questionnaire as well as through conversation (Appendix 11).

3) Aptitude for parenthood and psychological suitability to adopt

To be a parent is to experience a whole range of different feelings towards a child, to apply certain behavioural conventions in communication with him/her, to understand a child’s perception, their nature and personality, their actions, style of education, and to know something of how children develop as they get older. An important component of the assessment of adoptive parents is their emotional attitude towards a child. If a parent accepts a child as he/she is, respects a child’s individuality, likes him/her, wants to spend time with a child, welcomes his/her interests and plans, a child starts to build trust in himself/herself and in the world, and a child grows up as a confident and successful individual. Moreover, showing trust in a child and being aware of a child’s personal achievements also has a favourable effect on his/her personal development. Parents thus encourage in a child self-confidence, initiative, independence, and ability to live contentedly with themselves and the people around them. The most important element of good parenting is developing empathy – getting involved in a child’s activities, being kind to a child and feeling emotionally positive towards them. This builds the child’s self-esteem, ability to empathise, inner freedom, communication skills, openness and positive attitude towards life. Parental capacities are also reflected in their child-rearing style. Regardless of whether adoptive parents have their own children, the assessment aims to identify adoptive parents’ attitudes to child-rearing since these have their origins in the families they themselves grew up in.

FSF specialists use conversation, observation and psychological testing to evaluate parental aptitude and psychological readiness to adopt. 1. Checklist of parents’ attitude to children (CPA, A.Ya. Varga, V.V. Stolin) 2. AFU checklist (Analysis of Family Education) E. G. Eydemiller 3. Family Sociogram projective test (V. Yusteckic, E.G. Eydemiller) 4. PARI Method (E. Sheffer, R. Bella) 5. Checklist to assess empathy (A.Mechrabien, N. Epshtain) 36

4) Social and legal status of adoptive parents The assessment of the social and legal status of prospective adoptive parents examines the following: 1. Parents’ health. 2. Family’s housing situation. 3. Family’s income. 4. Ability to ensure a child’s all-round development. 5. Ability to ensure basic care and safety for a child. 6. Guardianship and social environment within the family. 7. Parents’ age.

It is crucial to address the following: − whether a family has the capacity (the desire and aptitude) to provide basic care (to satisfy the child’s basic physical needs, namely providing food, drink, heated housing, personal hygiene effects, clothes, private space); − whether prospective adoptive parents are able provide the conditions to ensure a child’s rights to life and health (physical and psychological development, access to medical services, health promotion, observance of hygiene); − whether child’s place of residence has favourable environmental conditions, is safe to walk around; − whether parents are able to ensure a child’s safety (i.e., protecting children from injury, risk of harm; have a safe home and surroundings); − whether parents are willing and able to encourage a child’s mental and cognitive development (recognising opportunities for development, communicating, playing games, interacting with adults, respect for the child’s personality, attending activity groups, libraries; all-round early-years development; encouragement; help) − whether they can ensure a safe social environment (whether members of the wider family, with whom the child comes into contact, may impact upon a child’s physical and psychological health (e.g., whether there are any very ill or aggressive people)

The counsellor from the Family Support Facility carries is instructed to carry out this work by individual care institutions. All the information gathered is entered in the assessment, which includes a summary and conclusions regarding the family’s suitability to adopt.

5) Parents’ personal and family relationships

Studies have shown that parents’ personality characteristics and family relations have a significant impact on a child’s developing personality. Those deemed to be favourable to a child’s development are:

− Ability to empathise and be involved in a child’s life − Trust and transparency in relationships with a child − Emotional awareness − Communication skills − Altruism − Balance and sequence in actions and regard − Adequate self-esteem and self-reliance − Development potential

Indicators of harmonious family relations: − Family unity

37 − Ease of communication − Emotional attitudes and support − Trusting relationships − Stable marital relationship − High level of mutual understanding, etc.

Parents’ personal characteristics and family relations are assessed by: 1. Observation 2. Conversation 3. Model Family Status method (V. Yustickis, E.G. Eydemiller) 4. Analysis of Family Anxiety method (V. Yustickis, E.G. Eydemiller) 5. Family sociogram projective test (V. Yustickis, E.G. Eydemiller) 6. PARI Method (E. Sheffer, R. Bella) 7. Kattel Checklist 16PF 8. Kinetic Family Drawing test (DPF) 9. Non-existent Animal test: 10. Family Picture (family series) test: 11. Test to assess aggression: Bassa-Darki Checklist 12. Drawing of a human-being method

4. School for Adoptive Parents

A foster child’s compatibility and ability to settle with his/her new family is largely dependent upon the care taken in selecting that family, the preparation work undertaken by the adoptive parents and the child’s own readiness to live with a new family. Parents who are ill-prepared for adoption and lack awareness of the issues involved can lead them to erroneously or negatively interpret a child’s behaviour, which can ultimately stand in the way of the child’s settling with the family. All potential parents have concerns: what is the best age and sex of child to adopt? How will my relatives/friends respond to it? Should I tell a child that he/she has been adopted? When and how? How should I prepare my own child for having new sibling? What if the child has inherited an illness or behavioural problem which becomes apparent later on?

Potential parents are invited to attend a School for Adoptive Parents to assess realistically whether they are able and have the potential to adopt a child, and where they receive full training and support, including psychological, legal, procedural and medical counseling. Following this, a lawyer and a counsellor take parents through the requirements and regulations, as well as procedures and paperwork involved in the adoption process. Health workers and psychologists help parents to understand genetic and social factors which influence child development, the special developmental and health needs of abandoned children, and techniques to help such children regain their physical and psychological health. Potential parents learn about the typical mistakes made by adoptive parents, the ways in which they can help a child settle with a new family, and how to understand a child’s behaviour and ensure the child’s school is able to offer support.

Regulation of schools for adoptive parents (SAP)

SAP objectives : to ensure the best possible conditions for the child’s life and upbringing within the family to prevent that child being abandoned for a second time.

38 Responsibilities: 1. To provide foster families and families planning to adopt with information, psychological, medical and educational assistance. 2. To enhance the social, psychological and educational skills of potential parents. 3. To give psychological support to adoptive parents. 4. To help parents develop their psychological and educational relationship with a child with respect for the child’s individual traits.

Methods: training, role plays, mini lectures.

During their time at SAP, potential adoptive parents learn : − To assess whether they are able and have the potential to adopt a child. − To respect the individual, psychological traits of a child who has been deprived of parental care. − To communicate with a child at different stages: first meeting, as the child is adapting to his/her new home, during crisis situations; how to be close to a child; to eliminate problems in the early stages of communication. − To understand the importance of child’s memories of his/her natural parents, and that the child knows their own family history. − About common mistakes, expectations and disappointments experienced by adoptive parents. − Apply certain psychological and pedagogical techniques to help children cope with traumatic experiences. − Meet other adoptive parents to hear of their experiences of adoption. − The legal aspects and documentation involved in adopting a child.

Model for how SAPs operate: Enrolment is by selection. Each candidate has an interview and a psychological test with a social worker. These are designed to show how well-suited a candidate is to become an adoptive parent. There are about 10-12 individuals in each enrolment group. The SAP syllabus is designed to educate prospective adoptive parents up to and beyond the adoption process. The program consists of four modules: legal, social, psychological and medical. The SAP courses are conducted by specialist practitioners: counsellors, psychologists, lawyers and paediatricians. Once prospective parents have completed the SAP course, FSF specialists identify the psychological compatibility between prospective parents and a child/children living in an institution. The first meeting between adoptive parents and a child/children then takes place, followed by meetings at weekends and during school holidays, etc. After this, the FSF’s Council of Practitioners decides whether or not the child will be placed with this family and submits their decision to the care home.

School for Adoptive Parents: subjects taught

# Subject Hours Teaching method Psycholog y Module Psychological characteristics of children, 1 Lecture, conversation, deprived of parental care Group work Impact of adoptive parents’ personalities on 1 Psychodiagnosis, Lecture child development Child development according to age. How 3 Lecture. Training can adoptive parents cope with child’s aggression and temper? Adoptive child’s inner world. Childhood fears. 3 Lecture. Training 39 What type of parents are we? Child-rearing 6 Psychodiagnosis. methods. Conflict between child and parents. Training on child-parent Two areas. Accepting children’s behaviour. relationships How do we communicate? Effective 2 Training communication skills. Confidence and leadership skills, enhancing a child’s self- esteem Developing a child’s abilities and personality 2 Lecture. Training TOTAL: 18 Social module Procedures (legislation) governing adoption, 1 Lecture. Discussion foster care, guardianship. Claims on adoptive parents, guardians, foster carers. Children who can be adopted or placed in a foster home or with a guardian. Different family placements for children: adoption, foster care, guardianship. First meeting with adopted child. 2 Lecture. Discussion. Brainstorming. Group work. Foster family and settling fostered children. 2 Lecture. Role play. Case study. Preparing close relatives (grandparents, etc.) 1 Lecture. Group work. and other children for the arrival of an Role plays. adopted child into their family. First days at home (adapting and settling in) 2 Lecture. Discussion. Case study. Role plays Adopted child’s feelings towards his/her past 1 Lecture. Discussion and biological parents. Educating a child. 1 Lecture. Group work. Individual child education plan. TOTAL: 10 Legal module Child protection law and regulations. 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion

Rights of a child 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion. Case study Rights and responsibilities of foster parents 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion. Case study General institutional stages of adoption, 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion guardianship, foster care TOTAL: 4 Medical module Daily routine, child nutrition, hygiene 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion

Childhood illnesses. Common infections and 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion how to prevent them.

40 Age-related physiological development in 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion children

Healthy life style for families and children. 1 Mini-lecture. Discussion TOTAL: 4 TOTAL: 36

Notes: 1. The syllabus is made up of four sections and is taught over a total of 36 hours. Most time is spent on psychological and social preparation. Legal and medical modules take up an equal number of hours. 2. Recommended intervals between SAP courses depends on the number of prospective adoptive parents able to be enrolled. 3. It is possible to organize separate tuition and advice sessions twice a month for parents who have already fostered or adopted a child. 4. One session lasts for one academic hour (45 minutes). 5. On completing the course all participants must sit a test and obtain a certificate confirming they have completed the SAP course. 6. The course can be changed in response to requests from the participating parents.

Running the adoptive parents’ course

1) Preparing the SAP training course

1. Selecting participants 2. Dividing participants into groups. 3. Programming and detailed training timetable 4. Location of training 5. Preparing equipment (tape-recorder, music, stationery, etc.) 6. Handouts

2) Running the SAP course

There should be 12-15 people on each course. If the group is larger, it becomes more difficult to give adequate individual attention to each participant. If the group is smaller, workload on participants’ increases, opinions and contributions decrease and the training is less effective. Sessions can last from 45 minutes to 3 hours and more, depending on the age of the participants, the subject being taught, etc. Training should be conducted in a dedicated room which is not open to outsiders. The room should be large enough to accommodate the whole group comfortably. In addition to a circle of chairs there should be space to move around and for group/role- play work. Tables should not be used as these act as barriers between participants.

3) Structure of training

The course tutor draws up the training program and timetable. Each session consists of three parts: 1. Introduction - meeting and greeting - what participants should expect from the session

41 - guidelines for the group work - warm-up - subject and goals of session - working methods for session 2. Main part (working part) - theoretical section (mini-lecture) - practical section (exercises, games, role plays, case studies, etc.) - discussion after every practical exercise Theoretical material should be divided into small blocks (mini-lectures) and accompanied by practical exercises and discussion. There can be several theory sections. There are three key rules to bear in mind with the training: The first is that theory and practice should be alternated to keep participants involved and attentive. Secondly, to aid the assimilation of information and practical skills, discussions should continually refer back to two key questions: - What did you feel when doing the exercise? - What did you learn from this exercise? The third rule is that the efficacy of the training process is increased when group members are encouraged to interact and they consequently improve their understanding of one other. 3. Final part (summary). Participants are asked: - Which subject (exercise or lecture) most interested you? - What did you learn from participating in the group exercises? - In what ways have you changed? The introduction and final part take usually one quarter of the session time. About half of the time is devoted to the training itself.

Appendix 12 contains an example of session from the SAP training.

5. Planning and preparing for the placement of a child with a foster family

A child who moves from a children’s home into a family will suffer a significant shock and will instinctively try to resist changes which he/she is being urged to accept. Children who have had some preparation prior to being placed with a family generally cope with these difficulties more easily, even though their emotional well-being undoubtedly suffers. Children sometimes internalise their stress and outwardly try to behave well, since life in a family is a longed-for goal. A child who is not prepared prior to the move may suffer a severe crisis which is manifested by disruptive behaviour and emotional trauma in the form of depression. The period of adjustment for families who have had no training or support can become extremely drawn out and prove all but impossible for some family members [19]. To ease a child’s adjustment to his/her new family and reduce the risk of a child being rejected and removed to a care home once again, the preparation process is divided into stages. Social workers have identified four key areas of support: − assessing a child; − medical help; − social-legal work; − psychological-educational work.

Preparing a child for placement with a foster family

42 # Stage Working methods Professional responsible

1. Identifying children Database Social worker suitable for adoption 2. Review of child’s case file Document evaluation Social worker

3. Child assessment Conversation, observation, Psychologist, doctor, psychological assessment, social worker medical examination

4. Child’s individual Council of Practitioners’ Social worker, protection plan: meetings, database of psychologist, health - Selecting a child adoptive parents, professional, tutor - Resolving any of the behavioural/emotional child’s urgent problems work with child - Preparing a child for life with a new family

5. Child and parent meetings Sharing photos, video Psychologist, carer, social during weekends/school clips, discussion worker, counsellor holidays

6. Meetings: Director of children’s home Psychologist, carer, social а) at children’s home must give permission for worker, counsellor b) in a public place meetings, observation and c) visits to future family discussion home during weekends and holidays 7. Outcome of meetings Discussion, observation Psychologist, educationalist, social worker, counsellor 8. Counselling to address Consulting, psychological Psychologist apprehension on the part correction, family therapy of both children and parents, communication problems, parents’ expectations 9. Preparing paperwork for Documentation Social worker adoption and submitting these to adoption authorities

The assessment of the child being adopted or fostered is an extremely important part of the process of selecting the right family for that child and preparing the child for a new life in a foster family. The assessment is carried out by a social worker and FSF psychologist. The techniques involved in the assessment are adapted according to the child’s age, including discussions with the child him/herself. (Appendix 6). The assessment includes: − Psychological evaluation; − Assessment of the child’s emotional state; − Behavioural assessment; − Child’s health and development.

43 The assessment helps to identify the child’s most urgent needs. The individual child protection plan is then drawn up and a key worker is appointed. Following this, the process of preparing a child for living with a new family begins. This includes important work which acknowledges the child’s past and present as well as planning for the future. It is important to explain to a child in a way that is appropriate to their age and stage of development why he/she is in a children’s home and not with his/her biological family. Truthful explanations help to ease the child’s anger or feeling that they are somehow to blame. Working with the past and the present helps to create the child’s own history. Every human being has their own history, a source of support, stability, notions of where one’s origins lie. Histories can be built up by using techniques such as story-writing. Children join in the writing of a story, similar to the child’s own life story, which has a positive ending. Children are also encouraged to compile a family album with photos of the child, his/her drawings, and records of his/her significant achievements. It is important that children see positive images of the family. Role plays, films followed by conversation, story-writing and drawings on the subject of “My Family” are helpful. The next stage is for FSF staff to organize meetings between the child and the family. It is important to bear in mind the following issues when such meetings are being organized: − It is beneficial to a child to be shown photographs of his/her future parents and family members before the meeting. − First impressions are the strongest and it is therefore important to consider how best to encourage the child and family to get to know one another, taking into account the child’s likes and dislikes, individual character traits, behaviour in situations to which he/she is unaccustomed. It is also important for the whole foster family (parents and existing children) to meet and get to know the foster child. − The first meeting should take place in an environment that is familiar to the child and in the presence of a social worker or psychologist whom the child trusts. − After the meeting, gauge the reactions and opinions of all parties. Analysing trial visits and shared activities helps in identifying and working through any problems which could potentially arise between the foster parents and the child, thus reducing the risk of the child being returned to care. The more astutely the social worker acts in such cases, the fewer serious problems tend to arise. The behaviour of both child and parents during meetings should be assessed, and the feelings, impressions and fears of each individual discussed so that any necessary advice and support can be given.

6. Support and Monitoring of the foster family

Once a child has begun living with the family, FSF experts begin the family support and monitoring procedures which become part of the individual child protection plan. Adoptive/foster parents should be kept informed of the family support plan (frequency, interventions involved, etc.). In the case of adoption, monitoring is carried out only by the care home. It is recommended that a monitoring visit to the family takes place within the first month of the child’s placement and includes a meeting with the child’s form tutor or nursery teacher or other relevant persons in order to assess how the child and family are adjusting to one another. Depending on the information gathered, a plan is drawn up for continuing family support and monitoring. Family support and monitoring takes the form of the following: − socio-legal advice − psychological and educational support 44 − medical assistance − behavioural-developmental support

The plan is agreed by the practitioners concerned and the adoptive parents themselves. Results of the monitoring are reviewed and any support work required will take place twice within first year of the child’s life with the foster family. Beyond the first year, the plan can be adapted to the needs of each individual family. In extending support to a family, it is important that the family has contact with different people and that there is an interdisciplinary approach involving various organizations and departments (state and private sector). It is extremely important that the foster family keeps in touch with the child’s biological parents (as long as this is not thought to harm the interests of a child).

Foster family support and monitoring

# Measures Periodicity Responsible 1. Visiting and observing family: Once a quarter. Social worker and FSF conversation, observation, Twice a year in the psychologist, school interviewing, testing case of adoption social worker, form teacher (or nursery carer/ other educator, where relevant) 2. Meeting and conversation with Once a month for FSF social worker, school form master (by telephone), first six months, social worker, form contact with school then once a quarter teacher or other educator 3. Planning of family support During first month FSF experts after child moves in with family 4. Counseling to help child adjust First consultation Psychologist after 3 months, then as required 5. Advice, training and other As needed FSF experts, interested psychological and educational specialists assistance for the family to help them with child’s development and education 6. Inviting child back to the Periodically Social worker children’s home or other places for holidays and events he/she had attended before 7. Medical examination of child; Once a year Medical worker access to medical advice; health promotion and resort holiday for children and adoptive parents 8. Referring children and parents to As needed Social worker, medical FSF if help is needed, referrals practitioner to specialist doctors and therapists 9. Support in protecting rights and As needed Social worker, lawyer interests of children and adoptive parents; raising awareness or need to protect children’s rights in different settings 45 10. Involvement of various social Permanently Social worker, lawyer funds, charities, sponsors which support foster families 11. Meeting with birth parents Individually Social worker

7. Criteria for evaluating a child’s care and well-being in the foster family

To assess how successfully a child has adapted to being with his/her new foster family, and his/her well-being in that family, FSF experts use certain criteria which are grouped under three main headings: 1. Needs of the child 2. Parental care 3. Environment

For each set of criteria, there are a number of indicators which will assist social workers in reaching their judgment of the child’s well-being. Techniques which can be used to make the assessment are also listed.

# Criteria Indicators Methods NEEDS OF A CHILD 1 Health - child looks healthy Observation, (physical and - is registered with clinic conversation, psychological - keen appetite examination, development, access to - mainly in high spirits review of child’s necessary medical medical card if services, health - development commensurate visit to promotion, observing with age paediatrician hygiene) - family maintains appropriate necessary hygiene at home - child participates in sport, fitness, takes daily exercise

2 Education - making progress Review of school (child’s learning is keeping - can read record, pace with curriculum in - can count conversation with terms of reading, writing - knows poems by heart form tutor, and other skills / - participates in contests classmates, attainments) - enjoys riddles, puzzles, discussion, crosswords, plays chess observation - has computer skills - member of groups/clubs 3 Mental and cognitive skills - playing place Discussion, (child is developing, - child has friends observation, communicating and - adult teaches child to play and examination, playing games involving communicate psychological adults who consider child’s - child’s development is evaluation individual characteristics) commensurate with age - child plays development games 4 Emotional and behavioural - child has adapted to his/her Conversation, development (child’s new family observation, emotional responses are - child responds satisfactorily to psychological proportionate to situation, different situations diagnostics 46 child adapts to change, - child is well-adjusted, copes copes with stress and with stress maintains self-control) - child observes rules of behaviour 5 Self-comprehension - self-esteem Conversation, (child’s self-awareness as - child is self-aware and has observation, person, self-esteem, proper awareness of his/her psychological child’s own opinion of skills/attainment evaluation his/her attainments, self- - how child registers his/her respect, individuality, opinion feeling of affiliation to and - child is self-reliant acceptance by family, - how child imagines his/her peers, society, sex-role future identification) 6 Relations with family and - child is kind Discussion, society - sympathizes with others - is observation, (can sympathize relatives, respectful to others - obeys psychological relationships with family parents evaluation members, peers, other - parents encourage good people, family response to behaviour and respond those relationships) appropriately to bad behaviour 7 Social manner - child’s mode of dressing and Observation, (child understands that demeanour correspond to conversation, he/she should socialise: societal norms examination clothes, rules of - how adult participates in the behaviour, personal process of socialising the child hygiene; attitude to rules and regulations, role of adult in this process) 8 Ability to look after oneself - child can dress themselves, Conversation, (communication, domestic put on clothes, eat, take care of observation skills; external influences his/her clothes, make bed, do and child’s aptitude in homework, cook something developing these skills) simple, clean, shop, other skills - do parents encourage their child to be self-managing? If so, how? PARENTAL CARE 9 Basic care and attention - appropriate living conditions, Observation, (Children’s physical corresponding to interview, needs met: food, drink, health/hygiene standards conversation home, ability to maintain - stable financial situation in personal hygiene, clothes, family private space) - food should be varied - child should be able to maintain personal hygiene - child should have his/her own personal space (room, cupboard) 10 Protection - potential dangers should not Observation, (protecting a child from be accessible to child (bare inquiry, possible harm, injury, wires, cutting and piercing conversation, danger, self-harm; home implements, household interview and other places where chemicals) 47 the child often stays - child should know how to should be safe) behave in dangerous situations - child is accompanied by adult when going to nursery or school - child is under supervision of adults - adult teaches child how to behave safely 11 Bonds of affection - child’s need for support, Conversation, (satisfaction of child’s physical contact, praise, observation emotional needs: positive appraisal are met by adoptive appraisal, understanding, parents affectionate relationships, - it is common to show feeling physical contact, respect, openly in the family praise, encouragement, support) 12 Promotion of development - child able to attend school, Observation, (social activities: attends hobby clubs, workshops, use conversation, school, clubs, workshop, the library, internet examination, uses library, internet; full - parents participate in child’s interview forwardness; development encouragement; - child watches TV as much as assistance) is advisable for his/her age and allowable in daily routine - child spends his/her time constructively 13 Control, advice and - parents are a good example Conversation, necessary restrictions of behaviour observation (helping child to acquire - child understands the need to skills of self-control and respect rules of behaviour learn behavioural limits, - there are family customs and moral values) traditions - parents help their child to acquire moral values 14 Stability - parents have secure marriage Observation, (stable, secure and - parents bring up their child in interview, permanent relationship consistent way conversation, with child, consistent - parents care for their child all psychological responses to child’s the time evaluation behaviour, consistency of upbringing, care and love)

ENVIRONMENT 15 Social environment - family’s circle of friends and Conversation, (ensuring safe social acquaintances poses no harm observation, environment for family and to child’s physical and examination, child) psychological well-being (are interview there are any ill or aggressive friends in family circle) - child’s home is environmentally safe and there are playgrounds nearby 48

Using these criteria to assess the family’s circumstances allows us to judge whether parents can fulfil their parental obligations and whether the child’s needs are met. Observation is key to evaluating a child’s well-being, hence the need for social workers and other specialists to be particularly attentive and draw the right conclusions based on everything they have seen and heard. The following methods are used in psychological evaluation: 1. Family sociogram projective test (V.Yustitskis, E.G.Eidemiller) 2. Kinetic family drawing test 3. Drawing-a-human-being technique

It is important that all support and monitoring work with families is conducted ethically, with respect for confidentiality. Social workers and other professions involved should go about their work in a way that does not interfere with the family’s private life. It is important too that the family understands that they are being observed in order that any potential problems are identified and resolved to the ultimate improvement of the family’s own well-being.

Step 6. Working with dysfunctional families

One of the functions of the FSF is to work with dysfunctional families. Children of dysfunctional families are judged as being at risk. If the family is dysfunctional over a long period of time, parents become unable to bring up their own children. Such children often end up in care, and it is therefore important to detect and avoid families ending up in such circumstances.

1. Factors contributing to family dysfunction and risk of children being taken into care

Socio-economic Demographic Psychological Criminal and medical factors factors factors factors • Poor living • Incomplete • Poorly educated • Family unable to conditions family parents sustain moral • Unemployment • Many children in • Parents’ value system upbringing, • Low income family clashes with society parental • Children’s living • Second around them alcoholism and conditions marriage or step • Lack of close family drug abuse worsen children bonds • Child abuse • Environmentally • Single mother • High incidence of • Neglect of child’s substandard • Juvenile mother conflict between adult interests and surroundings family members and needs • Chronic between children and • Family members diseases among parents have a criminal children • Lack of emotional record stability • Parents unable to set example to and educate their children

Most children in orphanage institutions are social orphans – abandoned children, children of single mothers, and children whose parents reject their parental obligations 49 or lead a life which is not morally suitable for bringing up children. Many parents put their children into care because they are disabled or ill. Most children in care also enter these institutions at a very young age. Although many children are being placed with families, the number of children in children’s homes continues to increase. Therefore, the FSF’s goal is not only to reduce number of children in these institutions but also to investigate alternative ways of providing children with a family upbringing. Preventing children being taken into care is also very important and depends on the earliest possible intervention with families and children in difficulty.

2. Working with dysfunctional families

The FSF’s work with dysfunctional families is aimed primarily at keeping the biological family together. The FSF’s main responsibilities in this regard are: − Restoring sufficient family function to allow the child to remain in the family; − Ensuring child is not at risk in the family; − Enhancing parents’ abilities to bring up children (psychological, educational support) − Encouraging manifestation of love and care between all family members; − Strengthening the emotional and psychological bonds between parents and children, family members; − Mobilizing existing family resources and external sources to ensure maximum support to the family. − Finding organizations or friends and relations who can act as the family’s support network; − Making parents legally aware – ensuring they are familiar with key laws on family, education and parenting; − Providing information for family members with relationship problems.

In order to fulfil these tasks, FSF work involves the following:

1. Identifying families and children at risk. 2. Entering information into database. 3. Making a contract with the family. This is not legally binding but sets out the rights and responsibilities of the family members and the FSF specialists. 4. Completing an assessment of the family’s circumstances and surroundings, identifying the reasons for the family’s difficulties. Based on the findings, the FSF social worker builds a relationship with the family, decides on the best working methods and agrees a plan with the family for taking the family out of crisis. 5. Intervention: creating and maintaining the momentum to lift a family out of difficulty requires that the family is continually supported, where necessary by friends and relations whom the family particularly trusts. 6. Interacting with other departments and services. 7. Taking the family out of crisis by resolving their problems and the causes of those problems. Depending on the family’s issues, social workers and specialists use various methods to try and avert the need to take a child into care (offering psychological, social, educational and medical assistance). 8. Family support and monitoring. The family is monitored for a specified period of time (up to a year). The social worker continues to provide any information the family needs, and continues to provide support for health, recreation and other matters.

50 3. Identifying and registering dysfunctional families

The FSF uses a multidisciplinary approach in identifying and registering dysfunctional families. The FSF initiates and encourages communication between the organizations and services which are qualified to help and support children as part of the state system which exists to prevent the abuse of children’s rights.

A system for gathering information about dysfunctional families has been developed. Information can be received from various sources: schools, private individuals, child protection departments and organizations. Often families in crisis come to the FSF directly.

System for collecting information on and registering a dysfunctional family

The diagram below illustrates how agencies interact, document and present data on dysfunctional families who are then registered in a database.

Prosecutor’s Cooperation By request Office agreement

FSF Care Education By request facilities, Department school Order

Agreement Legal Once a Orphanage Family authori month institutions support ties agreement

IAD Once a Within 10 days of As new month request information Hot line becomes available Natural fam ilies Private As new individu information als becomes (neighbo available urs, relatives

4. Profile of a dysfunctional family

Any strategy of support for a dysfunctional family should take into consideration the profile of that family in terms of its social adaptation ( М.А. Galaguzova):

• Safe families – function successfully. Where problems arise, these families need assistance in the form of short-term interventions. • Families at risk – are characterized by some deviation from the norm, for example, the family is incomplete, has very low income, etc. They cope with bringing up a child with difficulty.

51 • Dysfunctional families – low status in areas of key social activity, they do not cope with their responsibilities. • Asocial families – parents live / earn in immoral or illegal ways, living conditions do not meet health and hygiene standards, children are neglected

The type of family determines the nature of the risk posed to the child and the intervention required.

5. Family support models: educational, social and legal, psychological and medical

FSF specialists use the following family-support models in their work with dysfunctional families: educational, social, psychological and medical. The model selected depends on the nature and cause of problems in the relationship between parents and children. [14]

Educational model − Encouraging parents’ ability to impart their knowledge to their children. − Helping families organize leisure time. − Encouraging family to join clubs and leisure groups with other families. − Helping families to create or restore family traditions and celebrations (children’s birthdays, anniversaries, etc.). − Discussing with parents and senior family members the importance of bringing up children and encouraging them to study and achieve. − Encouraging good relations between parents and school teachers.

Social model − Ensuring there is contact between the family and different departments, social services, social security and support centres. − Social security (benefits, one-off payments, etc.). − Explaining to adult family members the effects of immoral behaviour and lifestyle and child neglect, and telling children about the legal consequences of such behaviour under current legislation. − Drawing such families to the attention of juvenile- and child-protection officers, care facilities, the juvenile units of district crime and police units. − Helping unemployed adult family members to find jobs, retrain, open a small business or family enterprise, or work in some other way.

52 − Offering material assistance including clothes, school items, educational games, books, medicines, etc. for children. − Encouraging cleanliness, good hygiene and good housekeeping in the home. − In certain cases, helping with cleaning or any other domestic activity (cooking, washing, mending clothes, shopping, caring for a sick relative, etc.).

Psychological model − Analysis of family circumstances. − Identifying and remedying a breakdown in family relationships. − Creating a positive atmosphere in the family home.

− Using psychological techniques to prevent violent and abusive treatment towards children, women and cohabiting relatives. − Conflict resolution, harmonizing relationships between parents and children and married couples. − Psychological help for adult family members of a social risk group with the aim of restoring equilibrium and an ability to cope with adversity. − Psychological rehabilitation work with children who have been subject to abuse or violence within the family.

Medical model − Counselling / psychotherapy (treating the family member in need of the therapy and making other family members aware of that person’s difficulties). − Helping adult family members overcome alcohol addiction (coaching, encouragement to attend alcoholics’ anonymous groups, encouragement to undergo treatment for alcoholism). − Providing assistance during treatment, purchasing medicines. − Ensuring family has access to family planning clinics, psychotherapy and counselling services, etc.

6. Criteria of family dysfunction

53 Making the right decisions about the best way to support a family depends upon an accurate assessment of any risks faced by the child. This is why FSF specialists adhere to established criteria in assessing dysfunctionality. There are three levels of risk: high, middle and low. The type of support extended to the family will depend on the level of risk posed.

54 Criteria used in assessing dysfunctional families and risk posed to children Family Assistance and Child Protection Model Indicators Agencies and Criteria of family dysfunction Family Assistance and Child Protection Model (child at risk ) Organ izations Child is at high risk if: Appearance : unclean, Social and legal : awareness of criminal and Law-enforcement 1. he/she is abused, i.e., exposed to untidy, emaciated, marks of administrative responsibility, prevention of juvenile agencies: MIA, DIA, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual blows to body, signs of and adult delinquency, preparation of information local police force, JI, exploitation, sexual abuse (inducement violence. for court proceedings and care authorities, court, prosecutor's or coercion of a child into illegal sexual Behaviour : tendency to registration of children and their parents at JI office. intercourse; exploitative use of children delinquent behaviour: (Juvenile Inspection) authority, filing supervision in pornography); running away from home, records for a teenager or his/her parents if caught Employment centre, 2. child’s parent(s) found to be thieving, vagrancy, begging. committing other crimes, removing the child from FSF, Social protection alcoholics, drug- or substance addicts Health : frequent infections, the dysfunctional family, limitation or removal of department. according to legal definitions; long-term illnesses, possible parental rights, compulsory medical treatment. 3. the child’s family poses a threat to hereditary diseases, Retraining and help finding work. Assistance in Health facilities: his/her life and safety (child is weakness/fatigue, signs of completing forms for benefits and cash payments. pharmacies, mental encouraged to consume alcoholic depression, no medical Material assistance. Domestic help. (household health clinics, beverages, drugs and other supervision. management assistance). outpatient clinic, substances, resulting in intoxication Dependency : alcohol/drug/ Medical model : compulsory medical treatment and doctors’ surgeries, and dependency); substance abuse, smoking. psychotherapy to treat dependency. Medical maternity welfare 4. parents abuse or neglect their Development : abnormal examination and treatment of children who have centres. parental responsibilities or have a pathology, delay in physical suffered abuse or have some form of dependency, deleterious effect upon their children and mental development. medical registration, placement in specialist Mental health centres, (begging, vagrancy, exploited to Learning ability : child is not institutions. Raising awareness of family planning. JI, crisis management produce or sell drugs, psychotropic interested in learning, poor Psychological model : psychological rehabilitation centres. agents; malnutrition, bad housing and attendance and performance for all family members. Restoring mental health, living conditions, disregard for child’s at school. equilibrium, the ability to cope with difficulties, School, care upbringing, criminal and/or asocial Emotional condition : including personal crises; rehabilitation of children authorities. environment); attempted suicide, emotional who have experienced psychological trauma. 5. parents are mentally incapacitated instability. Psychological techniques to prevent violence and (according to legal definition) Communication : poor child abuse in the family. 6. parents engage in religious communicator. Educational model : behaviour control at school, fanaticism (depending on how this is filling in the gaps in child's knowledge. deemed to risk child’s life and health) .

Child is at average risk if: Appearance : unclean, Social and legal : identify children with no parental Social services/Care 1. he/she is deprived of all parental untidy, emaciated, signs of care, keep records, depending on circumstances authorities, courts, care; both parents are dead; parents physical abuse. under which the child was deprived of parental care institutions of local have been denied parental rights or Behaviour : tendency to he/she must be taken into care (foster care, government, KZPN, their rights are limited; parents are deviant behaviour: running adoption, guardianship, orphanage, boarding prosecutor’s office. recognized as incapacitated, ill or away from home, vagrancy, school), housing and education must be carefully disabled (or recognized by the court begging. monitored. Law-enforcement as partially incapable); parents evade Health : weakness/fatigue, Awareness of criminal and administrative bodies: MIA, DIA, local responsibilities to bring up a child and frequent illness, no medical responsibility, prevention of juvenile and adult police force, JI, court. protect his/her rights and interests. supervision. delinquency, preparation of information for court 2. the family has no means of Development : social and proceedings and care authorities, registration of Employment centre, subsistence, parents are unemployed educational isolation. children and their parents at JI authority, Retraining FSF, Social protection and have no income. Dependency : smoking. and help finding work. Assistance in completing department. 3. there is no bond of affection and Learning ability : poor forms for benefits and cash payments. Material mutual trust between the child and the attendance and assistance. Domestic help. (household outpatient department, parents and other family members. performance at school. management assistance). care authorities, health 4. parents are unable to ensure child’s Emotional state : emotional authorities. safety; child is often left unattended instability, morbid fears, Medical model : assign a paediatrician to the child, for long periods of time. manifestations of neurosis. medical examination and treatment, keeping Mental health centres, 5. parents don’t use or use Communication : lack of medical records, placement in specialist FSF, crisis inappropriate disciplinary methods. close communication; institutions, recognition of disability, if any. Raising management centres, 6. psychological climate in the family unresolved conflicts. awareness of family planning. care authorities. is negative and adversely affects the Psychological model : Remedial and preventive Schools, school child’s health and mental wellbeing work with the child. Family therapy, family complexes, akimats, (sociopathic families, families of counselling, child-parent relationship coaching. recreation clubs. criminals). Educational model : behaviour control at school, Mass media, FSF, 7. hygiene and sanitation in the home filling in the gaps in a child's knowledge, assigning NGOs, departments, are neglected or ignored, adversely a teacher to work with the child, extracurricular care authorities. affecting child’s health. activities: after-school clubs, sports teams, 8. parents engage in religious playground clubs, hobby groups (free of charge). fanaticism (depending on how this is Night school for parents. Household hygiene and deemed to risk child’s life and health). cleanliness, creating a comfortable home, establishing family traditions.

Child is at low risk if: Appearance : satisfactory. Social and legal : Awareness of criminal and Law-enforcement 1. there is little or no relationship Behaviour : negative administrative responsibility, prevention of juvenile agencies: local police between the parents (parents are on behaviour and emotions, and adult delinquency, preparation of information force, JI, court. the verge of divorce). violent behaviour. for court proceedings and care authorities, 2. parents lack experience, Health : adequate medical registration of children and their parents at JI Care authority, 56 knowledge, and/or means to bring up supervision. authority. Appoint a guardian for teenage mother. employment centre, a child (teenage/single mother). Development : social and Retraining and help finding work. Assistance in FSF, Social protection 3. family has difficulty integrating educational isolation. completing forms for benefits and cash payments. department. socially (immigrants, migrants, Dependences : Assistance in completing legal documents, newcomers). Learning ability : problems counselling. Polyclinics, maternity 4. the family has very low income learning and socializing, welfare centres. (large family, unemployment) lack of motivation, school Medical model : Psychotherapy for addiction 5. one of the family members is truancy. Advice on care of a disabled family member. seriously ill. Emotional state : emotional Raising awareness of family planning. Mental health centres, 6. parents engage in religious instability, fear, anxiety, Psychological model : Remedial and preventive FSF, crisis fanaticism (depending on how this is tearfulness in small work with the child. Family therapy, family management centres, deemed to risk child’s life and health). children. counselling, child-parent relationship coaching. schools. 7. parents engage in gambling (having Communication : difficulty Psychological support for families with seriously ill adverse economic, moral, establishing new contacts, family members. Schools, regional psychological effects on the child). conflict. Educational model : behaviour control at school, akimats, recreation filling in the gaps in a child's knowledge, assigning clubs, mass media, a teacher to work with the child, extracurricular FSF, NGOs, activities: after-school clubs, sport clubs, departments. playgrounds, hobby groups (free of charge). Night school for parents. Coaching in parenting skills, joining family clubs, spending leisure time with other families.

57 7. Specialist techniques for counselling a dysfunctional family 1) The role of the counsellor [26] When working with a family, the counsellor usually has three roles: adviser, expert, defending counsel. As an adviser, the counsellor informs the family of the importance of communication and interaction between children and their parents and how that communication can be encouraged; he/she provides insight into the ways in which a particular child is developing; and offers coaching in parenting skills. As a consultant, he/she gives information on family law; helps identify any relationship issues in the family; advises parents on what measures they can take to provide a normal upbringing for a child. As a defending counsel he protects the child's rights in cases where parents are unable or unwilling to bring up their child.

2) Family counselling is the provision of advice and help by a counsellor to a family if there appear to be problems or conflict in the relationships between children and adults. Counselling covers the following subjects: 1. Livelihood: employment, benefits, allowances, material help, etc. 2. household organization: arranging the child's own space in the flat, teaching the child about hygiene, planning leisure activities; 3. physical health: identifying and preventing illness, organizing leisure activities and children's health promotion; 4. mental and moral well-being: traditions and customs in the family, differences in the family members' value systems; 5. children’s upbringing: helping a child who is having problems settling at school, identifying and helping to avoid problems with a child’s development and behaviour, helping to enhance the parenting skills and the engagement of parents. 6. Communication between family members and the family’s social life: helping to restore positive social relationships, establishing new relationships, harmonizing child-parent and marital relationships. 3) Counselling work with vulnerable families Vulnerable families often display the following characteristics [3]: 1. Family members are not able to analyze their family life and are therefore unable to think of ways to improve their life. 2. Family members tend not to discuss their problems and find it hard to understand psychologists’ explanations of the reasons for their problems and how they can improve matters. 3. Emotions are derived from power, domination, aggression more than from love, care and mutual support. 4. Family members have a higher risk of falling into alcoholism and drug addiction.

Very often, members of such families are simply unable believe that they have the ability to change their own life and that of their relations. It is vitally important, therefore, that the counselling process begins by helping to give people hope. It may help to tell the family about families in situations very like their own who have survived their difficulties and ultimately managed to improve their lives. Explain what steps those people took, the failures they experienced, what they found helpful and what was of no help at all. Such stories must be comprehensible, able to move people, and must be brief to avoid boredom in listeners. Counsellors are advised to gather, analyze and classify such stories and so that different collections of stories can be used in different situations. Sometimes dysfunctional families manage their problems themselves without the help of counsellors and psychologists. Information on such cases is also useful and can be studied qualitatively (as opposed to quantitatively). All psychologists working in

58 schools, orphanages or children’s homes tend to come across such experiences or stories and it is helpful to note these down and analyze them. One essential task at every stage of the psychologist’s work with the family is to give examples of communication and emotional responses which are different from those accepted in their own family. For example, family members commonly make fun of other people, point out others' mistakes and remind them repeatedly of them. In such a case, a psychologist might illustrate how those family members can be more caring and attentive towards others, emphasizing that all people are fallible and that the best response of someone who happens to witness somebody's mistake is to allay their uneasiness rather than to increase it. Under no circumstances should the psychologist behave arrogantly or disdainfully towards a vulnerable family. It is possible that some members of these families will tend to treat other people the same way and that can be an obstacle to their learning to adopt a more loving and caring attitude. Psychologists should be the exact opposite of a judgmental presence, and in fact should be interested in the family and try to be on equal terms with them. Every person has qualities worthy of respect, and the psychologist's goal must be to reveal these qualities in every family member and show respect to them, explaining why a particular person is worthy of respect, in his/her opinion. It is important to teach all family members how to resist external attempts to extort money from them, make them do someone else’s work or encourage them to drink or take drugs. Very often, vulnerable people are very suggestible and gullible, and agree to things they regret afterwards; in their remorse they may become aggressive or destructive or use alcohol and other substances which affect their judgment. This tends to exacerbate their problems and family life deteriorates further. The psychologist can help the family by simulating situations in which they will be coerced into doing something and teaching them how to refuse offers which are not helpful to them, or which contradicts their plans or rights. Moreover, the psychologist is able to demonstrate how family members can express refusal and defend themselves in a verbal, socially acceptable way. Socially vulnerable people tend to carry grievances with them, and memories of being insulted. Sometimes this sense of being aggrieved can diminish a person’s assertiveness, preventing them get his or her own way in critical situations. The grievance inflicted and inability to cope with problems exacerbate the emotional difficulties within family relationships. It is very important to engage members (children, parents, relatives) of vulnerable families in team games which facilitate communication in the family, make people more thoughtful towards each other, and help them to be bolder and more assertive when they are not with their family. Such games introduce happiness and enjoyment, which are crucial here.

Step 7. Creating a child-friendly environment in care facilities

1. What constitutes a child-friendly environment in care facilities One of the ultimate aims of the transformation of residential child-care institutions is to create an appropriate domestic environment in the care institution, which provides an upbringing for children who cannot be placed permanently or temporarily with foster parents and whose future is not yet determined. It is important that the environment in the institution resembles life in a family as much as possible and meets the child's basic needs. The environment in which an orphan lives shapes his personality, relationships, ideas and behavioural patterns, which is why the environment must be child-friendly. The notion of the “child-friendly environment in care facilities” is predicated upon living conditions and quality of life which as far as possible ensure: - family-type lifestyle; - psychologically beneficial environment, motivating children to self-actualization and self-development;

59 - individual approach to the upbringing and development of each child; - successful adaptation and socialization of each child; - safety and care; - respect for the child's private space; - professionalism and emotional involvement of carers/staff, etc.

2. Assessing the child-friendliness of care facilities The G.V. family point out that when a child loses his family ties he loses many other valuable things. Among them [20]: − genetic, cultural and medical history; − the established environment in which the child was growing up, his home, toys, belongings, pets, circle of contacts (friends, teachers, etc.); − geographical and “natural” losses due to the removal of the child; − family: birth parents and blood relations; − siblings; − past: time and experiences the child once shared with somebody else; − cultural and national traditions, folklore, family traditions; − physical similarity: awareness of looking like one’s relative(s); − place in the family tree; − birth order of siblings in the family (who is elder and who is younger); − birth history and birth certificate (reminiscences of relatives, things, belongings); − religious views; − sometimes, the name given at birth and awareness of the people who gave this name to the child; − self-awareness and self-esteem − the opportunity to feel one belongs to a majority. Children living in a foster family are a minority in the eyes of the public. − To compensate for these losses, specialists in the care institution must evaluate the child's needs and decide to what extent the institution can respond to them. One seminar on assessing the child-friendly environment uses the Matrix Method (Great Britain), which is aimed at studying families and is therefore seen to be effective in assessing institutions which are aiming to be a substitute family for the child. It is accepted that residential institutions are not able to meet children’s needs fully. The aspects of the family/institutional environment which merit significant attention are:

the emotional aspects of communication parent-child type relationships (carer-child) comprehensive development of the child instructions and boundaries accepted in the family stability (frequent staff changes) personal qualities of the staff individual development of the child (emotions and character, cognitive development, communication skills and independence) family relationships and social relationships conduct in society independence history and functioning of the genetic family maintaining contact with relatives living conditions (accommodation, personal space, personal possessions)

Parents’ Child’s needs Basic treatment Health capacity

Child’s safety Education

Emotional aspect Emotional development and of the relationships behavior

Parent-child type Child’s personality relationships CHILD

Comprehensive Protection, Family relationships and development of the well-being child social relationships and development Instructions and

limitations accepted Public conduct

in the family

Family stability Self-support skills

Parents’ personal qualities (deviations) History and functioning of the family. Relatives. Housing. Employment. Income. Social integration of the family. Social environment

Influences of the family and environment

61 3. Indicators of child-friendliness in care facilities

There are certain generally accepted indicators which are used to assess: − quality of life in the care institution; − to what degree children’s individual characteristics are considered; − how successful is the institution in helping its children adapt and socialize. − how is the notion of child-friendliness promoted in the institution; All the indicators are ascribed to certain aspects of promoting a child-friendly environment in the institution:

Indicators used to assess the child-friendly environment in care facilities’ # Development Indicators Sphere 1 Basic - Living in a well-planned, cosy and comfortable house with treatment and sufficient space to meet all requirements. care - Living conditions resemble life in a family as far as possible. Children have their own private space which they can arrange to their liking. - Children are encouraged to observe hygiene and cleanliness. - Healthy eating is encouraged. - Children are able to participate in planning their meals, buying and cooking food. - The staff supply children with clothing suitable for playing and learning indoors and outdoors, for rest and sleep; children should also be given opportunity to choose clothing they like. - The rules of in the care home aim to teach children how to dress themselves without assistance; are observed with respect for standards of safety and comfort 2 Security and - The rules of in the care home aim to teach children how to dress health themselves without assistance; are observed with respect for protection standards of safety and comfort. - Equipment and premises are completely safe. - Potentially dangerous foods and articles are kept out of the reach of the children. - Institution administrators promote observance of safety standards and occupational health protection. - The institution has precise instructions and methods for protecting children's health and safety. Staff monitor the health and safety of the children and take appropriate steps to protect them. - The personnel take care of the children while ever they remain in the institution. - Observing cleanliness and hygiene standards is very beneficial for children and an important individual need. Staff help children to maintain personal hygiene. - If a child needs medicines or medical treatment, those needs are met without undue delay. Staff take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and monitor the immunization of children. - In summer, children go to summer camps, health resorts and sanatoria. - The institution promotes a healthy lifestyle and introduces health promotion methods. - The institution is situated in an ecologically sound area. 62 - Food and drink are nutritious and in keeping with accepted cultural norms. There is a permanent supply of high quality drinking water. 3 The protection 1. The children's needs are always fully and effectively taken into of children’s account. Staff plan the protection measures and actions; the rights in work plans are presented in writing with timescale and persons in planning and charge of implementing the measures specified. Plans can be organizational revised, if necessary. All actions must conform with the current management laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 2. Children have access to individual support, if required. 3. Children are taught and encouraged to make decisions regarding their life and participation in the life of the institution. It is accepted that each child is able to express his own opinion. 4. The staff respect the child's private life, and that information about the children is confidential. 5. Children are informed about the care home’s responsibilities and their rights and obligations. 6. The staff establish and maintain relationships with the children and communicate with them with respect, equality and sincerity. 4 Education, Staff encourage the children’s education in every possible way. comprehensiv Education is valuable in itself and in preparing for adulthood. e and early Children should have opportunities to further their education to development contribute to their all-round development. Children can choose activities according to their interests; staff must help where necessary by organizing interesting and entertaining cultural and leisure activities and encouraging children to have confidence in their own skills. Staff should respect the multiplicity of the children's abilities and their social and cultural background, thus ensuring it is always possible to respond to their individual needs. 5 Personnel 1. Staff members are on friendly terms and work together as an integrated and united group. 2. Every staff member participates in the upbringing and adaptation of the children, teaches them about socially acceptable behaviour, and helps them progress towards adulthood. 3. The staff establish and maintain relationships with the children and communicate with them with respect, equality and sincerity. 4. Staff have access to expert help, where required. 5. The home should never be understaffed; the staff must have the requisite knowledge and skills to meet the children's needs. 6. Staff must be competent and trained to meet the children's requirements. Staff members shall have opportunities to gain further qualifications and use innovative working practices. 6 Emotional 1. The staff should create a friendly and happy atmosphere and development communicate affectionately and amiably with the children. and behaviour 2. Staff should ensure children’s birthday’s and other events are control celebrated in an age-appropriate way. Staff should create an environment that encourages the children’s socialization and positive interaction and prevent conflict between children. 3. Staff should use positive techniques of behaviour control. 4. The emotional disposition of the staff should help them to work 63 with children and play an active part in their lives. 7 Management 1. Staff should be given all the help they require from the and monitoring management of the institution. Managers should respect the opinions and protect the rights of their staff. 2. Managers should allocate work to staff to maximise their effectiveness in responding to the children's needs. 3. Managers should monitor the quality of treatment and care given and correct working practices where necessary. 4. Children live in a stable environment in an efficiently run care home. 5. A child’s personal records contains information on their needs, development and individual personality/characteristics. 6. The selection procedure for staff is rigorous. Staff and visitors are strictly monitored to prevent any risk of harm to children.

Child-friendly environment models for different care facilities

In training workshops social workers suggested ways to create a child-focused environment in infants’ homes, reception centres, children’s homes and youth homes.

Infants’ Home

− Setting up day-care nurseries within an infants’ home; − Staffing: the social workers, three psychologists, lawyer; − Nursery nurses rather than medical nurses should work in each group; − All specialists should be highly qualified, uses the latest (and best) working practices, have all the requisite skills to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and affection; − Staff retraining; − Groups of no more than five to seven children, where children have special needs the there should be no more than five in a group ; − There should be personal toys and possessions; each child has their own photo album; − Child’s wishes are taken into account when planning his/her meals; − Building: there should be a therapeutic exercise room, swimming-pool, phototherapy room, psychologist’s room, separate dining and sleeping areas; − Latest working practices observed regarding children being reunited with their biological family and on the selection of foster families; − Work to promote family planning, parental responsibility and the status of the family in society; − Publishing (booklets, procedural guides, etc.) − Structural requirements: Umit (“hope” from Kazakh) department Department for children with special needs Social psychology service (working with children, birth and adoptive parents) School for young parents Treatment centre: sensory room, massage, exercise therapy room, art therapy room, swimming pool, sports centre

Oblast Youth Home

− Set up a ’Zhass Talap’ Youth Resource Centre as part of the youth home to help socialize young adults who have left care homes or who are in difficulty.

64 The Youth Centre would provide: psychological, social and legal support Temporary accommodation Prevention of dependency, abuse, antisocial and criminal behaviour − Build a youth village: each would include houses for young people who have left children’s homes, a medical centre, a sports club and a youth club; − Each house would accommodate four young people, each having their own room, toilet and kitchen. − The youth club has hobby and interest groups, internet access, a cinema and provides a space for training courses; − Each village would have a confectionery/bakery unit, carpenter’s workshop and shop selling the finished items. − Social worker and lawyer available to help young people with accommodation and employment; − Additional staff: social workers (3), lawyer (1), psychologists (2), craftsmen (3); − Highly-qualified employees have all the skills required to work with young people, and each staff member is able to help and support residents if required.

Rehabilitation centre for children and young people (sheltered accommodation)

− Residential accommodation has day centre attached; − Facilities to include gym, cinema, assembly hall, workshop space for boys and girls, swimming pool, medical room; − There is a garden and a yard; − Children from rural areas live with children from towns; − Each group has 12 children of various ages, living four to a room; − One care worker for every group; − Staff comprises four social workers, three psychologists and one lawyer; − Children’s rooms are equipped with computers, TV sets, tape recorders; − Children can participate in choosing the décor for their rooms; children’s requests taken into account when planning meals; − Care workers are highly-qualified, are conscious of the individual abilities of each child and participate actively in their development;

Children’s Home

− Creation of a Family Support Facility under the auspices of the children’s home; − Additional staff: three psychologists, one carer for every six children, three social workers, one lawyer; − Carers always work with groups of children and therefore should have the knowledge and skills to work with children of different ages; − groups live like families in purpose-built houses; − Six children live in each house, two to a room; − Children’s rooms are equipped with computers, TV-sets, tape recorders; − Children can participate in choosing the décor for their rooms; children’s requests taken into account when planning meals; − Children participate in cleaning, cooking and laundry; − The leisure centre has an assembly hall, art studio, music room, sports clubs and craft areas for girls and boys; − Carers support children’s development and help them to flourish; − All specialists should be highly qualified, uses the latest working practices, have all the requisite skills to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and affection;

65 − Managers should allocate work to staff to maximise their effectiveness in responding to the children's needs; − The children’s home strives to reunite children with their biological families, find foster families, and to offer support to families in difficulty; − Staff are encouraged to participate in training and professional development.

Training children’s home and FSF staff to counsel families and children

For a child in a children’s home, a member of staff is, above all, a friend – someone who understands them, helps them find the right way in life and interpret moral and cultural value systems. At the same time the carer is responsible for the child’s emotional well-being, the development of their personality, is there to offer support and help the child to become socialized. In order to fulfil all these duties, a carer in a children’s home must: − love children and be interested in them; − have an understanding of children’s abilities and achievements, aspects of their mental development; − be able to influence children, to connect with them in a way which stimulates a child’s mental and intellectual development; − be able to manage stress; − have the personal strength and motivation to work with children and an enthusiasm for self-improvement. It is extremely important that those who work with children deprived of parental care recognise each child’s individuality, and provide the right conditions for that individuality to flourish. Combining the psychological and educational aspects of the social care of children with the responsibility to care for and guide those children is far from simple. Social workers are required to have a knowledge of psychology and to be able to apply this knowledge practically in their everyday work with children. Working with children and respecting their individuality requires an inspiring and nurturing environment where social workers, carers, psychologists and other practitioners working with children interact closely, and each practitioner’s work is informed by their knowledge of the physical and psychological development of the children in their care. For these reasons, one of the key contributions to the creation of the most beneficial environment for children is in the training of the staff who work in residential and other care institutions. A training program has been developed for social workers employed in Family Support Facilities and children’s homes entitled “the psychological foundations of work with families and children” (Appendix 13). The aim of the training program is to enhance the competence of those who work with children. It consists of five elements, each lasting six academic hours.

Components of the training program:

1. Developing communication and counselling skills 2. Skills for handling behaviour in conflict situations 3. Working without stress 4. Improving sensitivity towards children” 5. Working with anxious, aggressive and hyperactive children

Training methods: − Mini-lecture − Group discussion − Exercises 66 − Skills work in small groups − Role-play

Techniques used: art therapy, body-oriented psychotherapy, dance-motor therapy, psychodrama, Erikson’s hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), relaxation and meditation.

Step 8. Evaluating the knowledge, skills and motivation of children’s home and FSF staff following training

The first step of the transformation process described in this document was to evaluate the willingness of the staff of Shymkent Children’s Home No.3 to execute the changes required. This process led to the identification of three main training priorities for FSF and children’s home workers: information and methodology; education and practice; and motivation and prevention. Employees attended training seminars in these subjects over several months. When they had completed the training, a further assessment took place to gauge the knowledge and skills level of the staff and their motivation to change the way the children’s home functioned.

1. Comparative analysis of initial evaluation and re-evaluation after training

In order to carry out a comparative analysis of results, we calculated average percentages for each evaluation.

Guidelines for evaluating awareness and methodology

Training area: improving knowledge: − educational and preventive work in children’s homes; − psychological and physiological development of children; − work with foster families, biological families and at-risk families, preparing children for placement with a foster family; − interaction with and initial counselling of a child in circumstances of crisis or conflict .

Evaluation results High level of Medium level Low level knowledge? Before training 0% 25% 75% After training 40% 30% 30%

Analysis of evaluation results showed that knowledge improved in 45% of employees.

Educational and practical guidance

Task: to improve the educational competence of children’s home staff by developing their skills and applying these in practice: − Improving basic knowledge and skills required for work in a FSF (efficient communication with families and children; handling behaviour in conflict situations; psychological support skills, etc.). − Enhancing carers’ ability to express empathy, kindness and sympathy in their relationships with children.

67 − Improving staff motivation and ability to establish amiable relationships with families and children. − Helping FSF staff to understand their own role in the upbringing of a child and in particularly in the formation of the emotional life of cared-for/orphaned children.

Evaluation results High level Medium Low level level Before training 8% 18% 74% After training 20% 38% 42%

Analysis of evaluation results showed that skills and abilities improved in 44% of employees.

Motivational and preventive work

Tasks: − Support in solving personal problems. − Improvement of the team psychology of the staff. − Creating an effective team. − Methods for individual and group self-help to avoid emotional burn-out in children’s home staff.

Evaluation results High level Middle Low level level Before training 22% 34% 44% After training 42% 48% 10%

Analysis of evaluation results showed that 54% of employees improved their abilities in motivational and preventive work.

2. Conclusion:

1. The re-evaluation following training showed that the competence of staff in educational and practical guidance increased significantly. 2. The most significant differences were noted in the following areas: − staff motivation to effect the transformation of the orphanage; − staff awareness of alternative philosophies relating to residential care and the role of social workers in the upbringing of children; − shaping of skills necessary for work with families and children; − motivation and requirements for the care of children; − development of parental skills; − awareness of educational and developmental problems in children; − development of practical skills for work with children; 3. It is recommended that work should continue in the following areas: − development of staff capabilities in creating a nurturing environment for children; − improving emotional/psychological resilience in children’s home staff; − reducing anxiety and conflict at work; − developing the practical skills required for work with children; − training staff to work better as a team. 4. Staff training should take place on a regular basis in the form of monthly seminars/workshops. 68

III. Estimated cost of transforming Shymkent Children’s Home No.3 into the South Kazakhstan Oblast Family Support Facility and of de-institutionalizing South Kazakhstan Oblast

1. Estimated cost of gradually transforming Shymkent Children’s Home No.3 into a Family Support Facility

Estimates of the financial cost of transforming the children’s home were based on the following plan:

Year 2009 – first stage of transformation 1. Project to establish full roster of staff at FSF and Children’s Home No.3. 2. Cost of caring for children taking into account changes in the number of children coming into the residential institution and the gradual increase in the number of children being cared for in a family-type setting.: 3. Estimated wage costs for FSF and Children’s Home No.3. 4. Cost of telecommunications and utilities. 5. Cost of office equipment and supplies. 6. Vehicle costs - buying vehicles - estimate of driver’s wages - estimate of petroleum based fuels - servicing and repair costs - maintenance, taxes 7. Cost of advanced staff training / re-training. 8. Travel expenses. 9. Cost of training workshops 10. Cost of maintaining day-care department. 11. Cost of publicity campaign (leaflets, posters, recommendations, etc.)

2010-2011 – second stage of transformation 1. Estimation of wage costs (given change in function of children’s home and change in staffing levels: an increase in the number social workers and psychologists, a reduction in the number of nurses and carers, etc.). 2. Cost of caring for children taking into account changes in the number of children coming into the residential institution and the gradual increase in the number of children being cared for in a family-type setting.

3. Cost of alternations to children’s home building, building houses. 4. Cost of main assets (furniture, fixtures and fittings).

2012-2013 – third stage of transformation 1. Cost of maintaining FSF departments (Support, Social care, Foster care). 2. Cost of monitoring and evaluating the Family Support Facility

Children’s home No. 3 was set up in 1937 as an institution for the care of orphaned children and children deprived of parental care of pre-school and primary school age. The children’s home has a maximum capacity of 110 children. At the moment, 101 children live there. ,

Costs for Children’s Home No.3 in 2008 (thousand KZT)

Total maintenance cost 53581 including: Wages and taxes 23369 Food 18430 Medicine 500 Purchase of other goods 4076 Utilities 5064 Running repairs, building and equipment maintenance 1063 Other operating costs 629 Purchase of non-current assets 450

Cross-section of costs for Children’s home No. 3 in 2008

18430; 34% 1063; 2% 4076; 8% 500; 1 % W ages w ith taxes

629; Foo d 1% 5064; 9% 450; 1% M edicine

Purchase of other goods

Public utilitie s

Running repa irs, building and equipment maintenance 23369; 44% Othe r operating costs

Purchasing of non-current assets

This chart shows that the greatest costs (78%) are wages and food.

The statement of costs for the gradual transformation of the children’s home into a Family Support Facility was calculated based on a change in the number of children in residence, changes in staffing levels and according to the Family support proposal approved by the director of Children’s Home No.3 and agreed by the head of the Department of Education. Children’s home staff analyzed data base of children resident in the home and forecast how that number would change taking into account the likely number of children that will be reunited with their biological families or for whom foster homes would be found.

70 Changes in the number of children resident in Children’s Home No. 3

No. Activities 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Total number of children at the 1. beginning of the year 90 101 101 85 71 58 40 24 10 Arrivals during the 2. year 29 22 12 11 10 9 8 8 10 Adoption (number of 2 4 4 - - 2 4 4 4 children who can be 3. adopted by law) 4. Long-term care 10 12 18 20 18 19 16 14 13 Short-term care (up to 5. 3 months) 6 8 8 7 7 6 8 8 Reunited with 6. biological family 6 6 6 5 5 6 4 4 3

Total by the end of the year 101 101 85 71 58 40 24 10 0

Based on changes in the number of children as the institution’s functions changed, we drew up a proposed staffing schedule for 2008 - 2013. The proposed staff schedule for Children’s Home No.3 during its transformation was drawn up on the basis of the staff roster of Children’s Home No.3 in 2008 and allowing for estimated wage increases of 25% in 2009, 25% in 2010 and 30% by 2011.

Proposed staffing roster for 2009 -2011 of PI Children’s home No. 3 as it changes into a Family Support Facility

Year 2009 Years 2010 -2011 Monthly Monthly No. of wages fund No. of wages fund No. Job title employees (KZT) rates (KZT) Children’s home principal 1. – FSF director 1 47698 1 59625 Vice principal – FSF 2. coordinator 1 44213 1 55269

Deputy director for social 3. and methodological work 1 44213 1 29676 4. Deputy SG&A director 1 42253 1 52818 Chief accountant – FSF 5. accountant 1 41382 1 51729 6. Educationalist 1 32017 1 22053 7. Speech therapist 1,5 51946 2 64934 8. Speech therapist 0,5 15752 9. FSF psychologist 3 112385 3 140486 10. Psychologist 1 37462 1 46828 11. Doctor 1 45520 1 56902 12. Night nurse 3 121884 3 152357 13. Night nurse 1 43518 1 15. Day nurse 1,5 52055 2 65070

71 16. Nursing auxiliary 1 21780 17. Housekeeper 1 20582 1 25729 18. Seamstress 1 20582 1 25729 19. Caretaker 2 38986 2 48734 21. Kitchen worker 2 43342 1 27089 23. Machine operative 1,5 31635 1 26363 24. Building renovation worker 1,5 32671 1 27226 25. Yard keeper 1 19493 1 24367 26. Gardener 1 19493 1 24367 27. Boiler-house mechanic 3 70070 3 87590 28. Boiler-house mechanic 1,5 35035 29. Cook 2,5 66050 3 82568 31. Accountant 1 27661 1 34577 32. Security guard 3,5 78181 3 83978 33. Security guard 1 23356 34. Music director 1 29948 1 37436 35. Driver 2 47372 2 59217 36. FSF driver 1 23686 1 29608 37. Carer 18 557768 15 581029 38. Auxiliary carer (day) 2 45520 2 56902 39. Auxiliary carer (night) 9 273720 7 266126 40. Secretary 1 19711 1 24640 41. Social worker 1 34740 1 43425 42. FSF social worker 3 104219 3 130278 43. Choreographer 1 32017 1 40022 44. Cleaner 1 23305 1 29131 45. Night-watchman 1 19493 1 24367 46. Lawyer 1 34521 1 45876 TOTAL 81,5 2425325 71,5 2684121 of which FSF staff 11 408105 11 512871 Note: additional staff are in bold print.

72 Proposed staffing roster for 2012 -2013 of PI Children’s home No. 3 as it changes into a Family Support Facility

Monthly No. of wages fund No. Job title rates (tenge) 1. Director of Family support facility 1 77508

2. Vice principal – FSF coordinator 1 71846 Support Department 3. Coordinator – social worker 1 56450 4. Paediatrician 1 56273 5. Psychologist 1 56450 6. Lawyer 1 59636 Social Care Department 0 7. Coordinator – Social worker 1 56450 8. Psychologist 1 56450 Adoption and Fostering Department 0 9. Coordinator - psychologist 1 56450 10. Social worker 1 56450 11. Lawyer 1 59636 12. Chief accountant – FSF accountant 1 67245 13. FSF driver 1 38488 TOTAL 13 769335 Department of Family-type care Day-care Department 38,5 1576693 14. Vice principal for SG&A 1 68661 15. Educationalist 0,5 28668 18. Night nurse 1 54858 19. Day nurse 1,5 89667 20. Housekeeper 1 33446 21. Seamstress 1 33446 22. Caretaker 2 63352 24. Kitchen worker 1 37427 25. Machine operative 1 41263 26. Building renovation worker 1 40038 27. Yard keeper 1 31676 28. Gardener 1 31676 29. Boiler-house mechanic 3 167358 31. Cook 2,5 112596 32. Cook 1,25 56298 33. Accountant 1 44948 34. Security guard 3 122549 36. Music director 1 48664 37. Driver 1 38488 38. Carer 6 302074 39. Auxiliary carer (day) 2 74081 40. Auxiliary counsellor (night) 3 148263 41. Secretary 1 32030 42. Cleaner 1 38024 43. Night-watchman 1 31676 TOTAL 51,5 2346028

Because of the new responsibilities taken on in providing care in a family (or family-type setting) for all the children, we will need to employ more social workers and psychologists and a lawyer and driver. By the end of the year, we plan to reduce the number of resident children to 85. The cost of running the children’s home during its transformation into the FSF in 2009-2011 will initially increase because of the increased wage costs involved in taking on more state-financed employees and organisations. Moreover, in 2011, the children’s home will purchase equipment for its exercise, physical therapy and counseling rooms. In 2012 we plan to build two cottages for which we will also need to purchase furniture and kitchen appliances.

Cost of running Children’s Home No.3 in its current form (thousand KZT)

120000 109067 102411 95711 100000 80239 80000 68739

60000 53581

40000

20000

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Cost of running Children’s Home No.3 as it changes into a FSF (thousand KZT)

90000 80485 74349 80000 68739 69600

70000 51574 60000 48551 50000

40000 32040 30000 19518 20000 14960 10000

0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

74 2. Cost comparison for present and proposed functions

Year 2009 Year 2013 (thousand (thousand KZT) KZT) Cost of running Children’s Home No.3 in its 68739 109067 current form

Cost of running Children’s Home No.3 as it is 68739 48551 turned into a FSF

1 09 06 7

120000 Expenses by transformation of 100000 68 73 9 orphanage № 3 into Fam ily 80000 6 87 39 support service 60000 40000 Expenses for orphanage № 3 b y 48 55 1 cu rren t type 20000 0 20 09 2 01 3

Cost dynamics over time

120000 Expenses for 109067 orphanage №3 by 100000 current type 80000 68739 60000 Expenses by 48551 transformation of 40000 orphanage №3 into Family 20000 support service

0 2009 2013

Our calculations show that the cost of operating the children’s home during its transformation into a FSF will begin to fall significantly from 2012 and by 2016 will be 75 4.3 times lower than in 2008. Beginning in 2012, annual the annual reduction in costs will be between 14% and 45%.

Recommendations:

1. To develop a regulatory and legal framework to allow existing children’s homes and orphanages to be changed into Family Support Facilities, day-care centres and support centres for families and children. 2. To reform residential child-care institutions and create a system which allows cared- for children to live in a setting that resembles, as closely as possible, life in a family (groups of mixed ages, adopting family principles, etc). 3. To reduce a child’s stay in a children’s home to one year, which is seen as an adequate length of time to resolve a child’s health problems but avoids a large proportion of their upbringing being spend in a medical institution. 4. To end the practice of basing the care system for orphaned children and children deprived of parental care on institutions for different age groups. 5. Large buildings no longer required for the residential care system, as the focus moves to smaller, family-type accommodation, could be sold or rented. 6. To develop a program to rationalize the network of orphanage institutions.

Main conclusions: This research shows that the implementation of de-institutionalization policy will not only create an effective system of support for families and children, but it is also economically beneficial in terms of government expenditure. The cost savings involved in turning Shymkent Children’s Home No.3 into a Family Support Facility will be generated by the gradual reduction in the number of children resident in the home. This will in fact represent the largest cost saving (78%) over time (compared to the institution in its current form) by reducing the cost of food and wages. By 2016, it is expected that wage costs will be 68% lower, and food costs will be 77% lower compared with 2009. Work to prevent the abandonment of children is expected to reduce significantly the number of children being taken into care. Changes in the residential child-care system, and the gradual move towards family-type care for orphans and children deprived of parental care, will create the conditions in which children are able to lead productive lives and integrate successfully into the community. Rationalization of the network of children’s homes will allow funds to be redirected to social care for families. Moving from the current orphanage system to the creation of Family Support Facilities, day-care centres, family support and youth centres will also create jobs and a use for new buildings into which so much capital has been invested.

76 3. Estimated cost of de-institutionalization in South Kazakhstan Oblast

1. Analysis of situation in South Kazakhstan Oblast

451 5% Cu stody institutions 2363 Fo ster 24% care

Family care

416 Adoption 4% 6449 67%

The chart shows that the majority of children (67%) in care are placed in residential institutions.

2. Main obstacles to de-institutionalization in South Kazakhstan Oblast: − The existing child protection system in the region is not integrated. There is no single coordinator, no monitoring and no individual work with families and children in difficulty; − The number of specialists and their qualification level are not sufficient to provide monitoring for children in difficulty; − There are no minimum state standards for child welfare; − There is no system for paying benefits to foster carers and this restricts the placement of children with foster families; − There is no increase in the region’s annual budget allocation for the state protection of children and this restricts the development of care in family-type settings.

2006 (actual) 2007 (actual) 2008 (planned) Expenditure on foster care 81764 85689 83593 in regional budget (thousand KZT)

If the de-institutionalization program is to progress: − There must be a support system for families at risk to prevent their problems worsening. Helping children and families to avoid the descent into crisis should increase the chances of a child remaining with the family. − Wherever possible, care in orphanage institutions must be replaced by care in a family setting. This may be achieved by: 1. working with relatives; 2. restoring parental rights for parents 3. searching for substitute families for children.

− Specialists should be involved in decision-making affecting every child and his/her family. Special social and rehabilitation services should be established to work with families and in placing children with families;

77 − State and regional preventive programs should be established to support dysfunctional families, orphans and children deprived of parental care; − Orphaned children should receive government support regardless of where they are brought up in the care system. This would enable more children to be placed with foster families; − The parents’ responsibility to bring up their child must be emphasised. In cases where parents are forced by low income to consider placing their children in care, the parents’ living and financial conditions should be assessed and local authority support extended where necessary; − The care system must be reformed in a way which involves relevant experts and allows them to develop professionally.

The first priority is to focus on orphaned infants to try and prevent them moving into children’s homes as they grow older. The table below shows the number of children living in the Shymkent Infants’ Home since 2005.

2005 2006 2007 2008 Number of children 112 92 92 88

De-institutionalization is a long-term process. In its initial stage the number of children resident in children’s homes should be decreased gradually. The aim is to allow children to live in groups, in a family type setting, in purpose-built houses where children sleep two or three to a room. This should recreate, as closely as possible, a family lifestyle for a child who, for whatever reason, cannot be placed with a foster / adoptive family. Reforms may lead employers in existing orphanage institutions to fear that they will lose their jobs. It is important, therefore, to finalize in advance measures for retraining and employing children’s home employees. A long term program should be in place to optimize the network of care facilities to ensure that children can be transferred gradually to care in a family setting, that staff are helped to find employment and so that buildings are either used or sold / rented.

78 3. Cost of residential care of children in South Kazakhstan Oblast:

Name of institution Cost in 2008 Number of Cost per child (KZT) resident (KZT) children Children’s homes 289,010 533 542,200 including: Children’s Home No.1 76,098 141 539,700 Children’s Home No.2 69,147 132 523,800 Children’s Home No.3 53,581 90 595,300 Children’s Home No.4 90,184 170 530,500 Infants’ home 104,887 88 1,191,900 Youth homes 29,566 71 416,400 TOTAL 423,463 692 611,900

The table shows that in 2008, the average cost of accommodating a child in a children’s home was 611,000 KZT annually. The highest care costs are in infant homes, where expenditure per child is 1.191 million KZT annually. Youth homes have an annual cost per resident of 416,000 KZT, the lowest figure. In 2008, foster care for infants cost between 10,512 and 11,680 KZT per infant per month (126,144 to 140,160 per child per year) depending on age. The average salary for a nursery nurse is 9,000 to 10,000 KZT per month, therefore the average cost of residential care for each infant, taking salaries, into account, is 253,152 KZT annually.

4. Comparative cost of de-institutionalization in SKO and child care provision under the current system

Analysis is based on figures for four children’s homes, an infant home and youth home.

To compare the data, the two variants studied were: 1) funding required for de-institutionalization in South Kazakhstan Oblast (transferring to a care system based on placement with families or family-type care) 2) cost of operating care homes under the current system

Analysis under the first category used projected rates of de- institutionalization between 2009 and 2016 based on plans to promote family placement put forward by the directors of these institutions. The plans were based on the following calculations: 1) number of children according to status, which according to legislation, where a child has surviving biological relations, includes: − children reunited with their birth family − children placed in alternative family-type care − children who remain in care because it has not been possible to place them with a family.; 2) average number of children being taken into care annually; 3) average annual increase in the number of children placed with families (including being reunited with their biological family); 4) average annual increase in the number of children in residential care homes.

The figures in the table below illustrate the projected increase in the number of children placed with families in percentage terms (data on the number of children in 79 care are, for the purposes of this calculation, taken from the start of the year based on the total number who reside in the institution for the whole year in question).

Projected increase in family placement in South Kazakhstan Oblast, 2005-2016

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total no. in care at beginning of 1 year 838 726 714 692 697 624 508 447 378 294 188 83 Arriving during 2 the year 112 152 142 208 226 223 222 202 198 180 161 145 Expected % placed in families 23,5 18,7 19,2 22,6 32,4 40,1 38,8 41,8 48,9 60,3 76,3 100 3 Adoption 61 54 62 64 71 79 64 68 75 79 75 65 % adopted 6,4 6,2 7,2 7,1 7,7 9,3 8,8 10,5 13,0 16,7 21,5 28,5 Care by 4 relatives 0 3 0 7 20 36 30 28 30 31 32 32 % placed in care 0 0,3 0,0 0,8 2,2 4,3 4,1 4,3 5,2 6,5 9,2 14,0 5 Foster care 22 21 3 89 110 121 91 77 78 81 74 64 % placed in foster care 2,32 2,4 0,4 9,9 11,9 14,3 12,5 11,9 13,5 17,1 21,2 28,1 Reunion with 6 natural family 141 86 99 43 98 103 98 98 99 95 85 67 % reunited 14,8 9,8 11,6 4,8 10,6 12,2 13,4 15,1 17,2 20,0 24,4 29,4

Increase in family placements, 2008-2016

25 % of adoption 20 % оf care 15 % of foster care % of reunion 10

0 1 5 1 1 2008 2009 201 20 2012 2013 2014 20 2016

The chart shows that opportunities to place children with families should increase at a higher rate from 2012-2014, reaching 100% by 2016, i.e., will increase by 4.4 times compared with 2008.

80 Analysis of change in the number of children in care and placed with families (or in family-type care) based upon Option 1

800 Foster care 700 600 Care

500

Adoption 400 300 Family reunion 200

100 Orphanage Institutions 0

1 2 5 6 08 09 1 1 13 14 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2010 20 20 2 2 20 2

The chart allows a comparative analysis of the number of children in care and placed in families or in family-type care between 2008 and 2016. If there were 692 children in care at the beginning of 2008, assuming the projected increase in the rate at which children can be placed with families is achieved, the number of children in care will be 83 at the beginning of 2016. By the end of 2016, taking into account arrivals during the year, 145 children will have been placed in family care.

Next we analysed the number of children in care and those placed in families and the change between 2008 and 2016. The table shows data on foster care, guardianship and adoption for 2005-2008 in the oblast. The increase in the number of children placed in families is based on data for the six care facilities used in this analysis.

Option 1. Distribution of children in care and placed with families in SKO

Increasing the placement of children with families means that the number of children in foster care will increase by 696 between 2008 and 2016, cared for by guardians – by 239, adopted – by 576, reunited with biological family – by 24. In the six care homes included in these statistics, the number of residents will decrease by 83 by the year 2016, even allowing for the arrival of new children each year. This should mean Year Ward / Adoption Foster Reunited Care Total guardian care with home family 2005 2428 338 820 141 838 4565 2006 2472 312 620 86 726 4216 2007 2419 319 412 99 714 3963 2008 2363 451 416 43 692 3965 2009 2383 522 526 98 697 4226 2010 2419 601 647 103 624 4394 2011 2449 665 738 98 508 4458 2012 2477 733 815 98 447 4570 2013 2507 808 893 99 378 4685 2014 2538 887 974 95 294 4788 2015 2570 962 1048 85 188 4853 2016 2602 1027 1112 67 83 4891 81 that only one care home remains in existence by 2016.

Option 1. Distribution of cost of child care (at 2008 prices) thousand KZT

Year Guard Adoptio Foster Family Care Total Total ian n care reunion homes increase 2005 - - 75,606 - 254,748 330,354 2006 - - 81,764 - 300,636 382,400 2007 - - 85,689 - 356,604 442,293 2008 - - 83,593 - 423,463 50 7,056 2009 - - 133,183 - 426,494 559,677 1,066,733 2010 - - 163,820 - 381,825 545,645 1,612,379 2011 - - 186,862 - 310,845 497,707 2,110,085 2012 - - 206,358 - 273,519 479,877 2,589,962 2013 - - 226,108 - 231,298 457,406 3,047,368 2014 - - 246,617 - 179,899 426,516 3,473,884 2015 - - 265,354 - 115,037 380,391 3,854,274 2016 - - 281,558 - 50,787 332,345 4,186,620

If reforms proposed under this option are achieved, then the cost of providing care facilities will decrease by 8.3 times (or 372,676 thousand KZT) based on 2008 prices between 2008 and 2016. Only one care home out of the six will remain open. The cost of foster care will increase by 3.3. times (or by 197,965 thousand KZT). The cost of implementing this programme between 2008 and 2016 will be 4.18 billion KZT.

Change in cost of operating child care institutions based on Option 1

The table shows that increasing family placement under reforms assumed in option 1, the cost of operating residential children’s homes decreases annually and by 2016 will have decreased by eight times compared to 2008.

450 400 350 300 250 Expenditures for 200 supporting 150 100 50 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

82 5. Cost of operating children’s homes under current system (Option 2)

Data used for the second option assumes the existing system continues and residential care for children is predominant. It is assumed that placement of children with families will remain at the average rate seen in the last three years. In addition, opportunities to place children with foster families are expected to increase by 10 to 15% annually.

Expected increase in family placement with residential care system unchanged

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Total no in care at beginning of year 838 726 714 692 650 693 728 756 759 745 701 619

Arriving during year 112 152 142 208 226 223 222 202 198 180 161 145

Expected % placed in families 23,6 18,7 19,2 22,6 20,9 20,5 20,4 20,8 22,2 24,2 28,2 35,2 Adoption 61 54 62 64 65 66 68 69 71 72 74 76 % adopted 6,4 6,2 7,2 7,1 7,4 7,2 7,2 7,2 7,4 7,8 8,6 9,9 Cared for by relatives 0 3 0 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 % cared for by relatives 0,0 0,3 0,0 0,8 0,9 1,0 1,1 1,1 1,3 1,4 1,6 2,0 Foster care 22 21 3 89 65 66 67 68 75 82 95 115 % placed in foster care 2,3 2,4 0,4 9,9 7,4 7,2 7,1 7,1 7,8 8,9 11,0 15,1 Reunited with natural family 141 86 99 43 45 47 49 51 54 57 60 63 % reunited 14,8 9,8 11,6 4,8 5,1 5,1 5,2 5,3 5,6 6,2 7,0 8,2

Expected increase in family placement with residential care system unchanged

16 14 12 % of adoption 10 % of care 8 % of foster care 6 % of reunion 4 2 0 9 4 6 11 00 0 01 01 2008 2 2010 2 2012 2013 2 2015 2

The chart shows that the number of children placed with families under option two, with the current system of residential care unchanged, is much less than the number of children finding homes under option one., i.e., foster care rates reach 28.1% in 2016 under option one, but only 15.9% in option two. Placement with relatives reaches 14% in option one and 2% in option two. For adoption the corresponding figures are 28.5% and 9.9%, and reunited with birth families –29.4% and 8.2%.

Change in the number of children in care and placed with families 83 based on Option 2

800 700 Foster care 600 500 Care

400 Adoption 300 200 Family reunion 100

0 Orphanage

8 3 4 Institutions 12 011 015 016 200 2009 2010 2 20 201 201 2 2

The chart shows the change in the number of children in care and placed with families between 2008 to 2016 under option 2. The number of children in care was 692 in 2008, and this number falls to 619 by 2016 under the prevailing system, i.e., the change is relatively insignificant.

Option 2. Children in care with the current residential system unchanged

Cared for by Foster Care Year relatives Adoption care Family reunion facilities Total 2005 2428 338 820 141 838 4565 2006 2472 312 620 86 726 4216 2007 2419 319 412 99 714 3963 2008 2363 451 416 43 692 3965 2009 2371 516 481 45 650 4063 2010 2380 582 547 47 693 4249 2011 2390 650 614 49 728 4431 2012 2401 719 682 51 756 4609 2013 2413 790 757 54 759 4773 2014 2426 862 839 57 745 4929 2015 2440 936 934 60 701 5071 2016 2455 1012 1049 63 619 5198

Were option two implemented, the number of children in foster care would increase by 633 between 2008 and 2016. The number of children cared for by relatives would increase by 92; adoptions by 561: children returning to their biological family by 20. Over the same time period, taking into account children being taken into care for the first time, the number of children in residential homes would decrease only by 73.

Option 2. Cost of caring for children (at 2008 prices), thousand KZT

Year cared Adopt Foster Family Care Total Total for by ion care reunion homes increase relativ es 2005 75,606 254,748 330,354 2006 81,764 300,636 382,400 2007 85,689 356,604 442,293 2008 83,593 423,463 507,056 507,056 2009 121,789 397,735 519,524 1,026,580 2010 138,500 424,047 562,547 1,589,127 2011 155,465 445,463 600,928 2,190,055 2012 172,682 462,596 635,279 2,825,334 2013 191,672 464,432 656,105 3,481,439 2014 212,435 455,866 668,300 4,149,739 2015 236,489 428,942 665,431 4,815,170 2016 265,607 378,766 644,373 5,459,543

Under this option, expenditure will increase by 5.459 billion KZT between 2008 and 2016.

Change in expenditures on residential child care under Option 2

500 450 400

350

300 Expenditures for 250 supporting 200

150

100 50 0

2 00 8 2 00 9 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 2 01 5 2 01 6 As shown in the chart, the cost of residential child care (at 2008 prices) does not change significantly since the number of children in these institutions remains fairly constant. The number of children placed in families under option 2, where the residential child care system is retained, is smaller than under option one, i.e., 100% of children will be placed with families by 2016 under option 1, but only 35.2% of children under option 2.

6. Economic impact of de-institutionalization policy in SKO

85 To gauge the economic effect of increasing family placements under the two options described, the cumulative total expenditure between 2008 and 2016 has been used as the indicative figure.

6000000 5459543 5000000 4186620 Option 1. Progressive 4000000 total expenditures

under reformed 3000000 system

Option 2. Progressive 2000000 total expenditures

under current system

1000000

0 2016

Therefore, if assumptions are borne out, the minimum financial cost of implementing the policy of family placement for children in care between 2008 and 2016 will be will be 1,272 billion KZT, based on the six facilities used in the analysis.

7. Summary :

Comparing the costs of the existing system and the proposed new system, we are able to calculate that the cost of running existing facilities and foster care under current arrangements will be 644.4 million KZT in 2016. Under the proposed system, the cost will be 332.3 million KZT. Thus, the reform represents a cost saving of 312.1 million KZT over the time period in question. Comparing expenditure in 2008 and in 2016 and the existing and reformed systems of child care, we can calculate the following: 2008: − cost of caring for orphans in six oblast facilities is 423.4 million KZT − cost of providing foster care is 83.6 million KZT Total: 507 million KZT 2016: − cost of providing foster care is 281.6 million KZT assuming one carer per child − cost of remaining institution – 50.8 million KZT − cost of Family Support Facility – 28.8 million KZT (taking into account purchase of equipment, building houses for children living in family-type settings) Total: 361.2 million KZT Net savings per year will be 145.8 million KZT based on minimum calculations.

8. Outcome of the de-institutionalization policy in SKO:

−−− fewer children living in orphanage institutions; −−− closure of institutions which for a variety of reasons cannot be transformed into family-type accommodation; 86 −−− increase in the number of children living in family-type settings and being reunited with biological families compared to the number of children living in orphanage institutions; −−− the creation of a unified system to protect the rights of children which offers a network of professional services from the identification of families in difficulty right through to the securing of successful outcomes for children in care (being reunited with their family or looked after in a family setting) and the further monitoring of their wellbeing. −−− saving government money since direct payments to families is more effective than financing state institutions; −−− the most important outcome is the recognition of a child’s right to live in a family, to lead an independent life and, accordingly, become a valuable citizen of the country.

IV. APPENDICES

Appendix 1. Questionnaires for children’s home personnel

QUESTIONNAIRE 1 for children’s home personnel

Date ______

Your position in the children’s home ______

1. How long have you been working at the children’s home? ______

2. What other experience do you have of working with children deprived of parental care?______

3. What are the most effective forms of child rearing in your opinion, and why? ______

4. What work do children’s home staff undertake with foster families? ______

5. How is a child prepared for life with a foster family?______

6. What work does the children’s home do to reunite children with their biological families? ______

7. What other work can be done with biological parents or relatives to ensure children are returned to their families wherever possible? ______

8. What diagnostic methods do you use when working with families and children? What do you aim to achieve? ______

9. What methods do you use for the post-placement monitoring of a child in the family? ______

10. What documentation is kept when planning the reunion of a child with his/her biological family or placement in a foster family? ______

11. What other opportunities should be pursued in the effort to ensure that a family is found for every child? ______

12. What do you think the aims and responsibilities of the Family Support Facility should be? ______

13. What other knowledge and skills are required for work with a children and families? ______

Thank you for participation!

88 QUESTIONNAIRE “WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT OUR CHILDREN?” for children’s home staff

Date______

Your position in the children’s home ______

1. How long have you been working at the children’s home? ______

2. What age-specific factors of child development are you familiar with? (Basic features of child development at each stage, crises at certain ages, etc.) ______

3. What techniques do you use in your work with aggressive and troubled children? ______

4. How would you help a child overcome childhood anxiety? ______

5. Should children be punished? ______

6. How do you understand the injunction to “accept a child as he/she is” ? ______

7. What type of upbringing do you try to provide for children in a children’s home? ______

8. How do you settle disputes between children, as well as between adults and children? ______

9. What are the important things to bear in mind, in your opinion, in your contact with foster or biological parents? ______

Thank you for participation!

89 Appendix 2. Staff assessment tests

TEST OF PARENTAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILDREN (A. Varga, V. Stolin)

The Parental Attitude Test is a means of assessing parental aptitude in those who request psychological help with their upbringing of and communication with children. Parental attitude can be interpreted as a system of feelings towards a child, behavioural patterns used when communicating with him/her, perception and understanding of the nature and personality of a child and his/her behaviour.

Checklist structure The checklist consists of five scales. I. Acceptance–rejection . This scale assesses the integral emotional attitude towards a child. One end of the scale implies that parent likes a child as he/she is. The parent respects the child’s individuality and likes him/her. A parent tries to spend more time with a child, welcomes his/her interests and plans. At the opposite end of this scale, the parent considers his/her child as a bad person, maladjusted and unfortunate. The parent perceives that the child will not succeed due to lack of ability, low intellect and poor inclination. To a large extent the parent is angry with his/her child, annoyed, irritated and feels resentment. He/she does not trust the child and does not respect him/her. II. Cooperation — socially desirable parental attitude. This scale reflects the following: a parent has an interest in everything a child does and plans to do, tries to help him/her and feels a sympathy for him/her. A parent highly appreciates child’s intellectual and creative abilities, is proud of him/her. The parent encourages initiative and independence in the child, tries to behave as his/her equal. The parent trusts the child, tries to agree with him/her when a case is arguable. III. Symbiosis — the scale reflects distance in communication with a child. High scores on this scale imply that the parent wants to have symbiotic relationship with a child. This tendency is described as follows: a parent perceives himself/herself at one with with a child, tries to satisfy the child’s every needs, to protect him/her against the difficulties and worries of life. A parent always feels anxious for the child, and perceives the child as small and vulnerable. The parent becomes more anxious when the child begins to act independently because the parent never allows the child independence. IV. Authoritarian hypersocialization – reflects the exercising of control over the child’s behaviour. A high score on this scale indicates authoritarianism in a parent. The parent requires unconditional obedience and discipline in a child. He/she tries to impose his/her view upon the child and is not able to agree with the child. The child is severely punished for wilfulness. The parent closely follows the child’s social achievements and requires positive results. The parent therefore knows the child quite well, and his/her individual abilities, habits, thoughts and feelings. V. Poor Little Failure — reflects a certain perception and understanding of the child by a parent. High scores on this scale show that the parent wants to infantilize a child and considers him/her as personally and socially immature. The parent perceives his/her child as being younger than his/her actual age. The parent sees the child’s interests, hobbies, ideas and feelings as childish and frivolous. A child is considered as maladjusted, unsuccessful and prey to bad influences. The parent does not trust his/her child, is annoyed by his/her child being unsuccessful and helpless. The parent consequently tries to protect the child from life’s misfortunes and to strictly control him/her.

Parental Attitude Checklist

1. I always sympathize with my child. 2. It is my duty to know everything about my child. 3. I respect my child. 4. It seems to me that my child behaves very badly. 5. I must protect my child from all worries for as long as possible in case he is upset. 6. I feel affection towards my child. 7. Good parents try to protect their children against life’s worries. 8. My child often annoys me. 9. I always try to help my child. 10. There are times when it is good for a child to be humiliated. 11. I am disappointed with my child. 12. My child will achieve nothing in his/her life. 13. It seems to me that other children bully my child. 14. What my child does is often worthy of nothing but disdain. 15. My child is a little immature for his/her age. 16. My child behaves badly deliberately to annoy me. 17. My child absorbs bad influences like a sponge. 18. It is hard to teach my child good manners in spite of all my efforts. 19. Children should raised with strict discipline if they are to become decent adults. 20. I like it when my child’s friends come to our house. 21. I am involved in my child’s life. 22. Bad things “stick” to my child. 23. My child will be unsuccessful. 24. When friends speak about their children, I feel ashamed that my child is not as clever and talented as I would like him/her to be. 25. I feel pity for my child. 26. When I compare my child with his/her peers, they seem to me more grown-up both in behaviour and outlook. 27. I enjoy spending my free time with my child. 28. I often regret that my child will grow up and become an adult, and have fond memories of him/her being small. 29. I often feel hostile towards my child. 30. I wish my child could achieve everything I did not in my life. 31. Parents should adapt to the child and not only require this of him/her. 32. I try to satisfy all my child’s requests. 33. A child’s opinion should be taken into account when making family decisions. 34. I am very interested in my child’s life. 35. If my child argues with me I often admit that there is something in what he/she says. 36. Children learn early that parents can make mistakes. 37. I always take into account my child’s opinion. 38. I feel amiable towards my child. 39. The main reason for my child’s whims is his/her selfishness, stubbornness and laziness. 40. It is impossible to rest properly on holiday with a child. 41. The most important thing is that to ensure that my child has a calm and carefree childhood. 42. Sometimes it seems to me that my child can’t do anything good. 43. I get involved in my child’s hobbies. 44. My child can drive anyone crazy.

91 45. I understand my child’s worries. 46. My child often irritates me. 47. Bringing up a child is just a headache. 48. Strict discipline in childhood is character-building. 49. I do not trust my child. 50. Children thank you later for bringing them up strictly 51. Sometimes I feel that I hate my child. 52. My child has more shortcomings than qualities. 53. I share the interests of my child. 54. My child is unable to do anything on his/her own, but if he/she does do something, he/she will certainly do it wrong. 55. My child will grow-up maladjusted to life. 56. I like my child as he/she is. 57. I take care of my child’s health. 58. I often admire my child. 59. A child should not have secrets from his/her parents. 60. I do not have a high opinion of my child and do not hide this from him/her. 61. It is best if a child has friends whom his/her parents like.

Checklist keys I. Acceptance–rejection : 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 60. II. Socially desirable pattern of behaviour : 6, 9, 21, 25, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36. III. Symbiosis : 1, 5, 7, 28, 32, 41, 58. IV. Authoritarian hypersocialization : 2, 19, 30, 48, 50, 57, 59. V. Poor little failure : 9, 11, 13, 17, 22, 28, 54, 61. Test scoring: The answer “true” is used to score the test. A high score on the relevant scale is interpreted as: I — rejection, II — socially desirable, III — symbiosis, IV — hypersocialization, V — infantilization (invalidization). Test scores are tabulated in the form of percentages on a particular scale. Children themselves can provide information about their family by making up stories and drawing pictures on the subject of “my family”. The pictures help to indicate the status that family and family relationships have in the child’s own personal make-up, and how the child interprets these relationships.

92 Table of scores converted into percentages based upon checklist scales

Scale 1 Acceptance – rejection 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 score score

0 0 0 0 0 0 0.63 3.79 12.02 13.01 53.79 68.35 ge ge Percenta 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 score score

77.21 84.17 88.60 90.50 92.40 93.67 94.30 95.50 Percenta ge 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 score score

97.46 98.10 98.73 99.36 100 100 100 100 ge ge Percenta 28 29 30 31 32 score score

100 100 100 100 100 ge ge Percenta

Scale II Cooperation Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Percentage 1.57 3.46 5.67 7.88 9.77 12.29 19.22 31.19 48.82 80.33

Scale III Symbiosis Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Percentage 4.72 19.53 39.06 57.96 74.97 86.63 92.93 95.65

Scale IV Authoritarian hypersocialization Score 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Percentage 4.41 13.86 32.13 53.87 69.30 83.79 95.74

Scale V Poor little failure Score" 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Percentage 14.55 45.57 70.25 84.81 93.04 96.83 99.37 99.83 100

93 “I AM AT WORK” TEST

This test is an version of the Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD) test and is used as a diagnostic tool for residential workers. The KFD test reveals more about relationships within the family. For children in an orphanage, their adult family members are their carers and social workers. It is therefore important to know how far these carers and social workers develop a parental relationship to the children in their care. The test provides insight into the staff member’s subjective perceptions of their work and of the children in the institution. The test helps to define: - Personality traits of the staff member (ability to empathize, aggressive tendencies, anxiety, antagonism, etc.). - Specific nature of interpersonal relationships (acceptance-rejection of a child, respect for child’s personal boundaries, kindness towards a child). Each drawing is a result of creativity which not only reflects the employee’s attitudes to their work and to children in their care but also allows them to analyze and re-think these attitudes. In this sense the drawing reflects not only the present but is also projected onto future relationships. The test has two parts: drawing and subsequent discussion. The person taking the test should be given a standard piece of paper (A4), a pencil (hardness 2M) and an eraser.

Symptom clusters for the “I am at work” kinetic drawing

Symptom cluster Symptom Points

1. Favourable 1. General activities of people in the drawing 0,2 situation 2. Predominance of human beings in the drawing 0,1 3. Absence of isolated people 0,2 5. Absence of shading 0,1 6. Good quality lines 0,1 7. Absence of animosity indicators 0,2 8. Appropriate distribution of people on the paper 0,1 9. Other possible indications - 2. Anxiety 1. Shading 0,1; 2. Baseline is the floor 2,3 3. Line above the drawing 0,1 4. Line drawn by pressing hard 0,1 5. Erasing 0,1 6. Excessive attention to detail 0,1; 2 7. Predominance of belongings 0,1 8. Double or dashed lines 0,1 9. Underlining of certain details 0,1 10. Other possible indications 0,1 - 3. Antagonistic 1. Barriers between characters 0,2 2. Erasing of certain characters 0,1; 2 3. Absence of main body parts in certain characters 0,2 4. Detachment of certain characters 0,2 5. Isolation of certain characters 0,2 6. Inappropriate size of certain characters 0,2 7. Contradiction between verbal description and the drawing 0,1 8. Predominance of belongings 0,1 9. Presence of people with their back turned 0,1 10. Other possible indications - 94 4. Animosity 1. One character is on another piece of paper or on the 0,2 other side of the paper 0,1 2. Aggressive posture of a character 0,2 3. Character crossed out 0,2 4. Distorted character 0,1 5. Inverted profile 0,1 6. Arms spread out 0,1 7. Long, emphasized fingers - 8. Other possible indications

Instructions to the person taking the test: “Please draw one day at your work so everyone in your drawing is occupied with something”. All clarification questions should be answered without direction. For example: “You can draw whatever you like and however you want”. As the person taking the test is drawing, you should write down all his/her unprompted utterances, note his/her facial expressions and gestures and note the sequence of drawing (where researching one individual). When the drawing is finished, you should ask the following questions (if you are testing a group, the answers should be given in written form): — Who is pictured in the drawing and what is each person in the picture doing? — What are people in the drawing thinking about and what mood are they in? — What will you and other people in the drawing do later? — What are the relationships between the characters in the drawing? — Is there anyone whom you didn’t draw (forgot, could not or did not want to draw)? By quantitative analysis, you should count the form and informative aspects of the drawing. Elements of the form of the drawing are the quality of the lines, position of the drawing on the paper, erasing the drawing or parts of the drawing, shading of certain parts of the drawing. Informative characteristics of the drawing are considered to be the activities of people in the drawing, their interaction and position as well as the ration between belongings and people in the drawing. While interpreting the drawing, pay attention to the following aspects: — analyse the structure of the drawing structure (position and interaction of people in the drawing); — analyse the particular properties of certain characters (differences in drawing style, amount of detail, characters’ relative positions); — analysis of the drawing process (sequence of drawing, comments, pauses, emotional reactions during drawing). Let’s examine each aspect of drawing interpretation in detail. Usually those being tested do not draw people with whom they have a problematic relationship. The position of people in the drawing relative to each other usually shows their relationships. For example, the distance between the people pictured is an important indication of psychological affinity is. Sometimes there are objects between certain people which function as an obstacle between them. Shared activity usually testifies to good and happy relations. It is thought that test subjects first of all draw, add detail to and color in the most significant person. If the picture of this person is incomplete, lacking detail, sometimes without certain body parts, this suggests a negative relationship with this person. If the subject’s relationships are antagonistic and troubled, emotionally ambiguous, he/she often uses shading in drawing the person whom he/she dislikes. The same can be said about erasing and re-drawing. There is a system of quantitative evaluation. We can identify four symptoms: 1) favourable situation; 2) anxiety; 3) antagonism; 4) animosity. The higher the score, the more significant that particular sympton is. Symptom intensity is estimated from 0 to 3 points.

95 The results can be used as a basis for planning training for care home staff.

Results form Name ______Date of experiment______

Total points in symptom clusters Favourable situation Anxiety Antagonism Animosity

CARER’S ABILITY TO EMPATHIZE

The technique described below has been used successfully by the Kazan psychologist I.M. Yusupov to assess empathy (sympathy), i.e., the ability to “enter another person’s world”, to feel unqualified emotional sensitivity to other people’s feelings. Sympathy is a sensitivity to the feelings which are felt by another person in such a way that it is as if these feelings are our own. Empathy favours the harmony of interpersonal relations. It makes person’s behaviour a personal-social one. A person’s ability to empathize is key to achieving success in work that requires us to have insight into a person’s world, i.e., caring for children. That is why empathy is considered to be a an important professionally quality in social workers. According to V.A. Sukhomlinskiy, “the teacher’s most elementary and yet most difficult quality to acquire is the ability to feel another person’s state of mind, to enter another person’s world in very different situations. Moreover, “someone who is deaf to other people will always be deaf to himself: he will be beyond the most significant aspect in self-learning – beyond the emotional evaluation of his own behaviour”.

Instructions: “To identify empathic tendencies you must answer each of 36 claims and to attribute to each answer the following scores: • I don’t know, score = 0, • no, never = 1, • sometimes = 2, “ • often = 3, • almost always = 4 • yes, always = 5.

You should answer all the points.”

1. I prefer books about adventures to books from the “Lives of remarkable people” series. 2. Grown-up children are irritated by parental concern. 3. I like contemplating the reasons for other people’s success or failure. 4. Of all musical styles I like “modern rhythms” best. 5. You must bear the excessive impatience and unjust scolding by a patient even if they last for years. 6. An ill person can be supported just with words. 7. Others should not interfere in an argument between two people. 8. Old people tend to take offence too easily. 9. When I was a child, sad stories brought tears to my eyes. 10. When my parents are irritable it affects my mood. 11. I am indifferent to criticism of myself. 12. I prefer to look at portraits rather than pictures of landscapes.

96 13. I always forgave my parents even if they were in the wrong. 14. If a horse pulls badly it should be whipped. 15. When I read about dramatic events in people’s lives I feel as if it is happening to me. 16. Parents treat their children fairly. 17. When I see teenagers or adults arguing, I intervene. 18. It doesn’t bother me when my parents are in a bad mood. 19. I can watch animals for long periods and ignore other distractions. 20. Only shallow people cry at films and books. 21. I like watching strangers’ facial expressions and behaviour. 22. As a child I brought home stray dogs and cats. 23. All people are uptight. 24. When I look at a stranger I like to guess what his life is like. 25. When I was a child, younger children trod on my heels. 26. When I see an injured animal I try to help it. 27. People are relieved to have someone listen to their complaints. 28. When I see an incident in the street I walk by. 29. Younger children like it when I suggest an idea, activity or entertainment. 30. People exaggerate animals’ ability to detect their owner’s mood. 31. A person should deal with his own troubles. 32. If a child cries, there are certain reasons for that. 33. Young people should always obey the requests and whims of old people. 34. I want to understand why some of my classmates were sometimes pensive. 35. Stray pets should be rounded up and destroyed. 36. If my friends start discussing their personal problems with me I try to shift the conversation onto other topics. Before calculating the results, check the frankness of your answers. Did you answer “I don’t know” to statements 3, 9, 11, 13, 28, 36? Did you answer “Yes, always” to 11, 13, 15, 27? If so, then you weren’t honest with yourself, and in some cases tried to idealize yourself. The results of this test are reliable only if you gave not more than three insincere answers to all the propositions. If you have four insincere answers, you should doubt the test’s reliability, and if five, it wasn’t worth doing the test. Add up all the points for statements 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 32 and check the score against the empathy scale. A score of 82 to 90 points: this suggests a very high level of empathy. You have morbidly developed sympathy. You are like a barometer with other people, extremely sensitive to another person’s mood even if he hasn’t yet spoken. Others use you to pour out their emotions onto you. You feel bad for people who are troubled. Adults and children gladly tell you their secrets and ask your advice. You often feel guilty or reluctant to trouble others or that you will offend them even with a look or a word. At the same time you are very vulnerable. You’re upset if you see an injured animal and cannot relax if your boss greets you n an offhand way. Your susceptibility sometimes keeps you awake. When you are upset you need emotional support. Because of your outlook on life you are close to neurotic. Take good care of your mental health. From 63 to 81 points: a high level of empathy. You are very sensitive to others’ needs and problems; you are generous and tend to forgive others many things. You are genuinely interested in people. You like “reading” their faces and imagining their future. You are emotionally responsive, communicative, make contacts easily and engage with people. Children probably also turn to you. Others appreciate your kindness. You try to prevent conflict and find compromise solutions. You bravely face criticism of yourself. When thinking about things, you tend to trust your feelings and intuition rather than analyse. You prefer working with people to working alone. You constantly need social approval of your actions. Given all these qualities you are not always accurate in precise in painstaking work. It is not difficult to destabilise you. From 37 to 62 points: normal level of empathy present in the overwhelming majority

97 of people. You could not be called thick-skinned but nevertheless you are not highly sensitive. In interpersonal relationships you tend to judge others by their deeds rather than trust your impressions. You are not unable to express emotions but for the most part keep them under control. In communication you are attentive and try to read between the lines, but excessive emotional outbursts in others annoy you. You prefer not to express your point of view because you are not sure it will be accepted. When reading fiction or watching films you usually focus on the action rather than characters’ feelings. You are unable to predict how relationships between people will develop so their actions sometimes surprise you. You are not emotionally relaxed and this restricts your perception of people. 12—36 points: low level of empathy. You find it difficult establishing communication with people, feel at a disadvantage in a crowd. Other people’s emotional responses seem odd and unnecessary to you. You prefer working alone to working with other people. You are a fan of exact definitions and rational decisions. You probably have few friends and those you have you appreciate for businesslike qualities rather than for their sensitivity and warmth. People return those feelings: you feel detachment and others do not pay you too much attention. But this is remediable if you become more open – be attentive to people close to you, and start to see their needs as your own. 11 points or fewer: very low level. The empathic tendencies of your personality are not developed. You are at a loss as to how to start a conversation and feel removed from those around you. It is especially difficult for you to communicate with children and people older than you. In interpersonal relationships you often feel embarrassed. In many matters you find no mutual understanding with others. You like an adrenaline buzz and prefer competitive sports to art. In all activities you focus too much upon yourself. You can be very efficient in your own work, but are less exacting when working with others. You respond with irony to others’ emotional expression. You are hypersensitive to criticism but unable to respond forcefully. You need an “emotional workout”.

A. ASSINGER’S TEST

A. Assigner’s test assesses whether a teacher is responsive enough in relationships with colleagues and pupils and if it is easy to communicate with them. For a more objective outcome, colleagues can assess one another by answering each other’s questions. This gives a more accurate evaluation of their self-esteem. Underline your answer: I. Are you determined to find reconciliation after routine work disputes? 1. Always. 2. Sometimes. 3. Never. II. How do you behave in critical situations? 1. Inner turmoil. 2. Stay completely calm. 3. Lose your composure III. How would your colleagues rate you? 1. Self-confident and envious / cynical. 2. Friendly. 3. Calm and not envious IV. How would you react if you were offered a much more senior job? 1. Accept with some concerns. 2. Accept without hesitation. 3. Turn it down for your own peace of mind. V. How would you behave if one of your colleagues took a document off your table without permission? 1. Give him/her a severe telling off. 2. Make him/her give everything back. 3. Ask if ask if he/she needs anything else. VI. What do you say to your husband (wife) if he (she) comes home later than usual? 1. “Why are you so late?” 2. “Where have you been all this time?” 3. “I was starting to worry”. VII. What are you like behind the wheel? 1. Try to overtake the care that got past you? 2. Don’t care how many cars overtake

98 you. 3. Drive at such a speed that no one can catch you up. VIII. How would you describe your outlook on life? 1. Well-balanced. 2. Easy going. 3. Very tough. IX. What do you do if you cannot succeed in something? 1. Try to shift the blame onto somebody else. 2. Accept it. 3. Become more conscientious in future. X. How would you react to a joke about the immorality of today’s young people? 1. “It is time to ban these kinds of entertainment”. 2. “They should be able to access more organized and civilized recreation”. 3. “Why should we bother about this so much?” XI. How would you feel if a place you wanted was taken by someone else? 1. “Why did I waste time worrying about this?” 2. “I guess the boss finds them more attractive”. 3. “Maybe I’ll be luckier next time” XII. How do feel watching horror films? 1. Scared. 2. Bored. 3. Derive genuine enjoyment. XIII. If a traffic jam makes you late for an important meeting, do you…? 1. Feel stressed for the whole meeting. 2. Try to get colleagues’ forgiveness. 3. Feel sorry. XIV . How do you feel about sports? 1. Try to win. 2. Gain pleasure from feeling young again. 3. Get very angry if you are unlucky. XV. What do you do if you are served badly at a restaurant? 1. Bear it to avoid a scene. 2. Call a head waiter to draw it to his attention. 3. Make a complaint to the restaurant manager. XVI. How would you behave if your child was bullied at school? 1. Talk to a teacher. 2. Raise hell with “young offender’s” parents. 3. Suggest your child hit’s back. XVII. What kind of person are you in your own mind? 1. Average. 2. Self-confident. 3. Go-ahead. XVIII. If you and someone subordinate to you ran into each other going into work and they began to apologise, you would say…? 1. “Sorry, it was my fault”. 2. “Don’t mention it”. 3. “Can’t you be more careful?!” XIX. How would you react to a newspaper article about hooliganism in the young? 1. “When will something finally be done about this?!” 2. “We need to introduce corporal punishment”. 3. “You cannot blame it only on the young, the people bringing them up are also guilty!” XX. Imagine that you are reincarnated as an animal. Which animal would you be? 1. Tiger or leopard. 2. Cat. 3. Bear.

Now look through your underlined answers very carefully. Add up the scores.

Results: 36—44 points — you are moderately aggressive but quite successful in life since you are healthily ambitious and self-confident. 45 or more points — you are too aggressive, sometimes too hard on other people, and unstable. You hope to reach the managerial heights in whatever way you can, and your success may be at the cost of relationships with people you know and love. It is no surprise to you, therefore, that your colleagues dislike you, but you relish the slightest opportunity to punish them for that. 35 points or fewer — you are too much passive owing to a lack of confidence in your own abilities. This doesn’t mean, of course, that you are a pushover, but nevertheless you could be more decisive! If you got three points in seven or more questions and one point in seven or fewer questions, then your intermittent aggression could be viewed as destructive rather than

99 constructive in nature. You are inconsiderate and prone to heated arguments. You disrespect people and your behaviour lands you in conflicts which could easily be avoided. If you got one point in seven or more questions and three points in seven or fewer questions, then you are extremely withdrawn. This does not mean you don’t experience anger, but you suppress this too readily.

Questionnaire to determine mental resilience of an employee

This technique was developed in the Kirov Leningrad Military Medical Academy and is designed to help identify early signs that a staff member may be prone to nervous breakdown. It helps to reveal symptoms before any outward signs are apparent and to assess whether the symptoms are likely to continue to develop and to affect the person’s work and behaviour. The person sitting the test must answer 84 “yes” or “no” questions within 30 minutes. The answers can help to provide certain background information and identify idiosyncrasies and mental stability in a variety of situations. Instructions: You are given a list of 84 statements, to each of which you must answer “yes” or “no”. These questions are related to your health, behaviour or character. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers, so don’t try to think about the answer for too long – give the answer that most corresponds to your current situation and how you feel about yourself. If your answer is yes, put a mark in the yes box by the corresponding question; if your answer is no, put a mark in the “no” square. If you are undecided, mark both squares to signify “don’t know”. You have 30 minutes to complete the task.

Questionnaire

1. Sometimes there are such bad thoughts in my head that it is better not to tell anyone about them. 2. I suffer rarely from constipation (or don’t suffer at all). 3. Sometimes I burst out laughing or crying uncontrollably. 4. Sometimes I don’t keep my promises. 5. I often have headaches. 6. Sometimes I tell lies. 7. Once a week or more I feel heat all over my body for no discernible reason. 8. I have sometimes talked about things I didn’t understand. 9. There are times when I feel angry. 10. I find it hard to imagine that I will achieve anything in life. 11. There are times when I put off till tomorrow what could be done today. 12. I willingly go along to meetings and other social gatherings. 13. My most difficult battle is the battle with myself. 14. I suffer very rarely from cramps and twitches (or not at all). 15. Sometimes when I am not too well I can be irritable. 16. I am quite indifferent to what will happen to me. 17. I have better table manners when I’m at someone else’s house than when I’m at home. 18. If I am not liable to a fine and there are no cars around I cross the street where I want and not where it says I’m supposed to. 19. I think my family life is as good as of most of my friends’. 20. I am often told that I am quick-tempered. 21. As a child I had a gang where we all tried to stand up for one other in everything. 22. In games I prefer to win. 23. In recent years I have felt good most of the time.

100 24. My weight is quite constant these days (I’m not putting weight on and not losing weight). 25. I like having significant friends among my other friends, it makes me seem more important in my own eyes. 26. I wouldn’t worry a lot if anyone in my family had problems. 27. There is something wrong with my mind. 28. I have certain worries to do with sexual matters. 29. When I try to say something I notice my hands are shaking. 30. My hands are as nimble and quick as they used to be. 31. Among my friends there are some people that I don’t like. 32. I think I am a doomed person. 33. I quarrel with my family very rarely. 34. I sometimes gossip. 35. I often have dreams which I couldn’t tell anybody about. 36. Sometimes when I’m discussing issues I don’t think enough and just agree with other people’s opinions. 37. At school, I assimilated information more slowly than others. 38. I am quite happy with my appearance. 39. I am quite self-confident. 40. Once a week or more I get excited or nervous. 41. Someone is controlling my thoughts. 42. Every day I drink huge amounts of water. 43. Sometimes I’ll laugh at a rude or even obscene joke. 44. I am most happy when I am alone. 45. Someone is trying to influence my thoughts. 46. I like Andersen’s stories. 47. Even when I’m with people I feel lonely. 48. I get angry when I am being rushed. 49. It is easy to undermine me. 50. I lose my temper with people easily. 51. I often want to die. 52. At times I have given something up for fear that I would not manage it. 53. Almost every day something happens that frightens me. 54. I am indifferent to religious issues, they doesn’t interest me. 55. I am rarely in a bad mood. 56. I deserve to be severely punished for things I’ve done. 57. I have had very unusual, mystical experiences. 58. I hold staunch beliefs and views. 59. Sometimes I am too excited to sleep. 60. I am a nervous and highly strung person. 61. I assume I have the same sense of smell as others do (not worse). 62. When I do something it turns out wrong. 63. I almost always have a dry mouth. 64. Most of the time I feel tired. 65. Sometimes I feel I am close to a nervous breakdown. 66. It irritates me when I forget where I put my things. 67. I give a lot of thought to what I am wearing. 68. I like adventure stories more than love stories. 69. I find it very difficult to get used to new living or working conditions, any change in my life, work or studies are unbearably hard to cope with. 70. I feel that people act particularly unfairly towards me. 71. I often feel quite aggrieved. 72. I often disagree with other people’s opinions. 73. I often feel tired of life and don’t want to live any more.

10 1 74. People pay more attention to me than to other people. 75. I often have headaches and feel dizzy because of what I’m going through. 76. I often go through periods of not wanting to see anybody. 77. It is difficult for me to wake up at a certain time. 78. If somebody is responsible for my failures, I will punish them for that. 79. As a child I was wilful and irritable. 80. I have relatives who have been treated by neurologists or psychiatrists. 81. I sometimes take valium, diazepam or other tranquillizers. 82. I have close relatives who have been tried in criminal courts. 83. I have had dealings with the police. 84. I was lazy at school and sometimes teachers wanted to keep me back a year.

Processing the results

Honesty scale Mental resilience

no (-) yes (+) no (-)

3,5,7,10,15, 20, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 35, 1,4,6,8,9, 11,16,17, 2,12,13,14, 37, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 18, 22,25, 19,21,23,24, 28, 30, 50,51,52,53,56, 57, 59, 60, 62,63, 31,34,36,43 38, 39, 46,54,55,58, 64,65,66, 67,69, 70,71,72, 73, 74, 61,68 75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82, 83,84

The person’s position on the mental resilience scale is established by adding up positive and negative answers as per the “key”.

Indication of mental resilience as a result of ’diagnostic’ questionnaire

Scores Conclusions and recommendations 29 or more High probability of nervou s breakdown. Further examination by psychiatrist or neurologist recommended.

14-28 Nervous breakdown is possible especially in extreme conditions. This should be borne in mind when applicant’s medical fitness to work is assessed.

13 or less Nervous b reakdown is unlikely. Other positive indicators suggest that the person may be suitable for jobs which call for significant mental strength.

Assessing mental resilience

Score on 10- Score on mental Group Prediction point scale resilience scale

10 high mental 5 and less favourable resilience 9 6 high mental resilience –

102 8 good mental 7-8 – resilience 7 good mental 9-10 – resilience 6 good mental 11-13 – resilience 5 satisfactory mental 14-17 – resilience 4 18-22 – – 3 23-28 – – 2 29-32 unsatisfactory mental unfavourable resilience 1 33 and more – –

103 Appendix 3. List of course materials and software for Family Support Service and orphanage personnel

Social work 1. Your child. Cognitive powers. Children of 5-7 years old. Tikhomirova L.F. 2. Procedures and technique of social teacher’s work. Shakurova M.V. Publ. 4. 3. Social education in class. Theory and methodology. Yasnitskaya V.R. 4. Social pedagogy. Course of lectures. Vasilkova Y.V., Vasilkova T.A. Publ. 6. 5. Social psychology. Andrienko E.V. Publ. 3. 6. Child psychology and psychotherapy. Development of emotional relations between mother and child. Larechina E.V. 7. Dysgraphia. Diagnostics, prevention, remodelling. Paramonova L.G. 8. Methodology and technique of social teacher’s work. Nikitina N.I., Glukhova M.F. 9. Preschool education and development. Teaching of breathing control to children. Planning and lessons summaries. Zinatulin S.N. 10. Entertaining gymnastics in kindergarten for children of 3-5 years old. Utrobina K.K. 11. Entertaining gymnastics in kindergarten for children of 5-7 years old. Utrobina K.K. 12. Organization and planning of educational work in special correctional school, boarding school, orphanage. Khudenko E.D., Gavrilycheva G.F., Selivanova E.Y. and others. 13. Emergency aid for parents. 570 games for smart children. Maksimova A. 14. Emergency aid for parents. Child hyperactivity and attention deficit. Maksimova A. 15. Emergency aid for parents. Child fears day and night. Vologodina N.V. 16. Emergency aid for parents. If a child have an incident. Vologodina N.V. 17. Emergency aid for parents. Self-support training for children. Vologodina N.V. 18. Non-conventional drawing techniques in kindergarten. Nikitina A.V. 19. Development program. Boys and girls. Differentiated approach to upbringing of older preschool age children. Shelukhina I.P. 20. Development program. Social-moral upbringing of children of 3-4 years old. Play and productive activity. Komratova N.G., Gribova L.F. 21. Development program. Theme days and weeks in kindergarten. Alyabyeva E.A. 22. Development program. I want to know everything! Psychogeny of children 5-7 years old. Individual lessons, games, exercises. Sevostyanova E.O. 23. Development program. School of healthy person. Kulik G.I., Sergienko N.N. 24. Prevention of school children additive behaviour. Kolechenko A.K. 25. Correctional and special pedagogy. Mishina G.A., Morgacheva E.N. 26. Esculapian’s handbag. Child’s world. Psychogeny, fears, social adaptation, interpretation of child drawing. Berdnikova Y. 27. Esculapian’s handbag. Child without a father, problem solving for the single-parent family. Bashkirova N. 28. Doctor’s advice. Problematic child. Kurpatov A.V. Publ. 2. 29. Social teacher, inducting. Nagavkina L.S., Krokinskaya O.K., Kosabutskaya S.A. 30. Social pedagogy. Mardakhaev L.V. 31. Social conflicts. Inspection, forecasting, methodology of solutions. Banykina S.V., Stepanov E.I. 32. Correctional work during aphasia. Shokhor-Trotskaya M.K.

Psychology 1. Gaudeamus. Psychology of personality. Starovoytenko E.B. 2. Gaudeamus. Adolescent psychology. Volkov B.S. 3. Gaudeamus. Psychology of family relations. Shneider L.B. Publ. 3. 4. Gaudeamus. Social psychology. Morozov A.V. Publ. 2. 5. PsychologiaUniversalis. Developmental psychology. Shapovalenko I.V. 6. PsychologiaUniversalis. Psychology of family relations and principles of family counseling. Karabanova O.A. 104 7. Big encyclopaedia of psychological tests. Karelin A. 8. Crisis of development of 7-year-old child. Psychognostic and correctional-developing work of psychologist. Andrushchenko T.Y., Shashlova G.M. 9. Child practical psychologist. Shagraeva O.A., Kosheleva A.D., Pereguda V.I. 10. Clinical psychology in social work. Marshin B.A., Goryacheva T.G., Sultanova A.S. and others. 11. Correction of psychiatric health disorder of pre-schoolers and small school children. Khukhlaeva O.V. 12. Conflictology. Kibanov A.Y., Vorozheykin I.E., Zakharov D.K. and others. 13. Psychology of family survey. Liders A.G. 14. Parental psychology. Ovcharova R.V. 15. Child emotional affection. Theory and practice. Izotova E.I., Nikiforova E.V. 16. Deviant behaviour psychology. Kleyberg Y.A. 17. Child psychology and psychotherapy. Psychocorrectional work with hyperactive, aggressive, anxious and autistic children. Lyutova E.K., Monina G.B. 18. Child psychology and psychotherapy. Children’s day and night fears. Zakharov A.I. 19. Child suicide, psychological view. Sinyagin Y.V., Sinyagina N.Y. 20. Bibliophile. Psychological service. Integrated correctional-developing lessons for children 4-6 years old. Postoeva L.D., Lukina G.A. 21. Complex psychognosis. Complete manual on psychognosis. Stimulus matter. Supplement to L.N. Sobchik’s book “Psychology of personality”. Khekkhauzen’s conative test, Luscher’s test (cards), Sondi’s test (cards), drawn apperceptive test (cards), “Oddball” principle, “Subjects classification” principle, “Methodology of pair table comparison” principle, SPSM Complete manual. Sobchik L.N. 22. Practical psychology for teenagers and parents. Gretsov A.G. 23. Psycho-pedagogical correction of development and upbringing of orphaned children. Volkova G.A. 24. Childhood psychology. Child fears, puppets therapy for children. Tatarintseva A.Y., Grigorchuk M.Y. 25. Childhood psychology. How to teach children to be friends? Dedushka A.I. 26. Childhood psychology. How to help a child to get rid of fears. Fears – it is serious. Shishova T.L. 27. Childhood psychology. Psychology of child stealing. Shipitsyna L.M. 28. Childhood psychology. How to banish child shyness? Shy invisible man. Shishova T.L. 29. Psychological workshop. How to overcome difficulties in family life? Family conflict, ways of resolution. Ross A. 30. Guide. Psychologist’s guide for work in crisis situations. Osipova A.A. Publ. 2. 31. Communication training for teenagers. Gretsov A.G. 32. Social psychology. Semechkin N.I. 33. Psychology of early and pre-school childhood. Kosyakova O.O. 34. Psychology of peculiarities of children and teenagers with problems in development. Under the editorship of Ulyenkov U.V.

Upbringing and development 1. Preschool pedagogy. Our kindergarten. Studying the world around us. Set of display pictures. N.V.Nishcheva 2. Display material. Teaching school children to remember and tell. K.V.Chetvertakov 3. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Shop window". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 4. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Bunny’s backyard". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 5. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Still-life in a basket". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova

105 6. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Our aquarium". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 7. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Our meadow". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 8. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Our farm". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 9. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Rockets and comets". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 10. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition "Magician’s hat". Material for children’s creative art and display. I.A. Lykova 11. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition. Ornamental appliqué work 4-8 years old. I.A. Lykova 12. Tiny tots. Colored palms. Unfinished composition. Ornamental drawing 4-8 years old. I.A. Lykova 13. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Animals of warm countries (set of cards). 14. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Animals of North. (24 sheets in a folder). 15. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Toys. (set of cards in a folder). 16. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Tools. (16 sheets in a folder). 17. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Cosmos. (24 sheets in a folder). 18. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Ornamental and horticultural shrubs. (set of cards in a folder). 19. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Clothes. (set of cars in a folder). 20. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Primroses (set of cards). 21. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Dishes (set of cards). 22. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Prepositions. Illustrations (16 sheets in a folder). 23. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Fruit. (16 sheets in a folder). 24. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Meadow, forest, field flowers (16 sheets in a folder). 25. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Garden flowers (set of cards in a folder). 26. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Electric appliance (16 sheets in a folder). 27. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Berries (16 sheets in a folder). 28. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Child’s play. Winter. Set of narrative pictures (8 sheets in a folder). 29. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Child’s play. Summer. Set of narrative pictures (8 sheets in a folder). 30. Bibliophile. Display material for lessons. Child’s play. Autumn. Set of narrative pictures (8 sheets in a folder). 31. Bibliophile. Developing game room. Playing with verbs. Issue 1. Procedure guidance. I.S.Krivovyaz (16 sheets in a folder). 32. Bibliophile. Developing game room. Autumn, winter, spring, summer. E.A.Alifanova, N.E.Egorova (8 sheets in a folder). 33. Bibliophile. Developing of connected speech. Supporting pictures for retelling. Issue 2. Methodological recommendations. G.E.Sycheva 34. Bibliophile. Hand-out. Illustrated dictionary (8 sheets in a folder). 35. Bibliophile. Hand-out. Formation of elementary mathematical representation for preschoolers. G.E.Sycheva (32 sheets in a folder). 36. Bibliophile. Hand-out for head-on and individual lessons. Formation of elementary mathematical representation for pre-schoolers. G.E.Sycheva (25 sheets in a folder). 37. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Arctic and Antarctic 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 38. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Vehicles 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 39. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Deep in the mountains 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder).

106 40. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Gorodetsk wood painting 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 41. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Pets 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 42. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Kargopol. Folk toy for lessons with children 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 43. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Office equipment 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 44. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Birds of moderate climate 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 45. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Dogs. Friends and helpers 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 46. Visual didactic aid. World in pictures. Wild berries 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 47. Visual didactic aid (Mosaic). Tell children about sea inhabitants. Cards for lessons in kindergarten and at home 3-7 years old (12 sheets in a folder). 48. Visual didactic aid (Mosaic). Picture stories. Defenders of the Fatherland 3-7 years old (8 sheets in a folder). 49. Visual aid and hand-out for nurseries. Woodland stories. Supplement to textbook “On the way to Alphabet”, drawn by R.N.Buneev, E.V.Buneeva, T.R.Kislova 50. Display material for preschool children. Gorodetsk painting. S.A.Ivanova, E.A.Ponomaryova 51. Display material on mathematics for preschool children. Numbers from 6 to 10. A.V.Kalinchenko 52. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Zoo 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 53. Visual study guide. Tiny tots. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Toys 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 54. Visual study guide. Tiny tots. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Forest 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 55. Visual study guide. Tiny tots. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Sea 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 56. Visual study guide. Tiny tots. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Insects 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 57. Visual study guide. Tiny tots. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Flowers 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 58. Visual study guide. Tiny tot. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Dinosaurs 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 59. Visual study guide. Tiny tot. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Cosmos 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 60. Visual study guide. Tiny tot. Paper appliqué work. Step by step. Nature 5-8 years old. I.A.Lykova (8 sheets in a folder). 61. Visual aid. Preschooler’s games room. A trip to the land of sounds for children 5-6 years old. G.S.Shvayko, E.Y.Konina (8 sheets in a folder). 62. Visual aid. Preschooler’s games room. Colored lotto. Outside world for children 4-5 years old. G.S.Shvayko, E.Y.Konina (8 sheets in a folder). 63. Visual aid. Rules of conduct in public places for little ones. M.L.Grozovskiy 64. Visual aid. Table manners for little ones. M.L.Grozovskiy 65. Rehabilitation pedagogy. A.V. Gordeeva 66. Kindergarten to help nurses and parents. Preparation for school. Counting, reading, speaking, thinking for children of 5-6 years old. L.V.Upraviteleva 67. Kindergarten to help nurses and parents. Preparation for school. Counting, reading, speaking, thinking for children of 6-7 years old. L.V.Upraviteleva 68. Child styling -2. Junk modelling. G.N.Davydova 69. Child styling -3 Plastilinography for little ones. G.N.Davydova 70. Child styling -3 Crafts of dump material. G.N.Davydova

107 71. Child styling -4 Plastilinography for little ones. G.N.Davydova 72. Child styling -5 Paper plastic arts. Floral motifs. G.N.Davydova 73. Child styling. Plastilinography. G.N.Davydova 74. Child styling. Crafts of dump material. G.N.Davydova 75. Didactic games-lessons in pre-school educational institutions (DOU). Juniority. Practical guide for nurses and educators of DOU. E.N.Panova 76. Didactic games-lessons in pre-school educational institution (DOU). Senior children. Practical guide for nurses and teachers of DOU. E.N.Panova

Software 1. Garfield for preschoolers of 5-6 years old. Letters. 2. Garfield for preschoolers of 5-6 years old. Numbers. 3. Garfield for little ones of 3-5 years old. Developing thinking. 4. Garfield for first-graders. Vocabulary and spelling. 5. Garfield for first-graders. Grammar and writing basics. 6. Child workroom. Creative work development. 7. Garfield for first-graders. Mathematics. 8. Learning to paint 5-10 years old. 9. Astronomy for children from 3 years old. 10. Role-playing games for children. 11. Super-intelligence from 7 years old. 12. Develop! 5-7 years old for first-graders. 13. Alik. Soon to school 4-7 years old. 14. Developing reaction 5-12 years old. 15. Luntik. Mathematics for little ones from 3 years old. 16. Develop! 1-5 grades. Entertaining mathematics. 17. World of informatics for 3-4 years old. 18. World of informatics for 6-9 years old. 19. Computer competence “Star quest” 5-12 years old. 20. Windows Vista for children from 8 years old. 21. Teach yourself guide. Microsoft Word for 8 year olds. 22. Teach yourself guide. Microsoft Windows XP for 8 year olds. 23. Teach yourself guide. Internet for 8 year olds. 24. Teach yourself guide. Computer programming for 8 year olds. 25. Psychological tests. Family and children. 26. Tests for children and parents. 27. Pets. Journey to country of knowledge. 28. Russian composers’ music. Classical music for children. 29. Developing music for little ones. 30. Sentimental love songs. 31. Classics for children.

108 Appendix 4.

Proposed job descriptions for employees in Family Support Facilities

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY DIRECTOR

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. The Director of the Family Support Facility (FSF) is appointed by the authorized agency, unless exceptions are established by legislation. 1.2. The FSF Director reports directly to the authorized agency and is personally liable for discharging the responsibilities imposed on the state institutions and the fulfilment of his/her own duties. 1.3. The FSF Director acts on the principle of one-man management and independently decides matters relating to this state institution in accordance with his/her competence as determined by legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the current FSF Charter. 1.4. The FSF Director should have a higher education qualification in teaching/social work and have no less than five years’ work experience in pedagogic and management positions. 1.5. In carrying out his/her responsibilities, the Director shall be guided by RoK legislation on protection of the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter and the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Implementing activity to support the social and legal protection of the rights of children and families and their legitimate interests. 2.2. Managing and monitoring FSF departmental activity. 2.3. Organizing FSF research and methodological work. 2.4. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.5. Assisting in the socialization, adaptation and integration of FSF children into society.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Implementing the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in helping children in need of state protection, including orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, children in difficulty. 3.2. Responsibility for the life and health of children cared for by the FSF. 3.3. Managing optimum staffing levels and selection of personnel. 3.4. Monitoring of and organizing training and education to ensure provision of integrated psychological, medical and social support for children in the FSF, assisting in their socialization, adaptation and integration into society. 3.5. Monitoring the management of records, planning and reporting. 3.6. Delegating responsibility for implementing the FSF annual plan. 3.7. Monitoring the performance of the various of FSF departmental coordinators in implementing an integrated approach to helping children in need of state protection. 3.8. Organizing work to transform children’s homes into Family Support Facilities: 1) ensuring local resources are devoted to resolving the issues relating to the deinstitutionalization of children who have lived in orphanages; 2) encouraging interaction between Family Support Facilities and state bodies and organizations in order to identify and find homes for children in need of state 109 protection and ensure their rights are protected; 3) ensuring, through workshops and conferences, the dissemination of methodological and practical expertise acquired; 4) recruiting staff, providing for their continuing education professional development and further certified qualification; 3.9. Monitoring and providing a setting for preventive and rehabilitation work with birth families and children living in orphanages with the aim of reuniting children with their biological families. 3.10. Chairing Concilium meetings and delegating to appropriate individuals the implementation of the decisions adopted. 3.11. Directing the work of the teaching council, holding meetings with the council according to the schedule. 3.12. Managing research and methodological work. 3.13. Monitoring the catering and administrative personnel and helping to upgrade and improve the resources needed by them. 3.14. Implementing internal policies and safety measures. 3.15. Monitoring health and safety, assisting investigation of any accidents involving employees and children. 3.16. Drafting and sending an FSF progress report to relevant supervisory authorities as laid down in the annual plan. 3.17. Issuing and approving documents regulating the Facility’s activities.

4. DIRECTOR’S DOCUMENTATION

1. FSF Annual Plan. 2. Regulatory policies. 3. Records. 4. Institution contracts. 5. Alphabetised register of children. 6. Employees’ files. 7. Children’s files: - child’s identification documents; - child’s entitlement documents: financial entitlements, right to be housed, etc; - allowances, benefits documents, etc.;

JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. The Family Support Facility’s (FSF)Deputy Director of social work research and methodology is appointed by the FSF Director. 1.2. The FSF Deputy Director should have higher professional qualification in education or social work and no less than five years’ experience working in education or social services, and have worked for not less than three years in executive positions. 1.3. The FSF Deputy Director reports directly to the Director. 1.4. The Deputy Director shall, in his/her work, be guided by: RoK legislation protecting the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care and children in difficulty; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the FSF Charter; and the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Working for the social and legal protection of the rights and legitimate interests of

110 children and families. 2.2. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.3. Assisting in the socialization, adaptation and integration into society of FSF children. 2.4. Organizing education and training which endorses an individual, child-focused approach to child development. 2.5. Providing necessary teaching and training to help children and families in need of social protection.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1. Coordinating the work of the Support, Social Care and Adoption departments. 3.2. Developing and distributing material which documents the latest methodological approaches to and best practice in social work. Holding workshops and conferences. 3.3. Participating in Concilium meetings to review individual child protection plans. 3.4. Arranging and undertaking field social work visits. 3.5. Training specialists to work in Family Support Facilities and care homes. 3.6. Organizing staff training on working with families and children, helping specialists to develop innovative training and technologies. 3.7. Drafting the staffing schedule, ensuring absences are covered by appropriately qualified replacement staff. 3.8. Drafting and submitting reports when required. 3.9. Helping to select personnel for the right position given their professional qualifications and skills. 3.10. Helping to train and examine social workers and other FSF personnel. 3.11. Keeping FSF staff time sheets. 3.12. Keeping the working practices of the FSF up to date. 3.13. Instructing personnel in security, health and safety at work, upholding hygiene standards and fire safety and retaining documentation that assigns to the staff responsibility for the health and safety of children; assisting the investigation of any accident involving employees or children. 3.14. Organizing voluntary community work for children adhering strictly to health and safety regulations. 3.15. Drafting a timetable for teachers’ councils and meetings with the director. 3.16. Organizing the work of the Research and Methodological Board. 3.17. Maintaining the FSF’s statutory documentation. 3.18. Continuing his/her professional development. 3.19. Taking responsibility for protecting the lives and health of the children cared for in the institution.

4. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WORK METHODOLOGY

1. Annual Action Plan for the Support, Foster Care and Adoption departments. 2. Diary of children’s activities. 3. Children’s register. 4. Work of the Teachers’ Council. 5. Agenda of meetings with the Director. 6. Agenda of meetings of the Research and Methodological Board. 7. Security planning. 8. Planning regular appraisal of staff performance according to professional standards and the needs of the FSF. Evaluating the quality and performance of FSF departments.

JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY SOCIAL WORKER

111

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. Social workers are appointed by the FSF Director. 1.2. Social workers should have a higher professional qualification and no less than three years’ work experience. 1.3. Social workers report to the FSF Deputy Director of Social Work Research and Methodology. 1.4. Social workers shall be guided in their work by RoK legislation protecting the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care and children in difficulty; the Convention on the Rights of the Child, FSF Charter, FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Assuring the social and legal protection of children’s rights and legitimate interests. 2.2. Providing social and psychological support for birth families and at-risk families. 2.2. Working to prevent the creation of orphans and to increase the placement of orphaned children in families. 2.3. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.4. Assisting in the socialization, adaptation, and social integration of FSF children, helping with their general upbringing, their conscious choice. Further professional training.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT 3.1. Gathering information on children and families: child’s personal details, address of his/her parents or persons acting in loco parentis , etc. 3.2. Identifying opportunities for placing children with families. Preparing children for placement with families and filling in accompanying documentation. 3.3. Helping to draft and implement individual child protection plans. 3.4. Assessing a child’s readiness for his/her placement with a family, helping to select a family for a child and identifying the best way to support the child and the adoptive family; monitoring for the child’s upbringing and well-being in the adoptive family. 3.5. Helping to draft and teach the School for Adoptive Parents syllabus. 3.6. Providing a thematically planned timetable of methodological support, advice, lessons and training (devising the programs, preparing handouts, advertising leaflets). 3.7. Participating in events and activities designed to enhance public awareness of foster care and adoption. 3.8. Participating in Concilium meetings evaluating and updating individual child protection plans. 3.9. Helping to disseminate latest best practice and expertise, leading workshops and organizing conferences devoted to the protection of children’s rights and managing support for families and for the fostering and adoption services. 3.10. Helping to train specialists for work in Family Support and care facilities. 3.11. Acting as an intermediary between children in the FSF and adoptive families, specialists in different social services, administrative authorities and departments. 3.12. Identifying the interests, needs, difficulties and problems of a child, conflicts affecting them and any behavioural issues. Offering timely help and support. 3.13. Protecting the rights of FSF-assisted children to be housed. Ensuring a child’s home is maintained if they had that dwelling before being referred to the FSF. Retaining ownership of a child’s house on their behalf, return it to their possession if it is taken away from them by local authorities; renting out the child’s home under FSF contract and supervising the transfer of any monies earned from rent to the child’s savings account.

112 3.14. Protecting the property and assets of children cared for by the FSF. Preserving and maintaining an inventory of inherited property, ensuring any pensions, benefits or other payments to the child are maintained and paid into a savings account on behalf of the child. 3.15. Generating and maintaining a database of children in need of state protection, prospective adoptive parents, vulnerable families. 3.16. Generating and maintaining electronic files on birth families. 3.17. Ensuring benefits payments are made on time, maintaining contact with social security agencies. 3.18. Drafting a monthly work plan. 3.19. Drafting and submitting quarterly reports. 3.20. Maintaining documentation relating to FSF approved action plan. 3.21. Ensuring relevant citizenship documents are issued to children in FSF care: obtaining passports, ensuring child registration is up-to-date. 3.22. Helping to prepare any materials needed for court hearings. 3.23. Continuing professional development. 3.24. Protecting the lives and health of children in FSF care.

4. SOCIAL WORKER’S DOCUMENTATION

1. Social Worker’s monthly work plan. 2. Diary of field team visits. 3. Consulting diary. 4. Reports file. 5. Family and child history files: - individual child protection plan; - child assessment documents; - family assessment documents (natural, adoptive or vulnerable families); - documents relating to child’s foster placement; - documents relating to monitoring of child’s upbringing and well-being in adoptive family.

JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. Educational psychologists are appointed by the Director of the Family Support Facility (FSF). 1.2. Educational Psychologists must have a higher professional qualification and no less than three years’ work experience. 1.3. Educational psychologists report to the FSF Deputy Director of Social Work Research and Methodology. 1.4. In their work, the educational psychologist shall be guided by RoK legislation protecting the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter, the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Contributing to the protection of individual rights in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 2.2. Preventing the creation of orphans and promoting the placement of orphaned children with families.

113 2.3. Providing social and psychological support to biological families and vulnerable families. 2.4. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.4. Assisting in the socialization, adaptation and integration into society of children cared for by the FSF, their general upbringing and conscious choice. Continuing professional development.

3. RESPONSIBILITES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Working to secure the psychological, cognitive and social well-being of a child who is under the care of the FSF (living in a family or in the FSF). 3.2. Assessing the effects of trauma experienced by a child on his/her psychological and somatic health. 3.3. Identifying any issues with a child’s mental, physical and emotional development, and any issues with social integration that may require psychological and educational intervention. 3.4. Helping to draft individual child protection plans. 3.5. Assessing a child’s readiness for his/her placement with a family, helping to select a family for a child. Identifying the best ongoing support for the child and their adoptive family; monitoring the child’s upbringing and well-being in the adoptive family; preparing updates for the care facility. 3.6. Working with birth family and child with the aim of reuniting the child with his/her biological family. 3.7. Counselling and supporting adoptive families and children in order to reduce the risk of the child being abandoned or needing to be removed. 3.8. Counselling and supporting vulnerable families in order to keep children with their families wherever possible. 3.9. Identifying any obstacles to the personal development of a child cared for by the FSF. Intervening and undertaking psychotherapeutic work focused on the child’s cognitive, emotional and social development. 3.10. Supporting gifted children cared for in the FSF and promoting their development. 3.11. Supporting the psychological well-being of children, parents, and FSF personnel. 3.12. Providing a thematically planned timetable of methodological support, advice, lessons and training (devising the programs, preparing handouts, advertising leaflets). 3.13. Training FSF personnel in the acquisition and application of psychological expertise in the care of children which respects individual psychological and physiological traits in children and adolescents. 3.14. Helping to plan and execute developmental and remedial counselling related to individual and sex/age-related development in children which furthers their familiarity and ability to cope with occurrences in their daily and professional lives. 3.15. Participating in drafting and teaching the School for Adoptive Parents syllabus. 3.16. Taking part in campaigns to promote public awareness of fostering and adoption. 3.17. Participating in Concilium meetings evaluating and updating individual child protection plans. 3.18. Working as part of the field social-work team. 3.19. Helping to disseminate latest best practice and expertise, leading workshops and organizing conferences devoted to the protection of children’s rights and managing support for families and for the fostering and adoption services. 3.20. Taking steps to prevent emotional burn-out in FSF staff. 3.21. Helping to train people to work in Family Support Facilities and care homes. 3.22. Drafting a Monthly Action Plan. 3.23. Drafting and submitting quarterly reports. 3.24. Maintaining documentation according to the approved FSF Action Plan. 3.25. Continuing professional development.

114 3.26. Responsibility for the lives and health of children cared for by the FSF.

4. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST’S DOCUMENTATION

1. Educational Psychologist’s Monthly Action Plan. 2. Report folder. 3. Comprehensive diagnostic manual. 4. Child’s psychological and developmental records. 5. Plan of individual remedial work. 6. Plan of group remedial sessions. 7. Register of children in remedial care. 8. Counselling register. 9. Records of psychological assessments. 10. Programs and timetable of open training and events. 11. Psychologist’s findings for submission to care facilities when future life of a child is decided.

JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY LAWYER

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. Lawyers are appointed by the Director of the Family Support Facility (FSF). 1.2. Lawyers should have higher professional qualification and no less than three years’ work experience. 1.3. The lawyer reports to the Deputy Director of Social Work and Research and Methodology. 1.4. In their work, the lawyer shall be guided by RoK legislation protecting the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter, the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Protecting the rights and legitimate interests of children. 2.2. Organizing and providing legal services for families and children in need of state protection. 2.3. Preventing the creation of orphans and promoting the placement of orphaned children with families. 2.4. Creating a child-friendly setting .

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Gathering information on the child and his/her family and ascertaining their legal status. 3.2. Participating in the selection of adoptive parents. 3.3. Advising parents and children on legal matters. 3.4. Holding legal workshops with FSF and care -home employees. 3.5. Compiling information on families and children who require state protection in association with other bodies operating in child and family rights protection (care departments, law-enforcement bodies, sheltered accommodation, maternity units, CTIARMs, etc.). 3.6. Identifying opportunities for placing children with families, preparing children for their placement with a family and helping prepare the accompanying documentation. 3.7. Helping to draft and implement individual child protection plans.

115 3.8. Assessing a child’s readiness to be placed with a family, participating in finding a family for a child, supporting the child and the foster family, monitoring the child’s upbringing and well-being in the foster family. 3.9. Helping to draft and teach School for Adoptive Parents syllabus. 3.10. Providing a thematically planned timetable of methodological support, advice, lessons and training (devising the programs, preparing handouts, advertising leaflets). 3.11. Raising public awareness of fostering and adoption. 3.12. Participating in Concilium meetings reviewing individual child protection plans. 3.13. Helping to disseminate latest best practice and expertise, leading workshops and organizing conferences devoted to the protection of children’s rights and managing support for families and for the fostering and adoption services. 3.14. Training personnel for work in FSFs and care homes. 3.15. Acting as an intermediary between children in the FSF and adoptive families, specialists in different social services, administrative authorities and departments. 3.16. Protecting the rights of FSF-assisted children to be housed. Ensuring a child’s home is maintained if they had that dwelling before being referred to the FSF. Retaining ownership of a child’s house on their behalf, return it to their possession if it is taken away from them by local authorities; renting out the child’s home under FSF contract and supervising the transfer of any monies earned from rent to the child’s savings account. 3.17. Protecting the property and assets of children cared for by the FSF. Preserving and maintaining an inventory of inherited property, ensuring any pensions, benefits or other payments to the child are maintained and paid into a savings account on behalf of the child. 3.18. Drafting a Monthly Action Plan. 3.19. Drafting and submitting quarterly reports. 3.20. Maintaining documentation according to the approved FSF Action Plan. 3.21. Ensuring relevant citizenship documents are issued to children in FSF care: obtaining passports, ensuring child registration is up-to-date. 3.22. Helping to prepare any materials needed for court hearings. 3.23. Continuing professional development. 3.24. Protecting the lives and health of children cared for by the FSF.

4. LAWYER’S DOCUMENTATION

1. Monthly Action Plan. 2. Reports package. 3. Consultation diary. 4. Requests for information, power-of-attorney and other official documents.

JOB DESCIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY CARER

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. Family Support Facility (FSF) carers are appointed by the FSF Director. 1.2. Carer’s must have a higher vocational education and no less than three years’ work experience in the education or care system. 1.3. Carers report to the FSF Director and Deputy Director of Social Work Research and Methodology. 1.4. In their work, the carer shall be guided by RoK legislation protecting the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter, the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

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2.1. Protecting the rights of children in accordance with Convention on the Rights of the Child. 2.2. Preventing the creation of orphans and promoting the placement of orphaned children with families. 2.3. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.4. Assisting in the socialization, adaptation and integration into society of children cared for by the FSF, their general upbringing and conscious choice. Continuing professional development. 2.5. Caring for children and young people in a way which respects their individual psychological and physiological development. 2.6. Advising and teaching children how to acquire and apply social and mental acuity in their learning, communication and personal development.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Running training programs in accordance with the FSF Action Plan. 3.2. Caring for children with respect for their individual personality and psychology. 3.3. Helping to draft individual child protection plans. 3.4. Helping to plan and execute developmental and remedial counselling related to individual and sex/age-related development in children which furthers their familiarity and ability to cope with occurrences in their daily and professional lives. 3.5. Assessing a child’s readiness to be placed with a family, participating in finding a family for a child, supporting the child and the foster family, monitoring the child’s upbringing and well-being in the foster family. 3.6. Helping to draft and teach School for Adoptive Parents syllabus. 3.7. Providing a thematically planned timetable of methodological support, advice, lessons and training (devising the programs, preparing handouts, advertising leaflets). 3.8. Raising public awareness of fostering and adoption. 3.9. Participating in Concilium meetings to review individual child protection plans. 3.10. Helping to disseminate latest best practice and expertise, leading workshops and organizing conferences devoted to the protection of children’s rights and managing support for families and for the fostering and adoption services. 3.11. Training personnel to work in FSFs and care homes. 3.12. Encouraging children to take care of children’s home property and of their personal things. 3.13. Teaching children about occupational hazards, road safety, behaviour in everyday life, water safety and fire safety. 3.14. Establishing age-appropriate daily routines: getting up in the morning, exercise, bedtimes, personal hygiene. Respecting individual physical or mental aptitudes affecting these routines. 3.15. Planning daily routines and leisure time for children in the FSF. 3.16. Encouraging children to live together, teaching them how to communicate and how to resolve conflict. 3.17. Gaining further professional qualifications, participating in the work of the FSF Research and Methodology Board. 3.18. Participating in the work of the FSF Teachers’ Council. 3.19. Drafting Daily and Monthly Action Plans. 3.20. Drafting and submitting quarterly reports. 3.21. Maintaining documentation according to the approved FSF Action Plan. 3.22. Protecting the lives and health of children cared for by the FSF.

4. CARER’S DOCUMENTATION

117 1. Annual Action Plan. 2. Monthly Care Plan. 3. Daily planner. 4. Children’s observation records. 5. Safety documentation. 6. Diary of babies’ progress. 7. Personal learning record. 8. Records of visits by parents and relatives. 9. Consultation register. 10. Agendas and timetables of open lessons and events.

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JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY PEDIATRICIAN

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. The Family Support Facility’s (FSF) paediatrician is appointed by the FSF Director. 1.2. The paediatrician must have a higher professional qualification and no less than five years’ work experience.. 1.3. The paediatrician reports directly to the FSF Director. 1.4. The paediatrician shall be guided in his/her work by RoK legislation on the protection of the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care, children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter and the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Protecting the rights of children in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 2.2. Preventing the creation of orphans and promoting the care of children within families. 2.3. The psychological, medical and social rehabilitation of children. 2.4. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.5. Assisting the socialization, adaptation and integration into society of children in need of state protection.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Referring to the institution children in need of state protection. 3.2. Initial medical examination of referred children. 3.3. Gathering information about a child, studying his/her case history for any reference to hereditary or chronic disease; helping to draft the individual child protection plan. Together with a social worker, investigating the child’s school and medical records and submitting requests for information to clinics and hospitals where necessary. 3.4. Communicating with the child’s biological family; together with a social worker, collecting together additional documentation and information (child’s family tree, history of hereditary and chronic diseases in the family, etc.). 3.5. Assessing the severity and impact of any trauma suffered by a child on his her psychological and physical health. 3.6. Taking part in Concilium meetings to review individual child protection plans. 3.7. Promoting and sustaining children’s mental and physical health. 3.8. Comprehensive medical examination, treatment, medical supervision of FSF children. 3.9. Early identification of disease risk factors and establishing the correct environment for the healthy development of children. 3.10. Retaining appropriate medical documentation, examining causes of child disease at meetings with the Director and making proposals to eradicate them. 3.11. Helping to socialise children, assessing their readiness to be placed with a family. Finding families for children. 3.12. Drafting a medical assessment for the care facility prior to placing a child with a foster family. 3.13. Giving medical advice to adoptive parents and children during the settling in phase to help avoid the risk that the child will be rejected or have to be removed from the family.

119 3.14. Where necessary, accompanying the field social work team. 3.15. Helping to devise and teach the School for Adoptive Parents syllabus. 3.16. Raising public awareness of fostering and adoption. 3.17. Disseminating best practice and expertise in the protection of children’s rights and organising training and conferences on the management of FSFs and care homes 3.18. Training employees of Family Support Facilities and care homes. 3.19. Contributing to the administration and monitoring of safety, investigating accidents involving FSF children and employees. 3.20. Ensuring occupational health and safety standards and fire regulations are observed. 3.21. Helping children avoid accidents by teaching road safety, safety near water, etc. 3.22. Helping to promote health and hygiene standards for FSF employees and children. 3.23. Monthly briefing of auxiliary personnel and kitchen staff, monitoring food hygiene standards. 3.24. Establishing and maintaining the relationship between the family support facility and medical institutions and other organizations working to preserve the physical and mental health of children in FSF care. 3.25. Continual professional development, participating in the work of the FSF Research and Methodological board. 3.26. Drafting a Monthly Action Plan. 3.27. Drafting and submitting quarterly reports. 3.28. Maintaining documentation according to the approved FSF Action Plan. 3.29. Responsibility the lives and health of children cared for by the FSF.

4. PEDIATRICIAN’S DOCUMENTATION

1. Annual Action Plan. 2. Monthly Action Plan. 3. Patient medical reports. 4. Record of child’s treatment and measures to prevent illness. 5. Record of consultations. 6. Quarantine records. 7. Register of contagious patients. 8. Immunization records. 9. Records of laboratory tests required (if any). 10. Manual of treatments and diagnoses. 11. Medical examination reports. 12. Medical reports prepared for care facilities when decisions are being made regarding a child’s future. 13. Other documents required under health authority regulations.

JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY SPEECH THERAPIST

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. The speech therapist is appointed by the Family support facility (FSF) Director. 1.2. The speech therapist should have a higher education qualification and no less than three years’ work experience. 1.3. The speech therapist reports directly to the Deputy Director of Social Work Research and Methodology.

120 1.4. The speech therapist shall be guided in their work by RoK legislation protecting the rights of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care and children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter and the FSF Action Plan.

2. FUNCTIONS

2.1. Protecting the rights of children in accordance with Convention on the Rights of the Child. 2.2. Preventing the creation of orphans and promoting the placement of orphaned children with families. 2.3. The psychological, medical, and social rehabilitation of children. 2.4. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.5. Assisting in the socialization, adaptation and integration into society of children cared for by the FSF, their general upbringing and conscious choice. Continuing professional development.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Working to protect the mental, physical, and social well-being of children in need of state protection. 3.2. Participating in the initial medical examination of referred children. Gathering information about the child and checking for any possible delay in development of the child’s speech and language. 3.3. Participating in a comprehensive medical examination to determine the nature and severity of any problems a child is suffering from. 3.4. Helping to evaluate the impact of any trauma suffered by a child upon their psychological and physical health. 3.5. Helping to draft individual child protection plans. 3.6. Arranging group sessions to discuss a child’s psychological / physical progress. Group and individual sessions to discuss any speech impairment and appropriate treatment. 3.7. Helping to socialise children, assessing their readiness to be placed with a family. Finding families for children. 3.8. Giving advice to adoptive parents and children during the settling-in phase to help avoid the risk that the child will be rejected or have to be removed from the family. 3.9. Advising adoptive parents on ways of helping children with any developmental delays. 3.10. Training FSF employees on ways of helping children with any developmental delays. 3.11. In accordance with state standards, using appropriate methods and skills to help and rehabilitate children. 3.12. Development personal professional skills. Working with the Research and Methodology board. 3.13. Helping to devise and teach the School for Adoptive Parents syllabus. 3.14. Raising public awareness of fostering and adoption. 3.15. Participating in Concilium meetings to review individual child protection plans. 3.16. Working with the field social work team. 3.17. Disseminating best practice and expertise in the protection of children’s rights and organising training and conferences on the management of FSFs and care homes. 3.18. Training employees of Family Support Facilities and care homes. 3.19. Drafting a Monthly Action Plan. 3.20. Drafting and submitting quarterly reports. 3.21. Maintaining documentation according to the approved FSF Action Plan. 3.22. Improving professional proficiency.

121 3.23. Responsibility for protecting the rights of children cared for by the FSF.

4. SPEECH THERAPIST’S DOCUMENTATION

1. Annual Action Plan. 2. Speech therapist’s Monthly Action Plan. 3. List of children. 4. Speech development records. 5. Timetable of individual special education sessions. 6. Plan of group special education sessions. 7. Records of children in special education. 8. Record of consultations. 9. Examination reports. 10. Agendas and timetable of open lessons and events.

JOB DESCRIPTION: SKO FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR/SECRETARY

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. The Family Support Facility (FSF) administrator is appointed by the FSF Director. 1.2. People higher and vocational education can be appointed to the role FSF administrator without prior work experience. 1.3. The administrator reports to the FSF Director and to the Deputy Director on Social Work Research and Methodology. 1.4. The administrator shall be guided in their work by RoK legislation protecting the rights orphaned children, children deprived of parental care and children in difficulty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the FSF Charter and the FSF Action Plan. .

2.FUNCTIONS

2.1. Helping to protect the rights of children in accordance with Convention on the Rights of the Child 2.2. Preventing the creation of orphans and promoting the placement of orphaned children with families. 2.4. Creating a child-friendly setting. 2.4. Administration and arranging the work of the FSF.

3.RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYMENT

3.1. Managing FSF research documentation and files (orders, correspondence, reports, etc.). 3.2. Drafting employment contracts for FSF employees in accordance with RoK legislation. 3.3. Drafting contracts relating to FSF work with other organizations and authorities. 3.4. Maintaining the database containing information on birth families. 3.5. Receiving members of the public visiting the FSF to consult a lawyer, social worker, psychologist, speech therapist, paediatrician, etc. 3.6. Taking minutes at meetings, Concilium meetings, research and methodology board meetings, etc. 3.7. Participating in work to protect the rights of children (awareness campaigns, workshops, conferences, etc.). 3.8. If necessary, accompanying the field social work team.

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4. ADMINISTRATOR’S DOCUMENTATION

1. Visitors’ register. 2. Practitioners’ diaries 3. Rule book. 4. Correspondence files. 5. Document files. 6. Records of agreements and contracts. 7. Minutes of meetings, Councilium meetings, research and methodology board meetings, etc.

123 Annex 5. Questionnaire for at-risk families

Questionnaire for At-Risk Families (Q #4 “a”) (to be filled in by psychologist and counselor)

Date: ______,200_.

1. General Family Information 1. Child’s full name ______2. Date of birth ______3. Father’s full name, place of work______4. Mother’s full name, place of work______5. Home address, telephone no. ______6. How many children do you have (age, sex)? ______7. Family type (living apart, single-parent, extended family, etc.) ______8. If the family is living apart, what is the reason? ______9. Do family members have any antisocial habits/addictions (are they registered in relevant institutions)?______10. Do any family members have problems? What type of problems? ______11. Do you have any problems looking after your children? What type of problems? ___ 12. Are there other family members living with you (please give details)? ______13. How would you describe the relationship between husband and wife? ______14. How would you describe the relationships between children and between the children and their parents? ___ 15. Are there any rules in the family? ______16. How is your family set up? ______17. How does the family spend its leisure time? ______18. How do family members behave in difficult circumstances? ______19. Describe your social circle ______

2. Child’s Emotional Development 1. Does he/she cry often? (Yes, No) ______2. What is his/her normal condition? (calm, whining, restless, etc.)______3. For how long can he/she be upset? ______4. Is he/she afraid of anything______5. Is he/she often angry, aggressive? ______6. Does he/she get tired quickly?______7. Who does he/she take after? ______8. What is his/her attitude towards strangers? ______9. What relationship does the child have with his/her peers? ______10. How does he/she behave towards animals? ______

3. Child’s upbringing in the family, his/her likes, dislikes and interests 1. Did the child attend a nursery, groups, etc.? From what age? ______2. What toys, games, amusements does the child have? Where and how are they kept? ______3. Who is caring for the child most of the time? ______4. Does the child have any difficulty (please underline): dressing, falling asleep (does he/she sleep during the day), washing, feeding, manipulating toys, going to the toilet by him/herself?______5. What is the family routine (getting up, eating, walking, sleeping)?______6. Are family members united with regard to the child and in what they allow and forbid him/her? (United, not always united, never united) ______

124 7. How is the child treated in the family? (Encouragement, punishment, inclusion, negotiation/reasoning)______8. Whom the child does obey in the family? (Everybody, father, mother, nobody)_____ 9. Does the child help at home? ______10. Please list the child’s (children’s) favourite games and toys, fairy-tales and books, food ______11. Which of your child’s qualities do you especially value? (Kindness, sociability, industriousness, conscientiousness, obedience)______12. Does the child (children) have any of the following problems: bed wetting (at night, during the day); nail-biting; thumb-sucking or others? ______13. Opinion ______14. Recommendations______Examined by ______(full name, discipline, signature)

Questionnaire for At-Risk Family (Q # 4 “c”) (to be filled out by health worker)

Date:______,200_ .

1. Child’s full name ______2. Age______3. Father’s full name, place of work______4. Mother’s full name, place of work ______5. Home address, telephone no.______6. How was the mother’s pregnancy and delivery?______7. Was there any problem with the child’s early development? ______8. Is the child’s development delayed, normal, accelerated (please underline) ______9. What ilnesseses has the child had? ______10. Does the child have any health problems (chronic illness, physical difficulties, past referrals)? ______10. Does the child take any medication? Please list them and explain what they are for ______11. Does the child have allergies to food or medicines or any other type of allergy? ____ 12. Was the child treated in any clinics? Please state the diagnosis, date of discharge ______13. Does the child (children) have any of the following problems: bed wetting (at night, during the day); nail biting; thumb-sucking or others? ______14. Hereditary diseases ______15. Is there access to on-demand medical care in the area where the child lives? _____ 16. Was or is he/she referred to any clinics (what type?) and when? What was the diagnosis? ______17. Was he/she examined by specialists? ______18. Hygiene and sanitation in child’s surroundings ______19. What medical assistance has been provided to the family by the state?______20. Was treatment received free or paid for and where?______21. What assistance do you require?______22. What assistance must be provided by the state under the law?______23. Opinion______24. Recommendations______Examination was made by ______(full name, discipline, signature)

125 Annex 6. Questionnaire for a Child

Child Questionnaire (Q #1 “ а”) “Child Information” (to be filled out by social worker )

Date:______,200_ . 1. Full name ______2. Date of birth______3. Ethnic origin______4. Child social status (orphan, without parental care), please underline______5. In what institution is the child resident? ______6. Reasons for referring the child to the institution ______7. Chronology of child placement ______8. Parents/relatives information: Mother (full name)______Father (full name)______(please specify the reasons: death, deprivation of parental rights, conviction, etc.) 9. Family members or relatives in touch with the child _____ (who are they? what role do they play in the child’s life?) 10.Housing conditions______(does the child have a dwelling place, if yes, what kind, state address) 11. Information on benefits the child receives ______∗12. What is the child’s attitude to being placed with this family ______13. What documents are available for the child? ______14. Counsellor’s opinion ______15. Lawyer’s opinion______16. Recommendations ______

Examined by ______(full name, discipline, signature)

∗ Is filled out when placing a child with a family.

Child Psychology Questionnaire (F #1”b”) “Child Information” (to be filled out by psychologist )

Date: ______,200_.

1. Child’s full name ______2. Child’s age______

3. Appearance and social adaptation ______(dressing appropriate to age, sex, culture; personal hygiene; behaviour in various situations; interpretation of adults’ instructions)

4. Child’s basic abilities ______(social orientation, care of self: dressing, eating, ability to solve social problems)

5. Cognitive development ______(does cognitive development correspond to age)

6.Educational attainment ______(attitude to school education, educational progress and problems, involvement in extended education)

126 7. Child’s interests and hobbies______8. Adaptation to the institution ______(general comments, period of adaptation)

9. Emotional and behavioural development ______(attitude to birth family and people around him/her, self-control, temperament, attitude to change, appropriate attitudes and behaviour with regard to parents, peers, other people; anxiety, aggression, impulsivity; fears, conflicts with people around him/her)

10. Personality ______(identity, self-esteem, does the child recognize his/her belonging to the family, nationality, religion)

11. Child’s expectations regarding return to natural family (living with the foster family) ______12.Psychologist’s opinion ______13.Recommendations______

Examined by______(full name, discipline, signature)

Child Medical Questionnaire (Q#1 “c”) “Child Information” (to be filled out by health worker)

Date: ______,200_.

1. Full name______2. Date of birth______3. Basic observations: ______(physical development, weight, height) 4. Changes in the affected organ and any significant changes in other organs ______5. Information on laboratory tests and other examinations: ______6. Is he/she registered with any health care facility? If yes, what type of facility?______7. Final opinion ______(current health problems) 8. Recommendations______

Examined by______(full name, discipline, signature)

127 Appendix 7. Information Campaign

Target Group (Target for awareness campaign ): − Young people aged 14-24, − Adults (older people, aksakals), − Prospective parents Activities to increase awareness in target groups (achieving the target): 1. Agreements with other social organizations (ED, DoCRP, DoIP, CDoT) to provide and distribute publicity material (at educational institutions, on public transport, TV channels, short films before main cinema showing) 2. Using the UN Children’s Fund resources (UNICEF) in the RoK , web-site: www.balazan.kz 3. Submitting topics for discussion on the “Debates” TV show (DoIP) 4. Involving in TV shows the representatives of religious communities, honorary citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, heroine mothers, people raised in orphanages. 5. Proposals to various departments (ED, DoCRP, DoIP) to include elements of the information campaign in the 2009-2010 budget: - Creating and distributing more material - Opinion polls - Round tables, conferences, training/workshops, campaigns and meetings - Video competition open to students of SKSU performing arts faculty - Competition for journalists: prize for the best documentary about restoring and reinforcing family values and Kazakh traditions - Developing of a website for young people in the SKO covering reproductive health issues, family planning, etc. 6. Agreement with Education Department and City Education Department on including new courses in education curriculums to raise awareness of reproductive health and family planning; eliminating prejudice against children from children’s homes; eliminating prejudice and stereotypes in relation to orphans. 7. Restoring and improving couples counselling at the Civil Registry Office; prenatal clinics to reinforce parental responsibility (advice from gynaecologist, psychologists, etc). 8. Agreement with puppet and children’s theatre groups on children programs or involvement of creative groups in schools How to disseminate information: − TV − Newspapers/magazines − Internet − Round tables, trainings/seminars, campaigns and meetings − Street advertising (billboards etc) − Opinion polls − Distribution of leaflets, brochures, posters at schools, colleges, universities 128 − Distribution of leaflets, posters on public transport − Cinemas

Materials: − Animated film based on UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (21 animated films, 30 seconds each) − Posters in Kazakh and Russian − Stickers in Kazakh and Russian − Brochure on alternative education in Kazakh and Russian − Leaflet in Kazakh and Russian for prospective parents and children Activities Description Indicators for assessing Execution Respons ib effectiveness of campaign period and le Quantity organizati ons (partners) 1. Animated film based on Broadcasting on TV animated films about 1. Awareness-raising (public UN Convention on the children rights under the UN Convention, polls) Rights of the Child before movie features, in educational 2. Number of TV runs 2. New videos, animated institutions, on transport, distributing DVDs films in organizations

Printing and distributing 1. Distribution in cinemas, educational 1. Awareness-raising (testing (posters, stickers, leaflets, institutions, public transport, cafés, parks, pre- and post-campaign in brochures) discos, pharmacies, clinics, shops, markets. educational institutions, TV Leafleting campaigns in pre-natal clinics, viewer polls) institutions and businesses with the help of 2.Number of campaigns social workers, NGO volunteers. 3. Amount of material More focus on oblast problems distributed 2. Campaigns (could be during mass civic 4. Reduction of the number of events). children referred to care Raising public awareness of alternative facilities forms of upbringing, child adoption, the 5. Increase in number of status of orphaned in SKO prospective parents’ applications to foster 6. Reduction of the number of children living in orphanages 7. Increase in the number of 129 children placed with foster families Family and child columns in Teenage magazines (by agreement), 1. Readers’ comments oblast printed media newspaper coverage of the following 2. Reduction in number of issues: babies being abandoned at 1. Reproductive health, family planning, maternity units responsible behaviour 3. Reduction in teen pregnancy 2. Reducing prejudice against children from rate children’s homes 4. Reduction in the number of 3. Reducing prejudice against under-age children placed in orphanages and young, single mothers 5. Articles number 4. Reinforcing family values 6. Readers’ awareness level 5. Revival and reinforcement of Kazakh popular traditions 6. Increased awareness of the status of orphans in SKO, alternative forms of upbringing, opportunities to adopt, results of awareness campaign, and adoption stories. To involve: - religious communities - honorary citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan - heroine mothers - those who have left orphanages Participation in TV shows Issues Covered: 1. Audience comments 1. Reproductive health, family planning, 2. Reduction in number of responsible behaviour babies being abandoned at 2. Reducing prejudice against children from maternity units children’s homes 3. Reduction in teen pregnancy 3. Reducing prejudice against young, single rate mothers 4. Reduction in the number of 4. Reinforcing family values children placed in orphanages 5. Revival and reinforcement of Kazakh 5. Number of TV shows popular traditions 6. People’s level of awareness 6. Increased awareness of the status of 7. Increase in the number of orphans in SKO, alternative forms of prospective parents applying to upbringing, opportunities to adopt, results of care homes to adopt 130 awareness campaign, and adoption stories. 8. Increase in the number of 7. Increased awareness of the importance children placed in foster families of family for a child and how the loss of their family affects a child Civil Registry Offices, Couples counselling on family responsibility 1. Statistics: reduction in prenatal clinics (advice from psychologists, gynaecologists, number of babies being etc.) abandoned at maternity units, Advice on reproductive health, family reduction in teen pregnancy planning, responsible parenting, preventing rate, reduction in the number of child abandonment children placed in orphanages 2. Number of referrals Including optional courses Training and psychology games with young 1. Optional curriculum courses in educational curriculums people in educational institutions to make 2. Specialist training program them aware of reproductive health and 3. Number of trained specialists family planning; encouraging tolerance of 4. Awareness (asking and children from children’s homes; eliminating young people taking optional prejudice and stereotypes with regard to courses) orphans. 1. Website for young people 1. Advice on reproductive health, family 1. Number of website hits in SKO planning, responsible parenting, etc. 2. Forum comments 2. Pages and news on child 2. Regular public campaigns to raise 3. Internet users’ awareness of protection on websites. awareness of the plight of orphans in SKO, this issue (inquiries on site) 3. Using website alternative forms of upbringing, www.balazan.kz opportunities for adoption, results of information campaign, adoption stories 3. Web site for prospective parents offering advice various on various issues (required documents, phone/address, psychological questions)

Children’s shows in puppet Eliminating prejudice against children from 1. Number of programs and youth theatres or children’s homes; eliminating prejudice and 2. Number of children, program involvement of school stereotypes with regard to orphans participants creative groups (plays, 3. Asking children games, etc.)

131 Competition for journalists Documentary should be about orphans 1. Award results and students of SKSU making their way in society. They may 2. Audience comments performing arts faculty to recount the difficulties they faced, happier find best documentary and moments of their life. It is also desirable to video discuss the issue of single mothers and the stigma attached to being a single mother. “Families for Children” Public concerts and exhibitions involving 1. Number of participants in Campaign orphans. Distributing printed material. campaign 2. Number of parents applying to adopt 3. Reduction in the number of children in orphanages 4. Improved awareness among campaign participants (express poll) Youth Resource Centre 1. Awareness campaigns 1. Number of participants in based in oblast Youth 2. Design and distribution of printed campaign Centre material 2. Number of web site hits 3. Website for young people 3. Increased youth awareness 4. Search for orphans’ biological relatives 4. Number of guardianship (through Internet, TV and printed media) relationships re-established Workshops for care home Workshops on: 1. Increased awareness and employees 1. Child-friendly setting professional competence 2. Working to achieve social and among facility employees psychological adaptation of children in 2. Improved environment and orphanages safety in orphanages 3. Raised awareness among those who have left the care home of reproductive health, family planning, future planning Workshops for schools, Workshops on psycho-social work with at- 1. Raised awareness among orphanages, counsellors risk families psychologists and counselors and psychologists and improvement of their professional competence 2. Fewer children referred to care facilities

132 Annex 8

Questionnaire for Birth Parents ( Q # 2 “ а”) “Information on parents” (to be filled out by counsellor)

Date: ______,200_.

1. Family type (both parents, single-parent, living apart, extended, etc) ______2. If the family is living apart, what is the reason?______

3. Why was the child placed in the orphanage institution? ______

4.Parents’ information:

Full name Age Ethnic origin Place of work Salary (mother, father, adult children)

5. Information on other family members living in the household:

Full name Kin Ethnic origin Age Occupation Health relationship status

6. Father’s health status______

7.Mother’s health status______

8. Do you have other children? What will their attitude be to a new child (please underline as appropriate): - will be supportive, - will be wary of him/her, - will protest, - will be indifferent.

9. What is the monthly income per person in your family (KZT) ______

10. Are your housing conditions good enough to adopt a child (surrounding area, number of rooms)? ______

11. Reasons for taking your child out of care: - Need help at home, round the house; - Financial situation has improved; - Wish to bring up the child ourselves; - Other reasons (please specify)______

12. How well prepared are you to take back the child? - Well prepared - not sufficiently prepared. Why? ______13. Would you like to receive further support? - I think I have enough experience; 133 - We need full support (special training, advice from psychologists) - Have not thought about it.

14. What kind of advice or assistance do you need?______

15. How have your relatives reacted to you wanting to take your child back? ______

16. a) Do any of your family members have anti-social habits / addictions? Who is exposed to them? Is the family member registered in any health care facilities? ______b) Do you need assistance? What kind? ______

17. a) Have you ever kept in touch with the child? How?______b) What characteristics of your child’s personality are you aware of?______

18. What traditions do you have in the family (religious, family, cultural)?______

19. How would you describe the relationship between husband and wife? ______

20. How would you describe relationships between the children in your family? ______

21. dhow would you describe relationships between the children and the parents? ______

22. How are you planning your child’s future (education, his/her interests, choice of profession)? ______

23. How do you arrange your family’s leisure? ______

24. Describe your social circle ______

25. What can you do to help your child settle with the family quickly? ______

Questionnaire is filled out by my own hand ______(Signature)

134 Appendix 9.

Integrated Family and Child Form

Date:______,200 . #______1. Child’s full name______2. Date of birth______3. In what institution is he/she currently residing ______4. Child’s status ______5. Is there any documentation regarding the child?______6. Is he/she registered in JI (juvenile inspection)? Please give date of and reason for registration ______7. Reason for the child’s referral to the institution ______8. Chronology of child referral, reasons for further referrals ______9. Place of residence ______10. Benefits being claimed ______11. Information about parents (mother, father, adult children):

Full name Age Ethnic Place of Health Address Salary origin work, duty Status

12. Information on other family members living in the household:

Full name Kin Ethnic origin Age Occupation Health Status Relationship

13. Why is the child unable to live with his/her biological family at the present time? ______14. Information on adoptive parents (mother, father, adult children):

Full name Age Nationality Place of Health Address Salary work, job Status title

15. Child’s attitude to natural/foster family placement, child’s expectations ______16. What difficulties has the foster family faced in adapting?______17. Child’s attitude to recurrent foster family placement ______18. Specialists’ opinions and recommendations:

Counselor’s opinion ______

Lawyer’s opinion ______

Psychologist’s opinion ______

Health worker’s opinion ______

Note: items 14, 15, 16, 17 are to be filled out in case of fostering. 135 Appendix 10. “Confirmed” In the Concilium meeting #___ dated ______, 200 Individual Child and Family Protection Plan #_____ Child’s full name ______Date of birth ______Father’s full name ______Mother’s full name______

# Activity Responsible Execution Results Recommendations practitioner period 1

Supervisor ______Results ______

136 Appendix 11.

Questionnaire for Adoptive Parents (Q # 3 “a”) (to be filled out by counselor)

Date:______,200_.

1. Information on Adoptive Parents: Full Name Age Ethnic origin Place of work, Salary (mother, father, job title adult children)

2. Adoptive father’s health status______3. Adoptive mother’s health status ______4. Information on other family members living in the household: Full Name Kin Ethnic origin Age Occupation Health Relationship Status

5. Do you have other children? What will their attitude be to a new child (please underline as appropriate): - will be supportive, - will be wary of him/her, - will protest, - will be indifferent. 6. What is the monthly income per person in your family (KZT) ______7. What amount are you prepared to spend on the adopted child (children) per month? 8. Do you need additional funds?______9. Have you ever taken adopted children before? If yes, please, provide relevant information:

Full name Age and sex Institution in which Date of adoption and child lived prior to length of time the adoption child has been living in the family

10. Reasons for adopting a child: - Desire to help an orphaned child; - Friends recommended it; - We’d like to receive the extra funding; - Would like help in the house; - Desire to find a friend for your own child; - No biological children of our own;

137 - Own biological children have grown up; - Desire to bring up relatives’ children; - Other reasons______11. Are you prepared for the difficulties involved in caring for a foster child? - Prepared, - not sufficiently prepared. Why? ______12. Would you like to receive additional support? - I think I am experienced enough; - We need full support (special training, advice from psychologists) - Have not thought about it. 13. Family status (both parents, single parent, living apart, extended, etc.)______14. If the family is living apart, what is the reason?______15. Are your housing conditions good enough to adopt a child (dwelling space, number of rooms) ______16. Do your family members have anti-social habits / addictions? Who is exposed to them? Is the person registered in any health care facilities? ______17. Have you ever kept in touch with the child? How?______18. What traditions do you have in the family (religious, family, cultural)?______19. How important is religion for your family?______20. How would you describe the relationship between husband and wife?______21. How would you describe relationships between the children in your family?__ _ __ 22. How would you describe relationships between the children and their parents?_ _ 23. How are you planning the child’s future (education, his/her interests, choice of profession)? ______24. How do you arrange your family’s leisure? ______25. Describe your social circle ______26. What do people close to you feel about you fostering a child? ______27. Do you have any ideas of what can be done to find more families for orphaned children? (please write them down):______

138 28. What can you do to help the child to settle in quickly with the family? ______29. Please give some details regarding the child you would like to adopt (age, sex, nationality, character, temperament) ______

Questionnaire is filled out by my own hand ______(Signature)

139 Appendix 12.

Example of lesson in School for Adoptive Parents

TRAINING FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS Detailed Schedule (3 hours)

Objectives: • To introduce participants to one other, describe proposed team work, outline rules and regulations • To build a positive atmosphere in the group. • To discuss the expectations and anxieties of potential adoptive parents. • To ensure participants understand their roles in the foster family, the extent of their personal responsibility. • To ensure an emotional bond with adoptive child, empathy, understanding of the child’s needs and acceptance of him/her in the family.

1. Make up a nickname (10 mins) Objective. To create a positive atmosphere, build up participants’ trust in each other and mutual supportiveness in the group. Group forms a circle. Each participant takes it in turn to stand in the middle of the circle and hold out his/her hand, palm upwards, towards the person they would like to start. One by one, everyone suggests a nickname for the person standing in the centre of circle, as if they are “giving that person a present”. It’s important to touch palms and look into each other’s eyes, and to thank people for the “present”. 2. Group rules (5 mins ., flipchart and markers) - Confidentiality - Only one person speaks at a time - All participants do the work - Be kind to each other - Give each other time - etc. 3. Objectives and content of course and of this session (5 min.) 1) Introduction to course program, timetable 2) Format – combined. 4. Exercise: ”Adults’ world, children’s world“ (10 mins) — What would I do if I were five years old? — What would I do if I were a little bit odd? Try to be open in answering these questions, let your answers be spontaneous and free of stereotypes. Ideas should not be hurtful to others, but should engender a feeling of freedom and a lot of pleasure. 5. Discussion task (15 mins) - Try to pick out ideas (from those listed), which are possible in real life. - How did you feel while doing the exercise? - Which question was the easiest to answer, and why?

140 6. Awareness (15 mins) Facilitator explains various perceptions people appear to share of the worlds of children and adults, pointing out common themes of impulsivity, emotionality, apparent illogicality of children’s actions, children’s naturalism, etc. Facilitator then suggests participants specify certain characteristics of the world of children (as opposed to the world of adults) (brainstorming): • lack of fixed opinions; • speed of transformation; • emotionality; • very fickle; • indifferent to social anxieties; • transparency; • impulsivity; • absorption; • close bond with outside world; • living for today (in the present); • total assuredness. It often seems to parents that a child behaves badly because of ill will, trying to “make things difficult“ for parents, however this is rare. Any undesirable behavior in a child is usually down to the following: - a desire for attention and comfort; - defiance or a desire to wield power; - a desire for revenge, retaliation; - an attempt to conceal inability or inferiority. We often mistakenly assume that children understand us and the world around them in the same way as adults. Children draw their example from what we tell them, from how we act and from our behavior towards other people. The example we set is a far more powerful lesson than any moral instruction. 7. “Deeply into Childhood” (15 mins, relaxing music) Please take a seat; put your legs on the floor for support, sit comfortably in the chair. If you want to clear your throat, do it now. Close your eyes, listen to your breathing, it is smooth and quiet. Feel your arms and legs become heavy. You are going back in time to when you were a small child. Imagine a warm spring day. You are five, six or seven years old; imagine yourself at the age you remember best. You are walking in the street. Take a look at your clothes and shoes. You are happy, you are with someone close to you. Look at who this person is, then take his hand and feel his warmth and trust. Then release his hand and run happily ahead, but not very far. Wait for your friend and take his hand again. Suddenly you hear somebody laughing, you raise your eyes and see that you are holding the hand of another unknown person. You turn around and see that you friend is standing behind and smiling. You run towards him and take his hand again, laughing at what happened. And now it’s time to come back to this room and open your eyes as soon as you are ready. Discussion : What were your feelings? What is this exercise is about? In this story, affection and the loss of a close friend, however fleeting, becomes actual. The scenario generates both warm feelings and anxiety in adults. It allows

141 them to become children and understand the importance to the child of the trustworthy presence of an adult at this age, as well as this person’s great contribution to his/her confidence in the future. 8. “Game without Rules” (20 mins ., music) Objective. To encourage acceptance and understanding, to develop communication skills, active listening, empathy, ability to build relatinships without judgment. Instructions: The participants form two circles, outer and inner circle stand facing each other in pairs (inside circle are "parents", outside circle are "children"). The outer circle moves one space to the left after each task. There are three tasks for the children, the fourth one is for the parents. Then the parents and children swap over. Participants must complete the fifth task, “Living Hands”, with their eyes closed, moving around the circle 3-4 times. 1. “ I like it when you...” – the children express their opinion. It is crucial to give a positive comment and use positive subjects from different aspects of life (relationships, favourite foods, interests, characteristic features, etc.). 2. “I get angry and irritated when you...” (only the children speak). It’s important to be honest, fair and frank when voicing your feelings, to look at yourself from another person’s point of view. 3. “I dream...” (of being invisible, finding a magic wand, that nobody is ill, you stay young forever, etc.). 4. Topic “If you like I’ll tell what you are going to be...” (in 10 years, in one year, tomorrow — you’ll be beautiful, self-confident, strong, kind, you will have good friends, etc.) (only parents speak). 5. “Living Hands”. Participants close their eyes and do everything using only hands. They “meet”, “fight”, “make peace”, and “say goodbye” (three movements around the circle). Discussion . Discuss the game, ask participants what their feelings are, what they would like to do at various stages, etc. after the game.

9. Dance “Kill the Dragon” (10 mins ., music) Objective: relieving aggression, feelings of guilt and built-up internal tension; developing self-expression. This is an old dance in which participants standing in the circle “kill” a dragon in the centre of circle using an imaginary spear (snake, enemy, etc.). Because of the group dynamics, individuals are relieved of guilt, which is distributed among the dancers around the circle. To prevent guilt taking hold, the dance element is repetitive with dancers moving around the circle to celebratory music, happy that they “killed” the dragon. In this atmosphere of joy, everybody expresses their feelings openly, the way they wish to, and are able to. 10. “Blind Man and his Guide” (20) Objectives: To form a bond between parents and children, develop feelings of security, empathy, understanding of the other person’s feelings (empathy). The exercise is in pairs (one parent, one child). One of the participants is “blind”, another is his/her guide and helps the blind person to move around various obstacles prepared in advance (furniture, tables, chairs, other people), and

142 describe the outside world. The blind person’s eyes are blindfolded. The aim of the guide is to help the other person avoid tripping, falling or getting hurt. The pair swap roles as soon as they have finished. Discuss the game with the participants, ask them how it felt being the blind person and the guide, whether they were comfortable in those roles, whether they wanted to change their situation during the game. 11. Shared Drawing (15) The participants are asked to get into pairs. Each pair draws a picture together using just one pen (pencil or felt pen), but they are not allowed to discuss it or speak to one another. When everyone has finished each pair presents their work. The facilitator asks them to explain how the picture was drawn, who initiated the ideas, and how they drew various details. The participants may mention interaction at various stages of drawing: cooperation, one partner restricting the other, disregarding their partner’s needs, rivalry (competition), agreement, feeling for partner’s wishes, etc.

12. Awareness of “Two Areas” (20 mins) “Being a good mother (father) means knowing everything about him/her”. To some extent, these statements are linked to early experiences of caring for a baby, when it was very important to recognize the slightest of signals in order to respond to all the needs of a baby who is unable to speak (therefore the above statements relate more to mothers than to fathers). It is known that particularly the mother’s ability to act with empathy towards a child helps to form a strong bond and feelings of security which help a child to be confident in the future. However, the above parental feelings and statements are often the result of parents’ increasing need to control a child in spite of the fact that he/she has grown into an adult. The notion of “two areas” can encourage understand of these facts — children and adults exist alongside each other for their entire lives. This model can be demonstrated very effectively using the example of the “mother’s area”. During pregnancy, the child’s area belongs fully to mother, and is under her control (diagram 1). The delivery only slightly changes the situation — the child’s area (bed, his/her wishes) requires constant monitoring (diagram 2). But with time, the child is out of sight of his/her mother more and more, and finally his/her aim is to become independent (diagram 3). This process is very gradual, and of course different for each individual, but depends on the gradual transfer of rights and responsibilities once the child is ready to act independently. The issue is the extent to which the parents are ready to grant these rights. Sometimes real battles can occur in these areas – a child has to fight for his/her independence. The opposite may occur, with a child happy to be tied to the apron strings, but the mother then worries about her child being socially immature.

C Mother C Mother C Р Mother

143

Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3

13. Flower Dance (10 mins ., mus.) Objective . Restoring energy.

14. Reflection (10 mins.)

144 Appendix 13.

Training Program: Using the principles of psychology in work with families and children

Objective: Enhancing the ability of children’s home employees to use the principles of psychology in their work.

Session #1 Topic: Enhancing communication and counselling skills

Objectives: building confidence to establish initial contact and counselling skills.

Tasks: 1. Developing communication skills. 2. Learning and enhancing communication skills in work with clients. 3. Establishing communication through the use of verbal and non-verbal signals. 4. Developing active listening skills: − Phrasing questions correctly − Clarification and encouragement to explain answers. 5. Learning methods to relieve emotional tension. 6. Learning ways to work with aggressive clients.

Training Content: 1. Function and structure of basic communication. − Competent communication: strategy, tactics and modes of contact. − Communication areas. − Establishing initial contact. 2. Basic types, functions and psychological mechanisms of communication, including recognition. − Communication languages: verbal, non-verbal. The means of transferring information. − Role of non-verbal behaviour and its impact on communication. Space and communication. Stance, gestures, facial expressions. − Active listening methods. 3. Counselling Skills: − Communication in aggressive or tense situations. Aggression as a protective shield for an individual. − Nature of work with anxious clients. − Ways to relieve emotional tension. 4. Effective and ineffective communication. Case studies. 5. Summary.

Session #2 Topic: Behaviour in situations of conflict

145 Objective: learning the ability to behave in a rational manner in conflict situations

Tasks: 1. Developing effective communication skills. 2. Learning ways of interacting without conflict. 3. Learning ways to resolve conflict constructively. 4. Learning to control emotions. 5. Learning ways to relieve tension.

Training Content : 1. Conflict as a human form of contradiction and breakdown of relationships. − Conflict pyramid. − Conflict types. − Sources of conflict. 2. Conflict phases. 3. Behaviour patterns in conflict. − Diagnostic exercise "How do you usually handle conflict?" − Disengagement from conflict. − Rules of conflict prevention. 4. Ways to behave rationally in conflicts. − Ways to control emotions. − Ways to relieve emotional tension. 5. Constructive behaviour in conflicts. Case studies. 6. Summary.

Session #3 Topic: “Working without Stress”

Objective: help in developing effective ways to control emotions, maintaining psychological/emotional equilibrium and remaining calm in stressful situations.

Tasks: 1. Awareness of the nature of stress, types of stress, its negative and positive effects. 2. Sources of stress. 3. Relieving tension. 4. Handling negative emotions. 5. Developing self-control. 6. Learning stress-control skills.

Training Content 1. Concept of stress. − Express diagnostic test: “First Signs of Stress”. − Signs of stress. − Causes of stress. 2. Stress prevention and suppression.

146 − First aid for stress. − Three rules of self-help. − Self-hypnosis methods. − Relieving muscle cramps, relaxation. − Dance and movement psychotherapy. − Mobilizing resources. 3. Summary.

Session 4 Topic: Increasing Sensitivity towards Children

Objective: to increase the competence of care staff in communicating with children and forming a nurturing attitude towards children.

Tasks: 1. To develop the ability of care staff to empathize with children. 2. To develop psychological observation as a way of monitoring changes in a person’s character. 3. Learning to predict a person’s behaviour and the consequences of it. 4. To develop the ability to create a positive atmosphere and a feeling of security within a group of children. 5. To train new communication skills.

Training contents: 1. Characteristic social and psychological profile of children deprived of parental care. − Difficulty communicating with adults. − Suspicious of people. − Sense of isolation. − Problems adapting. 2. Creating a feeling of security within a group of children. − Bringing children together. − Encouraging trust and affection between children. − Creating of positive environment. − Adult’s ability to establish trusting and secure relationships with children. 3. Feelings and emotions. − Adjusting to partner’s movements and facial expressions. − Emotional adaptation to a partner. − Calibrating one’s emotional state. 4. Training in communication methods. Case studies. 5. Summary.

Session 5 Topic: Working with troubled, aggressive and hyperactive Children

147 Objective: to enhance the competence of care staff in offering professional help to support children deprived of parental care.

Tasks: 1. To teach skills for working with troubled, aggressive and hyperactive children. 2. To teach skills of effective interaction with children. 3. To teach psychological ways of easing aggression and anxiety in children. 4. Mastering techniques of psychological support. 5. Teaching techniques for maintaining self-control in stressful situations.

Training contents: 1. Social and psychological traits in children deprived of parental care. − Low self-esteem. − Anxiety and fear. − Emotional swings. 2. Therapeutic activity. − Rapid assessment of child’s self-esteem − Ways to improve child’s self-esteem. − Teaching a child how to release physical and emotional tension. − Training children how to feel in control in traumatic situations. 3. Creating an atmosphere of trust and friendship among children. 4. Putting children into groups. Case studies. 5. Summary.

Appendix 14. Scenario games and role-play exercises

CONCILIUM SCENARIO GAME

Objective: to learn the skills involved in drafting individual child protection plans and holding a concilium meeting.

The game is takes the form of a contest, which encourages participants to be creative. Participants are divided into three groups. The game is in two rounds.

Round 1. Task: 1) Familiarize yourself with the given scenario. 2) Decide what measures should be taken in this situation to protect the rights and interests of a child. 3) Draft a blank form for the individual child protection plan and fill it in. 4) Prepare a presentation on your group’s decisions. Round 2. Task: 1) Give each participant a role in the Concilium.

148 2) Draft a blank Concilium protocol and fill it in based on the given scenario. 3) Prepare a presentation on your group’s results.

Scenario: Group 1. Nastya is eight years old. She has been living in the orphanage since the age of five. Her father sometimes visits her and promises to take her out of the orphanage. Her mother died and the father placed his daughter in the orphanage temporarily as he had no permanent job and could not take care of her. He drinks occasionally. He has a place to live which he shares with his common-law wife who looks after him. The girl loves her father very much, since she has no relatives other than him. She is performing poorly at school and doesn’t want to do her schoolwork or to establish good relationships with the people around her. Group 2. Daulet is 12 years old. He has been living in the orphanage for ten years together with his younger brother. Their father died and their mother was put in prison for four years. The children will inherit a property to live in when they come of age. Their mother’s sister (aged 22) visits the children in the orphanage, but doesn’t want to take on their guardianship since she has nowhere of her own to live. The child is depressed and has begun to lose interest in his schoolwork. Group 3. Daniel is four years old. He has been living in the orphanage since the age of three. The child was brought there by his 20-year-old mother who is unable to bring up her son because she doesn’t have enough money. She gave birth to the boy when she was 16. She has no education and no permanent job. Presently she lives at her friend’s place. The child’s father abandoned them and pays no alimony. The woman doesn’t engage in any unlawful/anti-social behaviour. She would like to live with her child but feels she cannot.

When the groups discuss their results it is important to do the following: 1. To choose a single type of individual child protection plan and Concilium. 2. To decide how they would intervene with the children and their families. 3. To discuss all possible options for providing help to children and their families.

SCENARIO GAME: “RECRUITING PERSONNEL TO THE FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE”

Objective: to discuss and propose the job responsibilities of staff recruited by the Family Support Facility.

Round 1. Discussing the job descriptions of FSF personnel.

149 The participants are divided into three groups. Each group is given a list of the responsibilities of FSF personnel: Group 1 – official responsibilities of the: • Director • Psychologist • Counsellor Group 2 – official responsibilities of the: • Deputy Director • Carer • Paediatrician Group 3 – official responsibilities of the: • Lawyer • Manager • Speech therapist Task: 1) Familiarize yourself with the responsibilities listed in the table below. 2) Discuss in your groups the official responsibilities of the given specialists and make your comments and proposals. 3) Discuss and make a list of the documents a specialist should maintain.

Official responsibilities Comments and proposals Documentation (specialist)

Round 2: Recruiting personnel to the Family Support Facility 1) A recruitment panel of four of five people appoints the staff of the Family Support Facility. 2) Every group must recommend candidates for a vacant position. Each candidate must demonstrate their professionalism by conveying their knowledge of the responsibilities of each post and the documents they are to maintain.

Working order: 1. The participants set up a recruitment panel (four people) which appoints staff to the Family Support Facility. 2. Each group recommends candidates for a vacant position (counselor, lawyer and carer). 3. Each candidate must demonstrate his/her professionalism by communicating their knowledge of their responsibilities and the list of documents they must maintain. If the group decides to change or add to the job description proposed, the candidate must explain the group’s decision. 4. The chair of the recruitment panel (who may be the FSF director) must announce the results of the interviews to fill the job vacancy. 5. The trainer leads a discussion on the proposed changes or additions to job responsibilities.

Outcome of the scenario game:

150 − participants familiarize themselves with requirements for FSF personnel; − participants acquire clearer understanding of the work of the FSF and the functions of every staff member in the unified working system; − participants draw up a list of documentation for every staff member; − participants make proposals for additional functions and duties.

SCENARIO GAME: INTERVIEW WITH A FOSTER PARENT

Goal: to teach Family Support Facility personnel techniques for interviewing foster parents.

The participants are divided into three groups: Group 1 – interviewing carers. Group 2 – interviewing adoptive parents. Group 3 – interviewing guardians

The participants choose one of the group members to play the role of a potential foster parent. The other members of the group represent the specialists of the Facility who must fill in a questionnaire for foster parents, interview the parent and decide whether he/she is suitable or not.

Task 1: 1) Interview the foster parent and fill in the questionnaire form. 2) If necessary, ask additional questions and write the answers on a separate form. 3) Make recommendations based on the interview. 4) In groups, discuss this working practice, its convenience and effectiveness. 5) Prepare a presentation on the given task.

Task 2: 1) In groups, discuss what documents (certificates, questionnaires, etc.) are to be approved at the Concilium and handed over to orphanages. 2) Prepare a presentation on the given task.

Outcomes of the scenario game: − Workshop participants of familiarize themselves with the questionnaire for foster parents and make changes to it. − Staff members learn the methods of selecting foster parents and holding interviews. − Participants familiarize themselves with the documents that must be submitted to care facilities in order to formalize guardianship and care agreements.

151 SCENARIO GAME: FAMILY SUPPORT FACILITY

Objective : to consolidate the knowledge acquired in workshops and training and the skills required to work with children and families requiring state protection.

Description of the game Materials and time required 15 min Participants are chosen by the trainer to represent an 1. Sign for each institution or organization. They are invited to sit at tables institution: with signs. Other participants are divided into three groups 1. Adoption and fostering so that each has a counsellor, a psychologist, a lawyer, a agencies (orphanage, medical adviser and head of department. shelter, and specialist care home). Group 1 - Foster family department. 2. Judicial bodies (Court, Group 2 - Social Care department – reuniting children with Register office, RACS). biological parents 3. Department for Social Group 3 - Social Care department – working with vulnerable Protection. families. 4. State Education Each group sits at the table with the sign for their Department, schools. department and is given instructions and an envelope. 5. DIA (JI, CTIARM). 6. Akimat, Juvenile Instruction for participants: Committee. Each group is given an envelope containing a different 7. Department of Public scenario, a work agenda and a blank of the individual child Health (surgeries, clinics). protection plan as an example to base their own paper copy 2. Signs for each on. institution: The field social work group is understood to have visited the Fostering department; family and conducted the inspection. The group’s work is in Social Care department five stages. Each stage is to be completed within a given (reuniting children with period of time. When the time is up a signal is given and biological parents); participants move onto the next stage. Social Care department - Points awarded: working with vulnerable 1. Time limit for each stage. The group which completes families. the task first is given 1 point. 3. Envelopes (3) 2. Content, relevance, details and correct framing of the 4. Paper (3 sheets) 5. Markers. individual protection plan. Each parameter is awarded 6. Blank individual child 1 point. protection plan forms (3). 3. Accuracy of the plan: minus 0.2 points for every 7. Hard copy of work “incorrect” mark and +1 point for the absence of agenda (3). mistakes by the group. 8. Itinerary blanks for 4. Efficiency of the work carried out. From 1 to 3 points. department specialists (20).

152 Work agenda: 9. Scenarios (3). Stage 1: “Assessing the situation and drafting the individual protection plan.” 1. Familiarize yourself with the situation and discuss it. 2. Assess the risks faced by the child taking into 30 min consideration the criteria which are given. 1. Risk assessment 3. Work out the individual protection plan necessary in this criteria (one printed situation. copy for each group) 4. Fill in the blank individual protection plan.

Stage 2: “Implementing the individual plan.” 1. The head of the department distributes itineraries to the department personnel in accordance with the plan. 2. Each specialist must write his/her agreed task on the itinerary. 3. Then the specialists must apply to the relevant institution to get the mark for the task performed and a signature. If the activity is executed within the department (consultation, 20 min training or therapy), the mark is given by the head of the department. 4. If a specialist comes to the wrong place, the department representative must notify this as “incorrect”, give his/her signature and then refer the specialist to the correct institution. 5. On completion of the scheduled itinerary the specialists must hand their itinerary lists to the head of the department who counts the number of incorrect marks.

Stage 3: “Summarizing results and planning further work”. 1. Discuss whether the expected result was achieved. If the answer is positive, discuss what contributed to the success. If the answer is negative, think about what prevented you achieving your goal. Fill in the results column of the individual child protection plan. 2. Discuss and propose other measures that could have 15 min been taken in this situation. Fill in the recommendations column of the individual child protection plan.

Stage 4 : Presentation of the departments’ work.

Stage 5: Assessment and Summary. Announcing the winners. 30 min

30 min

Scenario 1. Reuniting children with their biological parents

153 Andrei Zakharov was born in 1999. The boy’s family lived in a flat with his mother’s brother, O.N.Smirnov. Andrei’s mother died when he was five. His father - A.N. Zakharov left to work in Russia, leaving the boy to be looked after by his sister E.N. Zakharova. One and a half years ago, the boy’s father sent money for the child’s upbringing for the last time and they have not heard from him since. Repeated attempts to find Andrei’s father have been unsuccessful. Andrey’s aunt, E.N. Zakharova, moved abroad permanently and had to leave the child in an orphanage, but she phones frequently to ask about his life. Andrey’s uncle, O.N.Smirnov, is married and has a baby. A short time ago his wife was injured in a road accident and is disabled as a result. The family income is rather low; they live on the wife’s pension and Smirnov’s earnings from odd jobs. Recently the orphanage received information that the boy’s father was alive and earning good income, and that he wanted to take his son out of the orphanage. However, his contact information was unknown. The boy began to do badly at school, play truant and fight with his classmates.

Scenario 2. Foster family Gulnara Akhmetova, aged five, has been living in the orphanage since 2007. Her mother, Alma, has had her parental rights taken away for immoral conduct and child abuse. She doesn’t work. The father, Murat Akhmetov (aged 30), has been on a list of wanted criminals since 2003. The family live in a one-roomed flat registered in the father’s name. Presently, Gulnara’s mother Alma lives in this flat. She has no interest in her daughter. A family of three wants to adopt Gulnara: - the father, Islam Borambayev, (36 years old) works as a government traffic inspector - the mother, Mayra Borambayeva, (33 years old) is a housewife, - the son, Serik Borambayev, (aged ten), attends a special school for the partially sighted. When he was two he had an accident in the village when he was taken to visit his grandmother. He lost the use of one eye. The family lives in a three-roomed flat in the city. The husband’s elderly parents live with them. They would like to adopt Gulnara since Mayra is no longer able to have children naturally. The total family income amounts to 90000 KZT.

Situation 3. Vulnerable family FSF received a call from school No.35 to tell them that a pupil of the school Yaroslav Yakovlev (aged ten), who is a disadvantaged child, hasn’t been attending school for a month. Yaroslav’s mother is a known drinker. She doesn’t know what her son has been doing when he should have been in school. She says the boy would leave home and go to CTIARM. Besides Yaroslav, she has another child – a two-year-old girl. The field team visited their apartment. The social workers assessed the situation and ascertained the following:

154 The family lives in a two-roomed flat. The grandmother, who suffers from tuberculosis, lives with them. Yaroslav’s mother, Margaritta Petrovna Yakovleva (aged 30), lives with her mother at her flat, has two children, often drinks, and the children are sometimes left without supervision. Margaritta Yakovleva does not work and has no education. The family lives on the odd-job earnings of Yakovleva’s common-law husband, who lives with them (P.I. Ivanov, aged 40) and the grandmother’s pension. According to the neighbours, Ivanov also drinks. When drunk he becomes aggressive and works off his anger on the children (swears at them and throws them out of the house, but doesn’t beat them up). the social work team also discovered that the family has no relatives in Kazakhstan, but they do have relatives in Russia and Germany with whom they keep in touch.

Outcomes: 1. The participants draft individual child protection plan. 2. The participants collect required documents after visiting “authorities”. 3. The participants assess the results of their work and draft the recommendations for further support of the child. 4. The participants put their knowledge and skills into practice.

“POLEMICAL” ROLE-PLAY EXERCISE

Objective: to implement the knowledge and skills acquired in training workshops, to increase the motivation to reform the institution, to overcome the resistance of staff to proposed changes and to eliminate anxiety surrounding the changes. Participants are encouraged to use their communication skills and the methods they have been taught in order to work effectively with troubled clients: − the ability to respect boundaries and limitations − ways of responding to an interlocutor − active listening skills − persuasion skills − skills of self-regulation Three groups take part in the role-play: Group 1 – field team Group 2 – institution personnel Group 3 – observers Every group is given a different task.

Task 1 (Instructions to members of the outreach team) 1. Make up a scenario in which the outreach team working in your institution goes out to make visits in the area. The aim of their visits is to make people aware of and execute the ideas behind the de-institutionalization of state child care.

155 2. Your task is to answer questions, to alleviate any anxiety surrounding the forthcoming changes and to increase motivation to reform the institution.

Task 2 (Instructions to the institution personnel) 1. Make up a scenario in which an outreach team comes to you to inform you about plans to de-institutionalize the care system. 2. Your task is to ask questions in order to understand better the changes being made to the functions of your institution under the de- institutionalization program.

Task 3 (Instructions to the observers) 1. To gauge the emotional reactions of the polemical role-play participants. 2. To assess the effectiveness of the outreach team in raising awareness of de-institutionalization. 3. To assess how persuasive the participants were, whether they succeeded in reducing resistance to change and to what extent they utilised their active listening and self-regulation skills.

The group playing the role of institution personnel is given an oral instruction to be guided by their feelings, to raise objections and ask the questions they feel sufficiently moved to ask. Three meetings must be held. After each meeting the participants swap roles.

During the discussion, bear in mind the following: 1. The institution’s workers are very concerned about the proposed changes. The most frequently asked questions are “What will the institution personnel have to do?”, “Why are the changes needed if we work well without them?”, “Children are happy with their lives in the orphanage, they have all they need.” Using effective communication skills, it is possible to alleviate some of the concern, overcome resistance and to enhance workers’ understanding of the need to change the way the institution works. 2. It is also important that the outreach specialists calmly and reassuringly respond to the questions posed to them, putting into practice the skills of self- regulation and effective communication with people who are anxious. 3. It is necessary to listen attentively to what the institution’s workers have to say about their achievements and to give moral support and advice on the issues which most concern them. 4. The outreach specialists are there to help the institution’s personnel rather than to monitor their work.

Results of the role-play exercise: − the personnel practice their skills of effective communication and self- regulation and the techniques for working with anxious people which they learned at the training workshops. − the personnel practice techniques for dealing with opposition;

156 − the personnel have a better understanding of the proposed de- institutionalization and its execution.

“MUTUAL FAMILY SUPPORT” EXERCISE

Objective: to implement techniques learned in training workshops, to establish team spirit and the feeling of contributing to the shared goal of protecting children.

Participants are divided into several groups: care organisations, children’s homes, department for child protection, FSF. The groups are asked to draw and write on triangles of colored paper their suggestions and desires for children and their families. The participants then make a symbolic “house” out of these triangles, to symbolize all the organizations working to eradicate the problems experienced by children. The participants stand and make a circle around this collage, and begin to meditate upon the emotional commitment required to achieve the goals they have set for themselves, the notion of their shared contribution to a worthwhile cause, pride and satisfaction at the considerable amount of progress already made.

157 V. REFERENCES

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158 18. Severniy M. Regional model of childhood and family protection. // “Narodnoye Obrazovaniye”. No. 7, 2001. p. 33. 19. Semya G.V. Psychological protection of orphan children in a substitutional family. 20. Semya G.V. Basics of psychological protection of national and international orphan children adoption process. - М.: SIMS, 2004. - p. 86. 21. Systematic family psychotherapy. Under the editorship of Eidemiller E.G., “Piter”, 2002. 22. Solomin O.M. Ideal foster family. // “Nauka i Zhizn”. No. 10, 2001. p. 26. 23. Social pedagogics / Under general editorship of Galaguyzova M.A. - М., 2000. 24. Chertkov S.P. On the problems of foster families. // “Zakon i pravo”. No. 3, 2000. p.18. 25. Shakurova M.P. Methods and techniques of counsellor’s work. - М., 2002. 26. Sheleg N.A. Dysfunctional family as an object of socio-pedagogical activity. Theses of the second All-Russian symposium “Psychological problems of the contemporary Russian family” (October 25 - 27, 2005). In two parts. - Part 3 / Under general editorship of Doctor of Psychology Shabelnikov V.K. and Candidate of Psychological Science Liders A.G. - М., 2005. 27. Andy Bilson, Ragnar Gotestam. Children social protection quality improvement. Conception of improvement of children and family social protection in ECA countries. February, 2002. 28. De-institutionalising and transforming children’s services. A guide to good practice. European Commission Daphne Programme. Directorate General of Justice and Home Affairs. The university of Birmingham, UK. July 2007.

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