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05/08/08
Working group on preventing child abandonment meets to reach multiagency approach
On the 7th of August (9.30) a working meeting devoted to preparation for implementation of complex information campaign on prevention of child abandonment will be held.
In the course of the meeting, organized by Kyiv Regional Center of Social Services for Families, Children and Youth jointly with EveryChild Ukraine it is planned to discuss new dimensions of cooperation between the partners in terms of PR-campaign on prevention of child abandonment: multiagency cooperation, information flow and training of specialists.
The meeting will bring together representatives of Kyiv Regional Employment Center, Regional Department of Labour and Social Security, Regional Health Department, Regional Children’s Service, Family and Youth Department of Kyiv regional state administration, Information and Communications Department of Kyiv regional state administration.
Today in Kyiv region children are still ejected from their homes and physically abandoned in frightening numbers. It is especially true for the youngmothers, who prefer to abandon a child, to get rid from this source of problems, as the best solution possible.Early identification of risk and timely interventions adapted to the needs of the individual cases can stop the escalation of the problem.
Organizers will unite their efforts to prevent child abandonment in Kyiv region through complex information campaign (outdoor advertisement, print, video and radio materials), PR-activities (Photo-exhibition), intensive learning (study tour, seminar). The campaign will raise awareness among mothers at risk of child’s abandonment about specialized social services available at local level, which allow them to solve problems and keep the baby.
As a result it is expected to change attitudes of mothers who want to abandon a child from “I have a problem” to “I have an opportunity to change my life for the better”. Moreover, we will influence on the closer environment of vulnerable mothers as well, to change the negative or ignorant social “climate” around the issue.
The effectiveness of the campaign and its positive impact to improve the existing situation in prevention of child abandonment depends on the strict coordination of efforts of the involved agencies. As a result of the meeting working group will develop a mechanism of cooperation in terms of PR-campaign between the agencies at the local level, will appoint responsible persons and chose appropriate monitoring and reporting measures.
