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18/02/09
Project of EveryChild Ukraine on Preventing Separation of Children through Implementation of Gate-keeping Mechanism was approved by Coordination Council on Childhood Protection
The meeting of the Coordination Council on Childhood Protection was held in Kyiv Regional State administration on 17th of February. The Council which is headed by the Deputy Head of Kyiv State Administrartion, met to discuss mechanisms to coordinate efforts and variable resources between members of the Council, in order to protect children from various violations of their rights.
The Council was formed under the patronage of Kyiv State administration and consists of representatives of state structures including education, health an social sectors, civil society organizations and government offices. The Council seeks to unify the efforts of these organizations, in order to attain legal and human-rights protections for children, to make decisions of state structures serve the best interest of a child.
At the meeting Volodymyr Kuzminskyy - Deputy Head of the Council and Country Director of EveryChild Ukraine presented new project "Preventing Separation of Children through Implementation of Gate-keeping Mechanism" to members of the Council. He reviewed project's goal to develop a replicable model of gate-keeping and community-based services for children and families in Kyiv Oblast which demonstrates a 30% reduction in the number of children in institutional care.
He also underlined that it can be possible only when the project will meet its objectives: firstly, through the improvement of the policy and legislative framework so that support to families is prioritized and access to institutional care for children is limited; secondly, thanks to increased availability and integration of family-centered social services in local communities, which can reduce the risk of child and family separation in Kyiv Oblast.In his opinion, project is a good chance and a real opportunity to introduce after series of trainings for responsible agencies innovative social work practices and use them with families and children. Moreover, the successful implementation of the project will lead to the improvement of co-ordination and quality of decision-making through capacity building of key officials and decision-makers not only at local but also at national level.
The Coordination Council urged responsible state structures together with EveryChild Ukraine to identify pilot territories for the testing of mechanisms on children's rights protection based on gate-keeping and by the end of March to develop a plan on project implementation in the identifies areas.
As well till September they will develop and pilot an information system for monitoring of stock and flow of children in care and children and families in Kyiv Oblast. These initiatives will be added by intensive trainings on interagency cooperation and multi-disciplinary approach organized for local government.
During the meeting Coordination Council approved child's needs assessment introduction on a regular basis while decision-making on children's rights protection.
Another important step in improvement of child care system in Kyiv region was Council's decision on testing the model of short-term fostering to be introduced and developed during 2009 by Brovary city council together with EveryChild Ukraine. According to the initiative, short-term fostering based on an agreement with local authorities provides a safe place for a child to live, while social services work with the child's family. As some children may need the stability and care of foster carers while the child's family situation is assessed, presented to court and where plans need to be made to keep them safe, it is envisaged that short-term fostering could be for a few weeks or several months.
Other issues discussed by the members of the Council included social and legal protection of families with children in hard circumstances - clients of Mother and baby Unit in Fastiv, Kyiv region; mechanisms of realization of regional Programme on overcoming child neglect, support of families with children and reformation of residential institutions according to individual plans; experience of Volodarka district administration in children's rights protection.
