Miory Regional Executive Committee
In Vitebsk, at a conference, the results of the implementation of the "Family for Every Child" project were discussed: 360 children have left boarding schools and are now growing up in families.
The focus was on best practices already implemented in the region to support young children, children with disabilities, and their families.
The "Family for Every Child" project in the Vitebsk Region is being implemented by the Regional Executive Committee and UNICEF in Belarus with the financial support of Priorbank. It aims to ensure that children grow up in a caring family environment, receive necessary assistance, and develop in conditions that meet their needs and interests.
Rustam Khaidarov, Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Belarus, emphasizing the outcomes of the "Family for Every Child" project, highlighted the importance of joint work by relevant ministries and agencies – education, healthcare, and social protection.
– The main goal of the project is to remove children from boarding schools, which are often children with disabilities who have parents, and to create conditions for them to be raised in their own families. Thanks to interagency cooperation, coordination of actions, and an individual approach to each child, we have achieved high results: 360 children have left boarding schools and are now growing up in families. Following comprehensive family support, 138 children returned to their mothers and fathers, 83 found a new family through adoption, and 139 were taken into care by guardians. In addition, we prevented approximately 200 children from entering boarding schools. More than 250 specialists from the fields of education, healthcare, and social protection underwent training in case management and basics of communication with families in crisis situations. This enables a deeper understanding of each family's needs and allows for taking necessary measures to overcome crises, – emphasized Rustam Khaidarov.
Conference participants discussed how interagency cooperation helps prevent children from entering boarding schools, timely identify family needs, and provide them with comprehensive support.
Particular attention was given to the impact of the environment on child development, international approaches to deinstitutionalization, and the experience of the Vitebsk Region in establishing a case management system. Participants reviewed the outcomes of the work carried out by an interagency group comprising over 20 specialists, which assesses family needs, assists in developing individual support plans, and provides ongoing support to families in crisis situations.
Dmitry Shilin, Senior Child Protection Coordinator for UNICEF in Belarus, announced that one of the project outcomes was the development of a Deinstitutionalization Road Map, which was presented at the conference. It outlines the tools tested within the project and the mechanisms for their implementation. These elements will subsequently be integrated into everyday practice.
– Within the framework of the project, a comprehensive assessment of children’s needs was carried out. Special questionnaires and a methodology have been developed to identify specific causes of social risk and determine exactly what a family requires to overcome difficulties,” said Dmitry Shilin. – Our objective is to develop an individualized plan that includes specific measures to assist children and their families in overcoming a crisis. This represents a new approach that had not been used previously. Additionally, new services were piloted, such as “respite care at home.” In contrast to the traditional approach, which involves temporarily placing a child in a residential facility for up to 28 days, this service allows the child to remain with their family while specialists visit to provide the necessary assistance. Mechanisms for interagency cooperation have also been developed, as child care and protection involve education, healthcare, and social protection institutions. Training sessions were conducted and new mechanisms were introduced to enhance this collaboration.
– We are concluding a three-year humanitarian project implemented in nine pilot districts, as well as in Novopolotsk and four boarding schools, – concluded Marina Fedorova, Director of the Regional Center for Corrective-Developmental Education and Rehabilitation. – Currently, our state has developed a robust legislative framework that supports family-based care arrangements and assists families raising children with disabilities and special educational needs. As part of the project, our specialists have implemented innovative support measures, including a mobile resource room equipped with specialized equipment for corrective and rehabilitation work with families raising children with disabilities. We have also provided professional consulting assistance and developed checklists for specialists and parents raising young children and others. We have explored new support mechanisms, including in-depth family assessment methodologies, which enable a more detailed understanding of their needs and facilitate the transmission of information to relevant authorities. The most important thing is to remain kind and attentive to those in need of assistance, and to be prepared to offer help.