Good Parent - Good Start Prague, 6-7 December 2012

Established in Mission:  working out the system to help abused children and protect children from abuse and neglect  providing direct services (for children, families, professionals)

GOALS of Good Parent – Good Start Programme Early prevention of young child abuse and neglect Target groups: Voulnerable families with young children Professionals working with parents with young children

Why preventive approach? Improvement of the well being of babies and families Reducing inclination of antisocial behaviours Financial reasons

Why families with young children? Upheaval in the family life Lack of knowledge of parents Most vulnerable children Critical moments in brain development

Fundacja Dzieci Niczyje Nobody's Children Foundation

LOCAL SYSTEM FOR PREVENTION OF YOUNG CHILD ABUSE Goal: To build a system of cooperation between local health care and social care services in the area of identifying and supporting voulnerable families with young children. Partners: City Hall Local Health Centres Local Welfare Centres Day nurseries Police Probation officers other NGOs

LOCAL SYSTEM FOR PREVENTION OF YOUNG CHILD ABUSE

3 levels: Information on the project (Good Parent Package) Identification of voulnerable fmailies and interdisciplinary cooperation Need-tailored support to family

A woman with a small child/in pregnancy reports to an examination/vaccination Midwife/nurse/doctor: - informs parents about the programme and provides them with the „Good Parent” kit - collects a written consent from a parent to participate in the programme - fills in a questionnaire on the basis of an interview/observation The original copy of the questionnaire is kept in internal documentation The questionnaire is kept in internal documentation Conversation with: - doctor/midwife/nurse - coordinator from a Social Welfare Centre: …………… - Psychologist from the Nobody’s Children Foundation The Praga Child and Family Centre, tel Starting the Blue Card procedure Informing the Family Team of the Social Welfare Centre on the Blue Card procedure Delivering a copy to the programme’s coordinator in a Social Welfare Centre: ……………………………….. Diagnosing child abuse Diagnosing risk factors No risk factors/abuse symptoms Doubts No risk factors/abuse symptoms Diagnosing risk factors DIAGRAM FOR HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

WHAT KIND OF PARENTS DO WE WORK WITH? Single parents Teen parents Foster families Addicts With history of abuse Socially isolated With mental disorders Having problems with aggression Helpless in upbringing matters

SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES - UNIVERSAL Thematic educational meetings Educational materials Website Internet consultancy point Play groups Awareness raising campaigns

SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES – TARGETED Consultations with psychologists, psychiatrist, lawyer, dietetitian, midwife Videotraining Therapy Parental skill workshops Educational and therapeutic holiday camp Volunteer in the family

Introductory Training Seminars, conferences Monthly monitoring meetings Publications Consultations, constant contact Information campaign Website SUPPORT TO PROFESSIONALS: Good start

S TANDARDS FOR PREVENTION OF YOUNG CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT Standard 1 Support offer for parents of young children Standard 2 System cooperation between professionals Standard 3 Various levels of prevention measures Standard 4 Organization of work of professionals supporting families Standard 5 Professional-family relationship based on respect Standard 6 Skills and competences of professionals Standard 7 Information and promotion (Source: A.Izdebska, K.Lewandowska „Jak budować lokalny system profilaktki krzywdzenia małych dzieci, Dzieko Krzywdzone. Teoria Badania Praktyka, no. 2(27) 2009) Nobody's Children Foundation

EVALUATION

Do professionals distribute educational materials among families?

EVALUATION How do professionals assess the effectiveness of the screening tool used in the Local System? (no.=126)

EVALUATION Do the professionals use the screening tool? (no.=126)

EVALUATION How do professionals assess the cooperation within the programme with various agencies? (no.=126)

EVALUATION The most positive aspects of the programme mentioned by the professionals Common supervisions Common trainings Opportunity to know each other better Better cooperation between some Welfare Centers and Health Centers Educational materials

EVALUATION Reccomended modifications/improvements Expanding the age of children covered with the programme Broader offer for families, where violence already occured „Slimmer” educational materials for some parents Better outreach to fathers Broader information to parents (picninc, local free newspapers, other media) Revising the screening tool, making it shorter Including the non-public institutions

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