Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk - EGCC Recent activities Priorities for 2009 – 2011 Chairperson: Deputy Director Agneta Björklund, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden Deputy Chairperson: Mr Bertil Mahs, Ministry of Welfare, Board for Social Services, Denmark Head of Children’s Unit: Lars Lööf Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat (CBSS)

Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk - EGCC The members of the EGCC are senior officials from the ministries responsible for children’s issues in the 11 member states. Ministry of Social Affairs: EE, FI, SE, LT, DK, IS Ministry of Education: PL, RU Ministry of Children and Family: DE, NO Not participating: LV The group meets twice yearly. Recent meeting in Tallinn on 12th – 13th of March. Next meeting in Vilnius on 8th – 9th of October

Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk New adopted priority areas 2009 - 2011 The protection of children from all forms of sexual exploitation Unaccompanied and trafficked children Children exchanging sex for money or other forms of remuneration and travelling sex offenders (“Child sex tourism”) Children and online sexual exploitation The protection of children from all forms of sexual abuse and sexual violence The special vulnerability of children with disabilities Peer abuse Young people with sexually offending behaviours The rights of children in institutions and in other forms of protection Inclusion of young people leaving care in the labour market, in education and ensuring availability of social and psychological support Develop and support systematic monitoring of children’s institutions Supporting the development of alternatives to institutional care in member countries

Recent and ongoing work: Child sexual exploitation in the context of the Internet Expert meetings organised in cooperation with Swedish Children’s Welfare Foundation, “Allmänna Barnhuset” and the World Childhood Foundation: Sweden in 2006, London in 2008. WGCC co-authored the Background document on “Child Pornography and the Sexual Exploitation of Children Online”, to the 3rd World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents. (Rio de Janeiro, November 2008) One of the four WGCC workshops at WCIII was on the topic of children exploited in Internet contexts. “Children and online Sexual Violence” – (Stockholm, February 2009): Conference organised by the WGCC in cooperation with the two Swedish foundations and with support from SIDA Baltic Sea Unit. European Commission has asked the (W)EGCC and the CBSS to organise an international conference in Moscow in order to increase cooperation between police forces and sharing best practices on how to promote safety on the Internet. (November 2009) (W)EGCC to be lead partner in a strong consortium applying for funding from the Commission to establish a knowledge base on how children are affected by online victimisation.

Recent work: WGCC programme on Unaccompanied and Trafficked Children 2nd Plan of Action on Unaccompanied and Trafficked Children (Adopted by the WGCC on October 1st 2008) Training programme implemented with more than 50 experts participating from 10 countries in the region. Concluded in January 2008. Funded by EU Daphne II programme, Oak Foundation and Save the Children Sweden. Contact details of experts that are trained are shared with the National Contact Points, National Coordinators and with the TFOC CD Rom with resources, tools and reports from the training available in English and in Russian and on the www.childcentre.info website. Mapping project looking at how children in the region that are trafficked are assisted including interviews with child victims. Completed. Funded by the EU Daphne II programme. “The Frail Chain” published in English and in Russian. Available in hard copy and for download from the www.childcentre.info website. National Contact Points, NCP Operational in all countries except Germany and Russia Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova participates in the programme Contact details of NCPs published on the website 5th Meeting of National Contact Points to be held in Copenhagen, 12th – 13th of May 2009. EGCC have applied as lead partner, to the EU Daphne III programme. The project BSR IMPT, will support national information building relevant for unaccompanied and trafficked children in the member countries.

Recent work: The Rights of Children in Institutions Three Expert meetings, 2005, 2006 and 2008 on support to young people leaving care, on monitoring systems and on child participation Conference in 2006: “The Rights of Children in Institutions in the Region of the Baltic Sea States - Improving Child Participation, Monitoring and Post Placement Assistance” WGCC programme includes: Training for staff developed. Builds on the Council of Europe Rec (2005):5 Norwegian funding. Pilot training developing monitoring skills implemented, January 2009 in cooperation with the County Governor’s office in Hordaland, Norway. Norwegian funding. “Keeping the door open” a mapping of resources assisting young persons leaving institutions conducted and published in English and Russian. Funded by SIDA Baltic Sea Unit. Conference planned for October 2009 on the findings of the report. In cooperation with the Council of Europe, UNICEF, SOS Children’s Villages and Nordic Council of Ministers. (tbd)

EGCC is Associated Expert Group to the Northern Dimension Partnership on Health and Social Wellbeing Partners to the partnership to link to the WGCC work where adequate Yearly plan of activity and plans of actions are published on the NDPHS website Sharing networks with the other expert groups within the NDPHS thus avoiding duplication

EGCC Support from the CSR NDPHS support for the conference on children and online threats in Moscow Support the appointment of National Contact Points in Russia and in Germany

There is always something to learn - - and always something to teach

Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at Risk - EGCC THANK YOU! Chairperson: Deputy Director Agneta Björklund, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden agneta.bjorklund@social.ministry.se Head of Children’s Unit: Lars Lööf Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat lars.loof@cbss.org