Rights of Children 21 March 2014 Mgr. Kateřina Šlesingerová Department for Children‘s Rights Protection Ministry of Labour nad Social Affairs

System of Child Protection in Czech Republic  Institutional care overused  Responsibility divided among several central authorities  Lack of quality standards of all kind of care systems and social work with vulnerable children

Criticism of Czech Republic from international and national bodies  European Court for Human Rights  Wallova, Walla vs. Czech Republic  Havelka vs. Czech Republic  UN Comittee for the Right of the Child  Concluding observations from 2003 and 2011  Constitutional Court decision in Czech Republic  2010 case of unlawful removal of a baby from her mothers care  Czech Ombudsman  Report from systematic visits to institutions

Right to Childhood National Strategy for Child Rights Protection Approved by government in 2012 Key priorities: Child participation Combating discrimination and unequal approach to children Right to family care Ensurign quality of living for children and families

Right to Childhood National Strategy for Child Rights Protection Identification of children’s needs Increasing the general awareness of children’s rights among adults as well as children Creation of opportunities for children and young people to participate in the decisions on matters that concern and influence them Ensuring equal opportunities for children and young people from disadvantaged social environments Ensuring equal opportunities for children and young people with disabilities Promoting positive parenthood Poverty prevention

Right to Childhood National Strategy for Child Rights Protection Creation and opening-up of services and support to families and children Support for alternative family care Elaboration of the alternatives of care for vulnerable children and the deinstitutionalisation of care Processes to protect and support the prosperity of children Unification of childcare system Setting the legislative conditions to safeguard positive benefits and to ensure that the needs of children and young people are met Transparent funding of the system Data collection and a single information system Quality of work, education and standards

Right to Childhood National Action Plan for the Fulfilment of the National Strategy to Protect Children‘s Rights Activities, indicators, time schedule Bodies responsible for fulfilment Human and technical resources to achieve partial tasks Financial costs of the performance of individual activities, funding resources and the impact on public budgets Legislative changes required to achieve the objectives The monitoring mechanism required to evaluate the performance progress Method of involvement of civic society and children in the performance of the activities

Achievements Redefinition of the role of local authorities in charge of children Minimum quality standards requirements for both local authorities and other stakeholders Strengthening the foster care and development of short term foster care Regular care revision of institutional placements

Number of children in Care

Number of children in Foster Care

Number of aplications for foster care and adoption

Main Challenges New law unifying the child care system Overcoming division of responsibilities Child participation Deinstitutionalisation Ensuring quality of all services for children

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