FAMILY STRENGTHENING PROGRAMME An approach to prevent children from losing care of their families of origin

SOS Children's Villages International Who were are Child development is best realized in a caring family environment Main programming working fields: 1.Prevention of children’s separation from their family (CRC,Art.9) Family Strengthening Programme, since Provision of alternative family-based care (CRC, Art. 20) SOS Children’s Village, since 1949

Family Strengthening Programmes Principles 1.The best place for children to grow is within their family of origin 2.Care-givers are responsible for the development of their children 3.Communities are a direct source of support for children & their families 4.The goal of development is the realization of human rights (Source: Family Strengthening Manual, 2007,SOS)

Overall goal + target group GOAL  Prevent that children lose parental care  Support reunification after separation TARGET GROUP  Children who are at risk of losing parental care  Children who already lost parental care but there is potential that they can be reintegrated in their families of origin

Family Strengthening Programme Experiences from CEE/CIS/BALTICS Statistics  Currently, 59 FSPs in 20 countries December 2009  children and families benefiting from FSPs  families became self-reliant In 2016  Growth target: children

Composition of the target group CEE/CIS/Baltics  Children from families living in poverty;  Children living with single parents;  Children from large households (many children);  Children taken care by their grandparents/extended families;  Children from families affected by HIV/AIDS;  Pregnant single women or single women with newborn children.

Risk factors

Methods of identification  Referral from local child/social protection authorities;  Referral from community (health care providers, schools, kindergartens, community-based organizations, neighbors);  Referral from partner organization;  Self-referral of the beneficiaries;  Outreach activities.

Strengthening families: How we do it… Ensuring children have access to essential services (e.g. educational, nutrition, legal, health & psycho-social support) Strengthening support systems for vulnerable children & their families within the community (e.g. building networks, training, knowledge sharing) Supporting families to build their capacity to protect & care for their children (e.g. parental skills training, employment support, temporary shelter, legal support, financial and in- kind assistance) After school support, Albania Art therapy for parents, Romania Service provider network, Armenia

Core Approach

Specialised Services Child and Family Counseling and Support Centre After school programs Mobile rural support Crisis shelter for women and their children

Work with communities Strategies in strengthening communities  Public awareness raising activities  Mobilization of community members  Capacity building of community

Partnership building Establishment of partnerships:  Local administration/ social service department/child protection bodies - identification of vulnerable families.  Educational/health institutions/labor offices - linked with care for children and services for parents.  NGOs supported similar target groups - complement to FSPs services.

Lesson's learnt from external evaluations  Right target group Focus also on „invisible children“ not registered anywhere Avoid being referred only the most difficult cases  Children:  school performance, nutrition and living conditions; material and health status Diversify services and be more child centred (psychological, pedagogical, recreational activities, after- school programmes)  Care givers:  family income, employment rates, family relations, positive change in parental role More services for long term economic self-reliance, only short term financial and in-kind assistant to avoid dependency

Quality criteria  Comprehensive family support; interventions for BOTH children and parents  Child centred approach; tailor services to needs  Strength based approach empowering care givers  Professional social work approach  Home visiting  Flexible response to local needs and priorities; cooperation with local government  Evidence based programming (self, external evaluation)

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