Description
The project reacts to the unsatisfactory situation related to the fulfillment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Czech Republic, and mainly to the part referring to children´s rights to participation. The project focuses primarily on decision-making processes with the method of case conferences, implemented under the auspices of the Authority for Social and Legal Protection of Children (hereinafter ASLPC). The main objective of the project is the involvement of children in decision-making processes that affect them, through the use of case conferences as an efficient tool to establish multidisciplinary cooperation and ensure the protection of the rights of children who live in families coping with a difficult life situation. The following activities will be realized in the project: individual and group work with children, work with their families, and interdisciplinary cooperation with ASLPC workers. The project is aimed primarily at children in difficult life situations and secondarily at their families and ASLPC workers involved in solving the family situation. The aim of additional activities (approved in June 2016) is to deepen quality of work with children, families and other subjects with whom clients come into contact. It will be achieved by (1) Direct work with clients, (2) Education of the implementation team.
Summary of project results
The project reacts to an unsatisfactory situation related to children´s rights to participation in decision-making processes that directly affect them. The main objective of the project is the involvement of children in such processes via case conferences where a multidisciplinary cooperation and the protection of the rights of children at risk are ensured. The unsatisfactory situation was due to a heavy workload of Social and Legal Child Protection Authorities (hereinafter SLCPA) that prevents them from involving children in decision –making processes and absence of knowledge about children´s rights among children and their families. During the project implementation, 17 families (i.e. 33 children) took part either in individual or group self-development sessions, or work with particular families. Two runs of self-development groups for children were carried out. They were focused on raising awareness of children´s rights and relationships between children. Families established contacts with SLCPA´ s workers. 26 case conferences or multidisciplinary meetings were carried out. The project workers were trained to improve the quality of provided services. They took part in 10 internships in various SLCPA and other social activation services for families, 3 educational courses focused on communication with children, 35 methodological meetings with external expert on work with children and families and 5 group supervision sessions where they dealt with demanding situations concerning children. A methodology of good practice of involving children in decision-making processes was created including 2 video spots showing how to prepare a case conference with child´s participation. A total number of 25 participants attended round tables that were used to spread good practice among professionals. Thanks to the project the realization of case and multidisciplinary meetings with child´s participation in Brno has been enhanced. Smooth running of case conferences was ensured by participation of experienced facilitators. To invite an external facilitator to take part in a case conference is becoming common practice at SLCPA, where conferences used to be (and still are) facilitated by internal supervisors, which is not impartial. Thanks to the methodology and video spots the public can see how case conferences can be realized. New contacts with professionals were made at courses and internships.
Summary of bilateral results