Description
For the recent decade Lithuania is trailing in the rankings of level of social inclusion, spread of domestic and GB violence as well as welfare or children and other vulnerable groups of society. In this light, the comprehensive social services and especially psychological counseling are vital to support children at risk and their families. However, most of the practitioners, of either state/municipal sector, or NGO sector, lack professional skills to provide consulting services for children at risk and their families. This is especially evident in the province. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and competencies of NGO‘s to provide qualified social services for children and youth at risk by adopting Norwegian model of narrative systemic family therapy, and by fostering collaboration of local NGOs and State organizations. It is planned to publish methodological programme thus enabling NGOs to self-strengthen their skills and capacity to work with children and families at risk. PSCC will co-operate with Nordic Baltic Organization for Professionals Working with Children and Adolescents, Buskerud University College and Drammen hospital in Norway.
Summary of project results
Psychological “health” of Lithuanian society is in quite bad condition characterized by the highest level of suicidal deaths in EU, relatively large number of children and families at risk, dominant statistics of violent behaviour in families. However, psychological support, counselling social services are hardly accessible, especially in provincial regions. The supreme audit institution in Lithuania reported that access to social care services should be increased in all regions of the country to meet the minimum required scale and scope. Project promoter decided to invoke Norwegian experience of social services for families and develop a model of systemic family consultation. Project was designed to address the key problem of lack of professional consulting services for children and families at risk in distant districts, as well as enable local NGO specialists by strengthening their qualification. The Norwegian model is based on narrative systemic family therapy and is better operated if collaboration of local NGO and State organizations are functional. The following results were achieved: a) a new social service “Family oriented consulting practice” introduced as part of a systemic consulting model implemented by NGOs; b) model for cooperation with Norwegian clinical specialist developed; c) 4-day training course conducted in 10 cities, 212 specialists trained to practically apply the counselling model. Trainings were followed by discussions with municipal and NGO representatives, who later tested their skills practically by consulting 200 social service users (140 women, 60 men); d) a book “Systemic family counselling – family oriented consulting practice” as a methodical publication produced and disseminated; e) project promoter engaged in cooperation and partnership with local and state authorities. The final event of this project has attracted around 200 participants thus proving the value of activities carried out and benefits of systemic approach to solution of issues of families at risk. Many municipalities have expressed their willingness to introduce the newly developed counselling service, therefore the sustainability of project results is practically guaranteed. Moreover, project promoter continues activities on a supplementary project “Improvement of skills and competencies of state institutions that provide skilled social services for children and youth at risk by adopting Norwegian experience of narrative therapy model”.
Summary of bilateral results
Project partners from Norway were Nordic Baltic organisation for proffesionals working with children and adolescents (Norway), Family team in Ambulance Family section of Drammen hospital, Buskerud University College. They contributed to all project implementation phases – participated in almost all project activities, like adaptation of systemic family consultation model in Lithuania (organized training of Lithuanian experts team in Norway; participated in preparing a methodological tool), increasing capabilities and skills of local NGO experts by empowering them to use systemic family consultation model (participated in development of trainings for Lithuanian NGO experts), ensuring sustainability of the developed model (participated in research and evaluation of model). Project partner have also attended the final conference of the project. Bilateral partnership had significantly benefited the outcomes of the project as well as built strong ties for future cooperation – Project promoter has developed a new initiative and continue joint activities on a project “Improvement of skills and competencies of state institutions that provide skilled social services for children and youth at risk by adopting Norwegian experience of narrative therapy model” (funded by Norway Grants).