Description
The project’s aim is to increase welfare facilitating creation and functioning of a stable and professional familial childcare support system for children left without their parent’s care. The Project will specially target foster families, adoptive parents, trustees and guest families. Within the Project a professional support system will be created ensuring good familial care to children left without parental care. To ensure accessibility of services, including social worker services, psycho therapist consultations, support groups, consultations in crisis situations, family training and mentoring training, to strengthen mutual support of the families, a common programme will be implemented in the regions of Latvia and mobile support centers for the target group in Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Latgale. The Project will promote familial forms of care for orphans and children left without their parent’s care
Summary of project results
The goal of the Project was to support the growth of welfare by promoting creation and sustainability of a constant, professional support system in Latvia for family-type care of children who have lost parental care. The target group: foster families, adoptive parents, guardians and host families. The place of implementation: Riga, Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale regions. Partners from 5 regional NGO providing coordination of project activities on regional level. The main activities: Development of professional support system for the target group; Providing of specialist training and introduction of the united support programme in the regions of Latvia; Establishment of 4 mobile support centers for the target group in different regions, to provide accessible services. Experience exchange visit in Norway (Barne-, ungdoms og familiedirektoratet – Bufdir). Project aim is fulfilled: totally support received 1036 target group members. Delivered social work consultations 3000 hours and psychological support 3246 hours. Implemented 16 support groups, total number of participants 148. Implemented 6 trainings on communication and attachment, total number of participants 82. Implemented mentor training, 28 participants. Organized 8 educational workshops, total number of participants 310. Developed united support programme and training for 16 specialists. Project publicity raised awareness on alternative care issues and support needs for foster families, kinship parents, host families and adoptive parents. Organized 7 round table discussions 4 press conferences, 4 events to present project results and closing event with press conference in Ministry of Welfare with totally 85 participants. During project proposals to improve foster career training programme was submitted to State Agency of Child protection and successfully integrated in updated programme.
Summary of bilateral results