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Description
A diagnosis conducted by ourselves and the partner shows that even in preschool, children from the poorest families know less about the world, and when they start school, their confidence and belief in their potential fades. Normally, approximately 30% of children in a class perform less well academically, while 2-3 fall behind. Children’s potential at school often reflects their domestic situation. Failure to recognise and provide proper support for a problem early can lead to future fear of school, failure in education, truancy, and a need to place a child in a special school or in a facility. We know from contact with schools and preschools that in the Starosielce, Zielone Wzgórza, Słoneczny Stok, Leśna Dolina and Wysoki Stoczek residential estates in Białystok, there are no services for families that have problems raising children.The aim of this project is to counteract, at an early stage, social exclusion by helping families to solve their problems.We will create a Family Support Centre for vulnerable families with domestic, child-raising, and personal difficulties and crises. We will hold educational and cognitive, overall development, cultural, artistic, sport, technical, art, and cooking classes for children aged 3 - 10 twice a week. We will provide adults with one-on-one consultations and monthly group sessions (experience-sharing, joint problem-solving). We will hold two three-day trips to attend workshops for families (coaching on communication, child-raising skills, strengthening family ties, and active recreation). This will address areas of deficiency with respect to children, and parents’ child-raising skills and family communication will improve.Fifteen families - twenty adults and twenty children on Białystok residential estates - will be given specialist help.The partner - the SZANSA Family and Children Aid Association – will hold trips to attend workshops for families and provide us with content-related support and personnel.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of social exclusion of children from families with various difficulties. The Project Promoter''s diagnosis is that children from families at risk of exclusion - in difficult social conditions, poorer, affected by addiction of one or both parents, affected by problems such as unemployment or chronic illness - already lose self-confidence and belief in their abilities at school, experience stigmatisation and rejection and sometimes perform less well at school. Their family situation is not only not conducive to better development opportunities but is often a cause of exclusion. Inadequate early identification of the problem and provision of appropriate support can lead to educational failure, school absenteeism and the need to place the child in special institutions. In many areas of Bialystok, there is a lack of support for families experiencing various difficulties in raising their children.
As part of the project, a Family Support Centre was set up for people at risk of social exclusion who are experiencing family, educational and personal difficulties and crises. Educational and cognitive, general development, sports, technical and artistic activities were provided for children aged 3-10. Parents benefited from individual counselling and monthly group activities. Two three-day outreach workshops for families were also organised. The workshops focused on improving parenting and communication skills, and on integrating and strengthening family relationships.
Thanks to the project, families at risk of exclusion received concrete counselling, therapeutic, individual and group support to solve their problems. Professional support was provided to 24 families - 33 adults and 31 children. Parents improved their parenting and communication skills, became more aware of their mistakes and their causes, and increased their motivation to shape their own future. Children used their cognitive abilities, developed their interests, opened up to others and to new things. Early intervention and systemic family support helped to restore stability in families.