Description
Working with children and families reveals a lack of children's opportunity to impact on the decisions that influence their lives. The project introduces new methods to social work with children that promote the child´s decision-making processes and its position in the family and in society, in agreement with valid legislation. The introduction of family circles into social work with children or with the child´s family supports its position, both in the close family and broader family as well as in respect to the authority in charge of social and legal protection for children. In the process of family circles the child is supported by a person who functions as its key confidant. Tremedias will offer workshops for social workers (6 workshops for 3 Social Authorities), organise a conference, produce methodology for social workers, evaluate it and apply it in practice. Children are the target group that will benefit the most from this project, as the processes of children´s decision making will be thoroughly supported. The methodology on how to approach the child will also influence the work of social workers and key people participating in the process of family circles. The aim of additional activities (approved in June 2016) is to streamline the new method of social work in process of family circles, mainly in de-institucionalizational work with child and its family who come from the minority environment (socio-economic disadvantage), children at risk of institutional care, children at risk of family breakdown. Family circles restore the confidence of the child in family as an entity able to decide on their situation. Children will be supported by the individual supporters. Workshops will be hold aiming to increase the motivation of people from target groups (social workers, clients of minority groups – family and children at risk of soco-economic disadvantage). Video spots will be used.
Summary of project results
Prior to the project, decision-making processes were based on institutional approach and will of the adults involved, children´s wishes and opinions were not taken into account, their representatives didn´t maintain sufficient contact adequate to their age and needs with them. As a result of the project, family circles were introduced as a new method of working with children and families in difficult situations. Family circles aimed at supporting the child by using the help of child´s personal supporter and at the activation of the whole family. Family circles were conducted by a facilitator and prepared by a coordinator. The method of family circles was offered at Social and Legal Protection of Children authorities in Vysočina region, which were then responsible for choosing chose suitable families to participate. 29 family circles were organized in total, offered and applied at all 15 municipalities of Vysočina region . A methodology of family circles was created, tested in practice and subsequently updated. Workshops for social workers were prepared and carried out. The aim of the workshops was to inform about the project activities, mainly about family circles as a new method of working with families. In total, 14 workshops were carried out. The professional public was also informed about the project activities at a final conference. The total number of participants at workshops and the conference was 134. 3 video spots were made specifically for social workers, families and children to inform about the method of family circles and project activities. In one of them, a real story of children put at risk after their mother´s death, when at a family circle members of the extended family decided to take care of the children, was presented. It is believed that the strength of this real-life story could motivate other potential clients to participate in or, in case of social workers, organize family circles. Via family circles, the competence and support of the clients in finding a solution to difficult life situations were enhanced using natural resources of core and extended family. The direct work with clients was made more effective with focus on individual preparation and involvement of the extended family.
Summary of bilateral results