CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM REFORM – MASTER PLAN ON TRANSFORMATION OF RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS

1. CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM REFORM – MASTER PLAN ON TRANSFORMATION OF RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS Second Child Protection Forum Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 12-14 May 2009 Cabinet of Ministers Republic of Azerbaijan

2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK • Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan • Family Code • Law on the Rights of the Child • Law on Targeted Social Assistance • Law on Social Allowances

3. STATE BODIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL • Ministry of Education • Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population • Ministry of Health • Other ministries within their competencies (MoI, MoJ, MoF); • State Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs

4. STATE BODIES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL 1. ExComs: • Commission on Minors • Guardianship Authority 2. Education Department : • Inspector on child protection in schools • Medico-psycho-pedagogical commission 3. Centre of Social Protection of population: • Department on Targeted Social Assistance 4. Police department: • Department on preventive work with juveniles Отдел 5. Representation of the ExCom at the community level

5. State programmes • «Educational Development of Children with limited capacities (Inclusive Education)» • «Early Childhood development and upbringing Programme» • «State Programme on Development of creative skills of gifted children/youth» • «Development of the vocational education» • «State Programme on De-Institutionalization or Alternative Care»

6. State Programme on De-Institutionalization or Alternative Care • According to the Action Plan of the Programme Ministry of Education is the responsible body for its implementation and coordination. • With the aim of implementation, the special Working Group was established under the Ministry of Education

7. Objectives of the Programme Main goals of the programme in line with the CRC: • Needs of children to grown up in family like environment and harmonized development of individual child • Establishment of the mechanisms on reunification of children with families (biological and alternative), creation of alternative services for them • Guarantee effective enforcement of these mechanisms

8. Objectives of the Programme 2 • Ensure preventive measures to prevent placement of the child in residential institutions • Downsize number of institutions by transforming type of these institutions to the family-type social centers • Broaden reunification of children (biological and alternative families)and establish stimulation mechanisms • Re-qualification of the staff in institutions and establish training/education system to prepare new professionals (social worker, psychologist, speech therapist and etc.) • Asses the situation of children in residential institutions and carry out regular monitoring aimed in reunification as well as monitor situation of children in “new” families • Improve and strengthen legislative framework.

9. Objectives of the Programme 3 • Provide targeted financial aid • Involve currently functioning staff’s experience in developing capacities of the social workers • Carry out regular preventive measures among children and families at risk • Take actions for awareness raising among general population with support of mass-media • Identify priorities on re-unification of children • Promote close cooperation between government, civil society and international organisations

10. Assessment methodology 8 different modules (questionnaires) were developed. • I module– General information about institution • II module – Children living in residential institution • III module – Personnel • IV module – Infrastructure of the institution • V module – Services offered by the institution • VI module – Expenses of the institution • VII module – Transportation • VIII module –Infrastructure of the community

11. Assessment methodology 2 • Manual for assessment and special training for the group involved in the assignment. • Pre-test of each module • Assessment done according to the planed schedule

12. Outcomes of the assessment All institutions are under supervision of the 3 governmental bodies: 50 institutions under MoE • 3 boarding schools for orphans; • 24 general educational boarding schools; • 6 orphanages; • 12 boarding schools for children with special needs; • 2 specialized boarding schools for boys with difficult behaviour; • 3 boarding schools – sanatoriums.

13. Outcomes of the assessment2 3 institutions under MoH • 2 baby homes; • 1 orphanage for children with neurological diseases. 2 institutions under MoLSPP • Boarding schools for children with severe physical and mental disabilities.

14. Outcomes of the assessment 3 • 14.389 children in 55 institutions. 4.055 out of which are children staying in institutions over night. Rest – 10.334 are spending night in their families.

15. Children studying in institutions Total number of children 14389 Living in institutions - 4055 Only studying -10334

16. Frequency of visiting families • Each weekends - 1329 • Sometimes - 2030 • Never696

17. Data on children living in institutions Have both parents-2434 Have 1 parent -1142 Don’t have parents - 80 Abandoned or deprived of parental care -399

18. Reasons of placement(%)

19. Age of children

20. Basic criterias for development and implementation of the Master Plan Basic groups factors: - Infrastructure around institution; - Infrastructure of institution; - Quality of services in institutions

21. Other criterias - Number of children living in institutions; - Number of children from the same district where institution is situated; - Number of placed and leaved children during the year; - Type of institution.

23. Master Plan on Transformation • Role of the Master Plan(1) • Master Plan is main instructive document in implementation of the State Programme on De-Institutionalization and Alternative Care. • Main role of the Master Plan is planning further tasks for changes in institutions, identification of factors and activities. • Abovementioned tasks should be part of annual plan of the institution and regularlyupdated.

24. Role of the Master Plan (2) • Concerned ministries and agencies are responsible for providing services for vulnerable children and families • They are responsible for ensuring each child with necessary social services • Target group of the Plan are children in institutions

25. Expected outcomes • Children and families in need of special care have to be provided by social assistance; • Current staff should be a main force in transformation of institutions and establishment of alternatives services;

26. Development of alternative services • Improvement of adoption and guardianship systems; • Support to extended families and guardian families; • Development of foster services: - Recruitment; - Selection; - Training and monitoring.

27. Development of alternative services 2 - Housing provision for children that do not have parents and graduated from institutions; - Housing provision for children that do not have parents and have medium and severe mental disabilities and other services.

28. Necessary actions • Moratorium on creation of new institutions except new type of services (family type homes); • Transform institutions where children are not staying over night to secondary schools with day care services; • Ensure establishment of day care centers within or close to institution.

29. Thank you for your attention!