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CHILD WELFARE REFORMS: HOW?

CHILD WELFARE REFORMS: HOW?. Tatjana Colin UNICEF Moldova 25.11.09. What are we talking about?. De-institutionalization is essentially the process of moving away from a child care system based primarily/exclusively on large institutions toward community based care. Four components:

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CHILD WELFARE REFORMS: HOW?

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  1. CHILD WELFARE REFORMS:HOW? Tatjana Colin UNICEF Moldova 25.11.09

  2. What are we talking about? De-institutionalization is essentially the process of moving away from a child care system based primarily/exclusively on large institutions toward community based care. Four components: • Preventing unnecessary admissions and stays in institutions • Finding/developing appropriate alternatives in the community for the housing/ treatment/ training/ education/ rehabilitation of children who do not need to be in res. care, but cannot be with their families • Improving quality of care for ch. who do require public care (cannot live with their families) • Closure, downsizing, transformation of institutions

  3. What are we talking about? But, reforms are NOT only about the residential system and community-based alternatives to institutionalization! overall child welfare SYSTEM reform = how subsystems work together to assure • Development of human capital and resources • Human rights fulfillment (duty barers and rights holders) • General prevention of vulnerability (education, health care, income, employment, housing….) • Entire system is geared towards empowerment, social inclusion and focused on reaching the most vulnerable • Provision of safety nets in situations of crisis, including social security and cash benefits

  4. What are we talking about? The building blocks of a child care system include: • the organisational structures of central and local government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs); • the financial and non-financial resources they invest and how the money “flows”; • the service users; • the services that are provided; • the standards, regulations and referral mechanism that govern their use and distribution.

  5. What are we talking about? • Statutory Services (non-delegable government functions that decide on eligibility for services and funds to be used, assess the needs, plan, refer to services, monitor outcomes) - case management - gate keeping • Family Substitute Services (provision of out-home care for children without parents or whose best interest it is to be separated, temporarily or permanently, form parents) - adoption - kinship care - foster care - small group home - small institutions • Family Support Services (all families, including the above)

  6. What do we know? • Reforming any system of services is a political decision with serious financial consequences • Strategies/Plans/Laws do not reform the system, actions do – and only well planed, synchronized actions, across systems • Reforming the system (DI) is an exceptionally complex issue, involves many sub-systems that are currently disconnected – can be done only if all stakeholders are involved • That is why it has to be coordinated from a high level (higher than any single line ministry) • Cash assistance to vulnerable families is extremely important, but not enough to reforms the system

  7. What do we know? • Without economic incentives for reform (change in money flows, allocations), little can happen • Most logical solutions are not always the easiest ones to achieve - many factors to be considered • New services (and decisions about institutions) need to be based on extensive needs assessment. Not every community needs same/similar services • Reforms = changes. Not every institution can be transformed. Not every staff member requalified. • HRBA principles to be upheld throughout the process, duty bearers held accountable for well being of children (no “recycling” children in DI process!) • Strategically address resistance

  8. What do we know? • Closing institutions with no alternatives – problem! Not every child can return to the biological or kinship family. • GK does decrease new arrivals, but caution – where do children go? Who monitors how they are doing wherever they are? • One size does not fit all – not all beneficiaries with the same “problem” need the same services (variety/continuum of alternatives, case management) • Least Restrictive Environment for service provision principle - support services, prevention, empowerment - crucial (who, where, how?) – SW netw • Costing, eligibility (who “qualifies” for what?), copayment, who determines eligibility (transparency?)

  9. What do we know? • PLANNING/EXECUTING – ad hoc interventions don’t work; National Plan needed (personnel, property, children) + Regional and Municipal Plans • Stock and Flow Analysis (trends, so to plan for development of services), balance demand and supply • TRANSITION FUNDING – earmarked funding for new services, change/improvement in old services • Resolve jurisdictions, responsibilities between levels of government (decentralization of some services), between systems (protocols of cooperation) • FOLLOW, OBSERVE, Monitor changes to the system, effect on beneficiaries (is it working or not) • Financial projection for the future -sustainability • Use what good is out there – not from scratch

  10. Thank you for your attention!

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