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Children at Risk in Estonia Brussels, May 5-6, 2008

Children at Risk in Estonia Brussels, May 5-6, 2008 . Elmet Puhm Advisor Social Welfare Department Ministry of Social AffairsEstonia. Erki Korp Executive Director Tallinn Center for Children at Risk. General information. Administrative division Counties 15 Local governments 227

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Children at Risk in Estonia Brussels, May 5-6, 2008

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  1. Children at Risk in EstoniaBrussels, May 5-6, 2008 Elmet Puhm Advisor Social Welfare Department Ministry of Social AffairsEstonia Erki Korp Executive Director Tallinn Center for Children at Risk

  2. General information • Administrative division Counties15 • Local governments227 • cities and towns33 • rural municipalities194 • Population year 20071 342 409 • Estonians 921 062 • Ohter nationalities 421 347 incl. Russians 344 280 incl. Ukrains 28 158 incl. Belorussians 16 133 incl. Finnish 11 035 • Population density (inhabitants per km2) 30 • Total area (km2) 45 227 • Capital is Tallinn, ca 400 000 people

  3. Street children = children on the street = children at risk The term street children refers to children for whom the street more than their family has become their real home. It includes children who might not necessarily be homeless or without families, but who live in situations where there is no protection, supervision, or direction from responsible adults.

  4. Reasons • Poverty • Problems at school • Conflicts with the parents • Parents alcoholics or drug addicts

  5. Statistics * Statistics – relevant data

  6. Estonian NAP priorities the provision of financial support and welfare services; the improvement of the living conditions; the creation of better development opportunities for children, in consideration of special needs (incl. disabled children and those living in particular poverty); the prevention of children being removed from their families. The Strategy for the Protection of Child Rights2004-2008 The policy objectives and targets are setaccording to the special nature of children’s needs basic needs (development and welfare proper for certain age; adequate education ) special needs (reduction of the number of children in poverty or poverty risk; creating equal opportunities for disabled children and children with educational special needs etc; integration of children belonging to minorities ) need for support from family, community and environment (improvement of an efficient childcare system; development of a child-friendly, secure and stable environment

  7. Other social services for decreasing poverty among children and families with children * The Children’s Rights Strategy2004-2008 focuses, among other issues, on alleviating poverty among children. To achieve this, state activities within the spheres of various ministries have been stipulated in yearly activity plans; Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2005-2008 deals with providing financial aid and necessary social welfare services to families with children; The objectives of the Welfare Services Conception (2004) will help to implement the following strategic objectives of the Ministry of Social Affairs: increased employment among people who need special treatment and belong to risk groups (the disabled, the long-term unemployed, the young, and the elderly); better accessibility to and quality of welfare services; decreasing poverty and achieving a better standard of living.

  8. Other social services for decreasing poverty among children and families with children The Child Protection Act from 1993 requires every individual to report of a child in need of help; an information and emergency phone for children started operating in Tallinn and Maardu in 2005 which receives such reports (expanding it to a national phone line 116 111); According to the Social Welfare Act, great emphasis is put on ensuring the quality and availability of services provided to children and families with children; nearly all child protection officials have undergone trainings on network organisation and case management;

  9. Other social services for decreasing poverty among children and families with children Amendments to the Social Welfare Act in 2008: the use of the case management method is made compulsory in planning and providing services, child care services are regulated, toughening the requirements of the substitute home service, training requirements for foster families, increase of state benefit from EEK 1500 to 3000, a requirement to create a case plan when sending a juvenile client to alternative care. The Social Inclusion Plan has the following objectives for 2008: the number of children living below the relative poverty line will have decreased by 2% as compared to 2005; Children’s poverty rate differs from the poverty rate of the entire population by 7.9%; Increased number of child protection officials to reach a ratio of 1 child protection official per 1000 children.

  10. Number of the child protection officials

  11. Number of the child protection officials

  12. Other social services for decreasing poverty among children and families with children Estonia is in the process of creating a child care services information system and STAR (social services data registry); An integrated counselling centre model (ESF) is being developed; New Social Welfare Act draft is due to be completed by the end of 2008, in which the primary changes are aimed at levelling the requirements and quality of social services provided at a local level, and at improving their accessibility: A support person for children and families; A personal assistant for children; Counselling for children and families with children (financial, legal, social, psychological, and family counselling); Open care services; Transportation service.

  13. Problems... • Lack of children psychiatrists • Menthal health – services for children • Growing number of children who are not finishing Basic school • Too many disabled children in institutions • Foster care, specially for non-estonian children • SMS loans

  14. General situation • No more street children • Children at Risk • New developments in legislation • Certain problems are raising (alcohol, drug abuse, HIV) • 6552 cases since today • (real number is ca 18 000 HIV +) • Main groups: age 20 – 29 • Children, specially girls from 0 to 19 years

  15. Professional networks Cooperation is the key issue

  16. Tallinn City Government Partnership Program “Children at Risk” Example of Best Practice • Established in December 2000 • 30-50 professionals from different sectors • Regular roundtables and meetings • Clear aims • Direct contacts for networking • Open discussions between public and NGOs sectors • New services, future oriented actions

  17. Participating organizations • 2000. - 15 partner organizations; • 2001. - 17 partner organizations; • 2002. - 22 partner organizations; • 2003. - 25 partner organizations; • 2008. – 20 partner organizations. Tallinn City Government, different departments (social, health, education, youth, sport, etc), local districts child protection workers (8 areas in Tallinn), police, hospital, child home, shelters, dayily centers and other services.

  18. Last Partnership Program meeting in April 2008

  19. Legislation • Family Law • Social Welfare Law • Child Protection Law Statistics: • Cooperation • Discussions • Joint raports

  20. Other issues • Child Protection professionals forum on the website of Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs • Time to time cooperation • Too much political “games” • Difference between capital and other local authorities • Big number of NGO-s, but not real “partners” and “actors” • State level strategies and local level strategies (standards for social services)

  21. Tallinn Center for Children at Risk Tallinn Center for Children at Risk is temporary home for children in need. Tallinn Center for Children at Risk is the oldest shelter in Tallinn, established in 1993.

  22. Tallinn Center for Children at Risk • The center consists of two separate shelters with 67 workers. Tallinn City Government (not statemoney) finances center and we have all together 44 places for children: • Lilleküla center (since 1993) specializes on children without parental care. There are 14 places in the shelter for children at age of 3-18. Work done with ca 2300 children. • Nõmme tee center (since 2000) specializes on children with addiction problems. There are 40 places in the center for children at age of 10-18. Work done ca 300 children.

  23. Additional services

  24. Trainings, seminars, publications • Special training for our workers (21 participants) together with Tallinn University about social work • Annual conference “Child Protection and Social Work in Multicultural society” • Book “Tallinn Center for Children at Risk in Estonian Social Landscape” • Mobile Youth Work joint seminars with ISMO • Book “Mobile Youth Work Concept: International and Estonian experiences”

  25. Thank you!

  26. European Capital of Culture 2011 Welcome!

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