Albania Child Protection Safety Net extended further in the region of Fier

Project : Albania 19 Dec 2011 | child rights protection systems

Fier, Albania, December 14, 2011: Terre des hommes Albania (Tdh) in collaboration with the Commune of Dërmenas, Fier and with the support of Open Society Foundation for Albania – Soros Foundation, officially launched a new Child Protection Unit (CPU). Established within the Economic Aid and Social Care Sector this Unit is the third such structure to be established in the region of Fier and the tenth Unit to be established with the support of Tdh. Around 50 social administrators working in the Commune of Dërmenas, neighboring communes, the municipality of Fier and Vlora also joined the launching ceremony held at the premises of the Commune.

This local government structure will provide assistance to some of the most vulnerable children and their families, who have been victims or at risk of becoming victims, of violence, abuse, neglect, or exploitation and trafficking. Mr. Fatos Koci, the Commune’s Child Protection Worker, after making a short presentation of his duties and the Working Protocol principles that guide his work, communicated his unit’s achievements to date. Since October 2011 when the Unit began operating, 25 cases of children requiring protection and assistance have been identified. 10 children in need of medical support and school supplies have been assisted, while in collaboration with various local child protection actors, the Child Protection Worker continues to assess and review protective interventions for other children of the community.

“Soros Foundation is happy to support this initiative which will serve some of most vulnerable children living within the Commune of Dërmenas. The establishment of this Unit represents an ambitious challenge for the Commune. However, I am confident that with our support, that of Tdh and other local civil society organizations, and by collaborating with various local actors from the Qark and Municipality of Fier, the Regional Directorate of Education and Health Services, the Fier Police Directorate and Municipal Social Services etc., this Unit will successfully build its capacity to sustain itself and its activities in the years to come,” said Ms. Oriada Tare, Program Coordinator of Soros Foundation Albania.

To ensure the adequate establishment and well functioning of this Unit, Tdh with the support partners like UNICEF etc., will offer this CPU’s Worker on-the job trainings on subjects, such as domestic violence, child development and needs, case management process, early intervention and work with families. The more experienced CPUs operating in the municipality of Fier and Commune of Levan, also offered this newly established Unit their support and technical expertise, through exchanging knowledge and best practices on local child protection issues and sharing their network of contacts and services providers in the region. [FG]