Albania Enhancing the capacities of Residential Institution staff to ensure quality services for children

Project : Albania 6 Dec 2011 | protection systems state care homes

Staff of the Residential Institutions (RI) of Tirana, Vlora, Durres and Saranda, mainly directors, social workers, educators, caregivers and psychologists were joined by volunteers and Child Protection Workers in a series of capacity-building trainings held throughout the months of June to November 2011. Supported by Terre des hommes Albania, a total of 90 participants actively engaged in this initiative which aimed to further enhance the capacities of these individuals to provide quality services to children living in residential institutions. Dr. Anila Sulstarova, a renowned Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Tirana was the lead trainer of these seminars.

While reflecting the needs of RI staff, the presented modules focused on topics of communication, positive discipline and conflict management. The positive discipline module included informative materials on non-violent and effective positive disciplining techniques for educators, while the communications module presented attentive listening and effective conversation development techniques. Additionally, *the module on conflict management informed participants of the consequences of poorly managed conflicts and introduced them to alternative effective conflict management techniques. Understanding and interpreting a child’s behavior, functions and causes of conflicts and appropriate and inappropriate actions and reactions were other topics presented in these trainings.

Following an ‘open discussion’ approach, Dr.Sulstarova aimed to generate constructive debate amongst participants on individual practices used to communicate, discipline and manage conflicts with children in residential institutions. “My goal was to create discussions which would allow for knowledge and experience exchange between participants, on individual practices used for dealing with everyday and case-based challenges. I wanted to make participants reflect upon their individual techniques and learn from each others experiences and knowledge,” remarked Dr. Sulstarova. The positive comments provided by participants during feedback sessions clearly demonstrated the successful achievement of this goal. “I am very happy to have participated in these trainings. I gained valuable knowledge which will shape my future professional behaviour and will enhance, especially my abilities to communicate with children. By listening to and engaging in various discussions, I was able to reflect on my individual work and help improve that of my coworkers. In the end, I realized that I need to be more patient, to listen to a child until the end and never take a stance in a conflict,” said Ms. Z. Brati, caregiver in Tirana’s Residential Institution, ‘Zyber Hallulli’.

The discussions also served as a platform for participants to express their need for further assistance and trainings in order ensure that quality services and care are provided to Albanian children living in residential institutions. Among other issues, RI staff highlighted the need for ongoing trainings on various topics, including ‘effectively raising children in institutions’ etc., and sought the organization of knowledge and experience sharing sessions with staff of other residential institutions throughout the country. While recognizing and thanking Terre des hommes and its partners and donors for their current valuable support, RI staff called for continuous financial and technical assistance from government structures and other civil society organizations. [FG]