Kosovo Six workshops on case management issues, challenges and difficulties faced by Task Forces
Project : MARIO 2 May 2010
Pristine, Kosovo: In the frame of the Mario Project, 81 Task Force members and social workers from Centers for Social Work – who will lead the future Task Forces – participated between April 26-30 in 6 one-day workshops organized in Prishtina, Mitrovica, Gjakova, Peja, Ferizaj and Fushe Kosovo by Terre des hommes delegation in Kosovo.
As a new structure in Kosovo child protection field, Task Force members face many difficulties for the case management of children mainly related to the high number of cases referred. There is still a need to strengthen capacities to properly and effectively manage the cases of children who are referred to them. Moreover, there is a real need to develop exchange of information and good practices between the existing Task Forces and the new ones. Following the previously three workshops focusing on Case Management System held in October 2009, the main issues raised in each one-day workshop were a review of the good practices and tools of the case management system and the opportunity to overcome the difficulties they are facing. In the frame of the workshops, Task Force members also gave some recommendations to improve their performance related to case management which will be implemented from the next Task Force monthly meetings.
Through its previous project on prevention of juvenile delinquency (PJDK), Tdh Kosovo established the first Task Force model of action in Prishtina in 2007. The Task Force is a round table established as a coordination tool for child protection. Its monthly meetings gather professionals from different institutions such as representatives from the Department of Social Welfare, the Center for Social Work, the Municipality Directorate of Education, the Municipality Directorate for Health and Social Welfare, school psychologists, the Community Police Unit, the Probation Service, the Unit against domestic violence, the Victim protection office, the Anti-trafficking Unit, local NGOs/ CBOs and Terre des hommes. The local institutions’ representatives in the Task Forces are in charge of the case management of children at risk or victims of neglect, abuse, exploitation, trafficking and delinquency who are referred and monitored during the monthly meetings by the professionals. In 2009, this model has been replicated in Mitrovica, Peja, Gjakova and Ferizaj. In 2010, Tdh has started the replication of the Task Force model of action in 7 other municipalities (Fushe Kosova, Podujeva, Klina, Decan, Vushtrri, Skenderaj and Shtimje), in the same regions as the existing ones.
In the frame of improving case management capacities of the Task Forces, Tdh in Kosovo foresees the organization of at least three other trainings on sexual abuse of children, interviewing children in conflict with the law, case management for children in street situation as well as workshops to exchange good practices between the Task Forces. [AK]
