Albania The Working Protocol for Child Protection Workers is launched in Tirana

Project : Albania 30 Jun 2010 | protection systems

Tirana, Albania, June 29, 2010: The Working Protocol for Child Protection Workers was launched by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, in collaboration with UNICEF and Terre des hommes Foundation. It was developed to guide the work of child protection workers across the country. Sixteen Child Protection Units in twelve Municipalities and four communes have already been opened in the country since 2006, with the role of coordination of the protection of children at risk, victims of abuse, exploitation and trafficking. The Working Protocol for Child Protection Workers aims to help the Child Protection Unit Worker and all the other child protection actors to understand what child protection is, implement a case management system as a step-by-step approach to identify, work and review protective interventions for children.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Filloreta Kodra, emphasized that “this is an important document as a it represents the basis of a well-organized and continuous care for children recognizing the rights and duties that arise in connection with the protection of children from phenomena that affect their welfare.” Deputy Minister Kodra announced that, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, several legal initiatives are being undertaken, aiming at strengthening the institutional protection of children. Besides preparing the Draft Framework Law on Protection of Child Rights, to be approved soon, the management system of protection of children from various forms of abuse shall be further specified.

Techniques and the tools designed in this protocol, according to Terre des hommes Delegate, Sendrine Constant, “will help not only the Child Protection Workers but will help all actors involved in the multi-disciplinary teams to develop work practices to implement a case management system to identify, explore and perform protective interventions for children.”

The Head of UNICEF, Detlef Palm, praised the Government of Albania for its work to prevent the exploitation of children. He added that “Child protection interventions should focus on the most sensitive sectors, on the most excluded children and the poor and the identification role lies on the Child Protection Units.”

A showcase of a child protection case management meeting was presented in the event of the launch. Representatives had a chance to see, in practice, how a case management meeting is organized and could understand how each stakeholder takes their role in the process and some key principles to be taken into consideration.

Participants in the activity highlighted that currently there is a need for a better and more effective management in treating cases of children in need. They considered that the local government structures, especially those at Qarku (district) level should be more involved in the design, implementation and monitoring of social policies dealing with children. Participants also emphasized that it is crucial to have a legal framework which allows taking children in custody and that alternative family care are promoted.

The Working Protocol for Child Protection Workers will offer a standard approach to these units and will serve as a model and guide for other Municipalities which are to set up similar services.

Background

Work towards replication of Child Protection Unit across the country

The Child Protection Unit is a structure within the Social Services Department in the Municipalities where at least one social worker specifically trained on child protection operates. The Child Protection Worker is responsible for the coordination and management of all referrals and cases of children at high risks or victims of violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation and trafficking. The Child Protection Unit offers both preventive and responsive services including direct interventions such as counselling and family support to children in need who are referred to or come into contact with the unit. It is the role of this Unit to assess the situation and coordinate interventions in the best interest of the child to ensure the child is enabled to develop to his/her full potential in respect of his/her rights. The work of the Child Protection Unit is conducted in close collaboration with a set of actors such as teachers, school psychologists, doctors, police officers and law authorities to improve the situation of children through a multidisciplinary working group. Children, parents, professionals and citizens can refer to this Unit, child protection concerns when they arise.

Terre des hommes supports 8 of those Units and together with Save the Children is implementing a regional project called MARIO which among other works to build capacities of the Municipal Social Services and those of other professionals from different countries and help liase them in order to protect vulnerable children who move between those countries.

Even though units have been opened only in 16 local government, Terre des hommes and other partners are working through advocacy to help establish more child protection units in other areas of the country. Additionally, Regional Need Assessment and Social Planning Committees at the Qarku Level would a potential tool for supporting child protection in the given areas.

Terre des hommes, Mission in Albania is implementing the project Developing a Child Protection Safety Net in Albania, supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation, UNICEF, Swiss Development Cooperation, Norwegian MFA, OAK Foundation and MEDICOR Foundation. [VL]