Four localities with the largest number of inhabitants in Ungheni district will have specialists in children’s rights protection thanks to a project financed by the European Union and co-financed by Soros Foundation Moldova. These are the mayor’s offices of Todirești, Sculeni, Pîrlița and Zagarancea, where a child protection specialist will be hired as of next year, IPN reports.
In a press release, Soros Foundation Moldova says the specialists will identify children in situations of risk, will assess their situation, will determine the optimal intervention form and the necessary assistance and will closely monitor each family, until the child is safe. This way they aim to prevent serious cases when children find themselves in situations that threaten their life and development or they are separated from the family and placed in residential institutions.
The activity of such professionals has been regulated since 2013, but only 17 such specialists work now in Moldova. The child protection specialists in the four localities will be trained, will be supported by other professionals in the field and will benefit from qualified supervision at the workplace. In the framework of the project, there will be also trained the members of multidisciplinary teams of 33 mayor’s offices of Ungheni district so that they promptly deal with cases of violence, neglect and child abuse.
According to project director Daniela Leahu, Soros Foundation Moldova has supported civil society organizations that develop partnerships with the public authorities for providing sustainable social services. The specialists in children’s rights protection will contribute to preventing cases of risk for children, will save families and will strengthen communities. This way, the communities will become more tolerant, more open and inclusive.
Gintautas Baranauskas, Deputy Head of Operations at the EU Delegation to Moldova, said the support for this service and not only represents an example of solidarity in times of crisis. “The European Union will continue to support the process of developing social services at the local level,” stated the official.
The project “Local Tutelage Authority for Better Child Protection” that was launched today, November 30, will be implemented by the Public Association “Social Alternatives” based in Ungheni. It forms part of the project “Civil Society Organizations Act for Better Social Services” that is financed with EU funds and is co-financed and implemented by Soros Foundation Moldova in partnership with Keystone Moldova and the Public Association “Institutum Virtutes Civilis”. As part of this project, 30 local SCOs benefit from grants and qualified assistance for developing efficient and inclusive community social services.
