During two days’-work the specialists from Falesti, Telenesti, Ungheni, Orhei, Calarasi, and Cahul raions evaluated together the possibility of one-year piloting of an educational program with therapeutic effects, primarily designed for children from families affected by alcoholism and for their parents. Besides, the participants expressed their opinions on a mechanism of mutual learning between raions that is to be produced and that should contribute directly to a shift for positive practices between raions, to ensure planning and provision of services for families and children.
Svetlana Rijicova, P4EC Consultant, mentioned that the purpose of the educational program is to support children and families affected by alcohol abuse. It was first implemented in the USA in 1977, and since 1989 it is functioning in Sweden. This is a preventive educational program that involves therapeutic elements that covers two categories of beneficiaries (children and families), with special focus on children from families where one or both parents are affected by alcoholism or children who were exposed to alcohol consuming environments and risk, in their turn, to become dependent. The program approaches children as individuals, and focuses on their needs and experiences.
Referring to the mechanism of mutual learning, the representatives of the six raions said that it is important that the implementing specialists adopt productive communication between different raions. It was mentioned that the pilot raions share positive practices and have permanent consultations on difficult cases, and that thank to such meetings organized by P4EC, these discussions have become better structured and organized, more transparent, leading to better results.
Closing the event, the specialists made self-evaluation of their capacities to run child and family protection services, highlighting methods of mutual support provided by P4EC, and made suggestions for the improvement of these services quality.
“This is a very useful mechanism, because we have experience that can be replicated in other raions. We were provided much training by P4EC, and for several years we keep being invited to provide informal training to a number of raions, sharing our experience with them, related to the management and implementation of a series of services, such as Foster Care, child reintegration, etc. I think this is a very useful mechanism that will ensure stability and correctness of our work. We, those who have some experience, may benefit a lot from the other raions’ experience”, said Mrs. Maria Niculita, main specialist of Cahul Social Assistance Department.
The event was organized within the USAID-funded project “Children in Moldova live in safe and secure families”.