Carecomp

A sound approach to foster care

Target group addressed

Educators
Social workers
Sociologists
Psychologists

Priority area addressed

Development and advancement of competencies for quality foster care.

Country of origin

Serbia

Level

National (in at least 80% of regions)

Type of training

Training

Brief description

One of the accredited programs being undertaken in Serbia consists of training the experts for working with foster carers including training of foster carers themselves.

The program is aiming to further advance the following special and general competencies:
·skills and competencies for assessing and preparing foster families;
·skills and competencies for preparing basic protective standards for children and youth;
·skills and competencies for adequate meeting of needs of children and youth;
·skills in team work, developing and improving team work and partner based relationships between foster carers and professionals;
·Knowing and further developing skills required for implementing statutory and legal regulations for children and youth;
·skills and competencies in recognising and protecting children and youth from neglect and abuse;
·skills and competencies required for developing support plans for children and foster families including coordinating the support network;
·skills and competencies required for forming self support groups (foster carer clubs, children’s clubs, associations, etc).

Experts who get involved in the training must fulfil the following basic requirements:

- University educated – Psychologists, pedagogues, social workers, speech therapists and special pedagogues;

- Work experience in child protection without appropriate parental care, education and training in the field of foster care and experience in implementing socio-educational programs.

The program is being implemented by Centres for Fostering across Serbia.

Main achievements

The first three years of the implementation, the number of foster carers tripled. The training also included partners of foster carers. A compulsory assessment of potential foster carer’s capabilities for the role was introduced. Many foster carers received more than the compulsory 10 hours of training per year. The training so far included over 4000 experts and foster carers across Serbia. The number of foster carers with higher education, rather than just basic, was also increased.

Effectiveness

The goal of the program is the development and advancement of experts’ competencies who work in the field of foster care and their further trainingin order to apply modern standards in child protection, assessment of the overall eligibility of foster families to perform quality foster care and carry out tasks aimed at satisfying the needs of children for whom fostering is meant as a protective measure. Furthermore, it includes training professionals to undertake preparation programs and training for future foster carers.

The program consists of 5 parts:
1st part: Basics of the program A Sound approach to fostering, theoretical framework
2nd part: Working program for future foster carers – 11 workshops
3rd part: Operational guidelines for program presenters
4th part: Information for foster carers (legal framework, rights of foster carers and rights of children in foster care)
5th part: Working materials for workshops.

Duration of training:

For professionals: 40 hours (5 days/ 8 hours)
For future foster carers: 33 hours (11 days / 3 hours)

Evaluation

Undertaken continuously, but results not available online.

Contact / Information

Name: Dobrila Grujić

Position: Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

E-Mail: dobrilag@ minrzs.sr.gov.yu

Address: Nemanjina 22-26, Beograd

Country: Serbia

Tel:+ 381 11 3615 677