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Pardubice gets the green light
8 February 2010
Pardubice county has been officially nominated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) as a pilot county for the implementation of the National Action Plan, which will change the system of care for vulnerable children in the Czech Republic. We have been asked to be the main partner with Pardubice county, and will be working closely with the county council, especially the councillor for social issues, Mr Miloslav Macela.
We have already begun to analyse the existing services in the county: there are around 530 children in institutional care in the county. Of these, 300 live in children’s homes and educational institutions, while others are in psychiatric institutions or diagnostic facilities.
The pilot is a unique project in the Czech Republic and aims to demonstrate how a care system based on the needs of the children could be introduced across the whole country. Children from vulnerable families will not be immediately placed into children’s homes or other institutions. Instead, there will be psychologists and other professionals who will work with the families to try and help them manage their problems.
Simultaneously, we will also work with the county to develop new, alternative family services, such a professional foster care. We will cooperate closely with all the relevant local bodies and use our expertise and networks to ensure that skills and knowledge can be transferred to the Czech Republic.
Our work in Pardubice has been recognised in the national press in the Czech Republic and we have now had a number of enquiries from other counties.
