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Children’s charity Lumos and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea host study visit for Moldovan delegation
23 November 2011
Across the European region one million children live in large residential institutions that cannot meet their needs. Lumos works to end this practice, supporting governments to introduce family and community services. On 21 and 22 November Lumos and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Family and Children's Services together hosted a study visit for a senior level delegation from Moldova. The visit provided an opportunity for senior personnel and decision makers to understand how high quality services can be provided to support children to live with their families.
The purpose of the visit was to focus on inclusive education, early intervention and child protection. The delegation visited centres for children with disabilities and inclusive schools, as well as foster care and leaving care services within the borough including: St Quintin's Children's Centre and St Mark's Children's Home.
Seeing integrated social services such as these in action will help the Moldovan local authorities develop the community-based services that they need, which are key to the successful implementation of the deinstitutionalisation process.
Georgette Mulheir, Chief Executive of Lumos, said: "Lumos is working to put an end to the systematic institutionalisation of disadvantaged children, across Central and Eastern Europe, by helping to close down institutions and transform care services for children and their families. Study visits are essential to developing and understanding of what constitutes a high quality system of effective health, education and social services. This study visit will help influence change in Moldova, improving the lives of thousands of children and young people.
Cllr Baroness Ritchie, Cabinet Member for Family and Children's Services, said: "Services for children and young people in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are acknowledged as being some of the finest on offer in the UK. Our officers were very pleased to meet with the delegation from Moldova and show them just how we go about ensuring we deliver the very best for our children."
