Hope and Homes for Children

Working group 5 - Targeting, forecasting and planning the establishment of continuum of

services

HHC – international NGO based in UK. Working in 12 countries in Europe and Africa

Focus in Europe – deinstitutionalisation. Working with local authorities to transform large children’s homes and replace them with family-based services

Hope and Homes for Children

In BiH since 1994

Transforming institutions Developing family based services Supporting young adults leaving

institutional care

Hope and Homes for Children BiH

First institution to be transformed in BiH

Institution in Zenica for 60 children aged 0-18

HHC working in partnership with local authorities in Zenica

The institution will be closed by March 2008

TRANSFORMATION OF INSTITUTIONS

Development of family based services – based on needs assessment:

Prevention

Reintegration

Fostering

Young adult support

Small family home (SFH)

Staff of institution move to new services HHC provides capital investment + technical

support (expertise, training, monitoring) Local authorities provide running costs and own

the services

TRANSFORMATION OF INSTITUTIONS

PRINCIPLES

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child underpins the project and all activities

in the project will be in line with these guiding principles.

PRINCIPLES

All children should live in families The views and opinions of children and young

people will be listened to and taken into consideration

Siblings will not be separated Parents and carers will be respected and will

be supported Children and young persons with special

needs will receive additional support Children and young persons will participate in

and contribute to the project

PRINCIPLES

All decisions made will be in the best interests of children and young persons

The quality of the project and services will be evaluated in accordance with a set of agreed standards

No child from the institution will be moved to any other institution - placement in SFH will be the only acceptable form of residential care

There will be a moratorium on new placements in the institution from the beginning of the project and for the entire duration of the project, as a key factor for a successful outcome

PRINCIPLES

All new services will be managed and funded through local authorities

Staff of the institution will be given priority in applying for the new services

The institution will no longer exist at the end of the project. If appropriate the building may be used for non-residential children’s services

STAGES

1. INITIAL ASSESSMENT

2. PROJECT DESIGN

3. IMPLEMENTATION

4. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1. INITIAL ASSESSMENT

Rationale Methodology Implementation of assessment Analysing data

RATIONALE

Provides an accurate picture of the current situation

Provides concrete evidence on which to base the transformation project

Demonstrates that transforming child protection system is both feasible and cost effective

Initial assessment:

METHODOLOGY

Collecting written data from:- Social services- Institution - about each child and families

Stock and flow analysis Financial structure and costs of current system Staffing structure of institution Assessing children and families in the following areas:

1. living conditions 2. family and social relationships3. social behaviour4. physical and mental health5. education6. household economy

Building trust between partners including staff of the institution

ANALYSING DATASTOCK AND FLOW ANALYSIS

STOCK - the group of children currently in the institution

FLOW - the movement of children in and out of the institution over time

STOCK Summary of the information collected from:

Interviews with families Assessments of children Written records Conversations with professionals

FLOW ANALYSIS Collect the following about each child that has entered and/or left the institution over the past 3-5 years: Name Date of birth Date of admission to institution Special needs (if any) Domicile Reason for placement Date when they left institution and where they went

PROJECT DESIGN PROJECTION OF NEEDED SERVICES

Based on the stock and flow analysis

services needed for current children annual demand for needed services

LIST OF SERVICES NEEDED IN ZENICA

1. PREVENTION

2. REINTEGRATION

3. ADOPTION (in country adoption)

4. FOSTERING

5. SMALL FAMILY HOME

6. YOUNG ADULT SUPPORT

STAFFING AND FINANCING OF NEW SERVICES

develop staffing structure for each of the new services

make projection of running costs of new services and compare it with the current costs of running the institution

In Zenica the staff of the institution will move to the new services and the budget of the institution will be reallocated to the new services

Write detailed project with outcomes activities indicators time frames clear responsibilities

Involve all relevant stakeholders in developing the project

IMPLEMENTATION

stop admissions to the institution develop new services: prevention & reintegration,

substitute families, young adult support, small family homes

prepare and move the children in phases prepare and move the staff in phases

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Should be built into the project design

SUMMARY

Do not assume that developing family based services will automatically lead to institutions emptying and closing – this will NOT happen

Transforming institutions has to be deliberate and clear target from the beginning

By using the model outlined in this presentation, transforming institutions not only provides greatly improved outcomes for children but is also feasible and cost effective.