Frontline professionals, supported by the EU and Team Europe, are enabled to ensure protection of children in situations of violence

“We often find ourselves in situations when we do not know how to react, how to intervene to stop or prevent violence among children.” (Teaching staff, Chișinău) 

The success of a childcare system lies in the continuous training of professionals to serve the best interests of children, by diversifying and developing services designed to support children and their families. In order to develop and maintain high professional standards of conduct and performance of community social workers/specialists in child protection, as well as teachers, who have direct responsibility to protect children exposed to the risks of violence, it was necessary to elaborate initial and continuous training courses/programmes in the field of preventing and combating violence against children. To this end, CCF Moldova has elaborated two Curricula and course materials, addressed to the community social workers/specialists in protection of children’s rights and the teaching staff, delivering the first two trainings of 12 hours each. The content units focused on the regulations of the legal and normative framework in the field of child protection against violence, the operation of the inter-sectoral cooperation mechanism in the field of preventing and combating violence against children, the application of case management in situations of violence against children and the methodology of working with children, family and community. 

The need to develop the curricula and course materials is justified by the fact that violence against children has become an increasingly widespread phenomenon in the Republic of Moldova, being a significant social problem with multiple economic, public health, legal and educational consequences, affecting the whole society. Statistics show that violence against children is increasing, in all its forms. The prevention of violence is also a priority for the central and local public authorities, being a general objective of the National Child Protection Programme for 2022-2026, approved in June 2022.

With the support of CCF Moldova, within the HOPE – Holistic approach to child protection in Moldova – Project, financed by the European Union, the Austrian Development Agency and Caritas Austria, 25 teachers and 23 social workers/ child protection specialists from the municipality of Chisinau participated in the continuous training seminars on “Preventing and combating violence against children” between 30 June – 1 July and 21 – 22 July 2022. The seminars have reflected the good practices in prevention of violence and intervention in cases of abuse and violence. Thus, 96% of the participants mentioned that these courses gave them practical ideas applicable for use in their daily activities. Seminars with this content are expected to be delivered to specialists from Cimișlia, Anenii Noi, Străseni, Nisporeni districts and Chișinău municipality. 

The process of separation prevention of children from their families and children’s reintegration in many cases presents a challenge. It is difficult to achieve a balance between ensuring the child’s right to grow up in her/his family and ensuring protection against all forms of violence. 

The existing mechanisms declare zero tolerance towards any form of violence, and once they are implemented correctly in practice, they will strengthen the system and serve the best interests of the children. 

“Even if this topic is frequently discussed, these seminars are always welcome. I think we have a lot of work to do in the field of preventing violence, because, unfortunately, we often work when a case of violence has already occurred”. (Social worker, M)

“The topic of preventing and combating violence is always necessary to raise, it is a phenomenon that should not exist, but unfortunately it does. We must always have this topic on the table as a priority and do everything possible to prevent it, to inform society and as specialists to know how to act as correctly as possible”. (stated the Head of the section of preventing separation from family, under the General Directorate for the Protection of Children’s Rights from the municipality of Chișinău, F)

“This seminar is a very timely one, as the phenomenon of violence is intensifying more and more among children and especially those in the school environment. The seminar offered us relevant information, very well presented, as well as good tools we may apply to better deal with situations in practical work. We need such seminars in schools as well, because, unfortunately, there is a lot of bullying and violence, including by teachers, unintentionally, because they don’t always understand this phenomenon”. (Teacher, F) 

“I received answers to many questions related to bullying, I learned new things: when it is and when it is not a bullying, how to recognize it, when and how to intervene or not to, how to help and protect children”. (Teacher, F)