Government of the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Labor and Social Policy

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Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of
Labor and Social Policy

• GENERAL AND SPECIAL PROTOCOL
• ON CHILD PROTECTION FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT

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GENERAL PROTOCOL on child protection from abuse
and neglect

• Legally binding document that provides
  guidelines for action to all providers of
  services dealing with children and families from
  governmental and non-governmental, as well as
  from private sector in order to jointly work for
  the well-being of children in situations where
  there is a suspicion that the child has
  experienced abuse or neglect, or a threat that
  s/he may undergo such experience.

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Scope of child abuse and neglect in Serbia

• Data are inaccurate and incomplete
• due to
• absence of integrated data basis,
• difficulty of comparing data from different
  sectors,
• prevalence of action researches conducted on
  apposite samples

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Forms of child abuse Source Child Protection
Department, Institute of Mental Health 2003-2004
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Childrens ideas and reflections on abuse

• Every child has been the victim of abuse at
  least once
• 50 have experienced some kind of abuse
• 10 have experienced severe forms of abuse
  (physical, sexual)
• (Qualitative research that included children and
  youth aged 10 to 19 in 7 municipalities, UNICEF,
  2005)

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Prerequisites for efficent child abuse prevention
and child protection system

• Clearly defined state policy
• Adequate legal framework
• Mechanisms for establishing and maintaining
  efficient network
• Public sensitivity and quality of training of
  professionals in relation to violence

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Organized efforts in developing system of
protectionfrom violence in Serbia 2000-2005

• Defining new policy
• Action for Children Plan (2004)
• Social Welfare System Reform Strategy (2005)
• National Strategy against Violence - Starting
  Framework (2005)
• Enhancing legislative framework
• Criminal Law Amendments (2002)
• Law on Basis of the Educational and Upbringing
  System (2003)
• Family Law (2005)
• Law on Juvenile Offenders and Criminal Legal
  Protection of Minors (2006)
• Law on Prevention of Discrimination against
  Persons with Disabilities (2006)
• Law on Childrens Ombudsman (pending)

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Network for child protection from abuse and
neglect

• Participants in the process of protection
• social protection, health, education,
• police, judiciary, local self-government
  
• non-governmental sector
• citizens children and adults
• media

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Integrated intersectoral approach to child
protection

• Prerequisites
• Sensitivity to childrens rights
• Clear idea about common goal
• Definition of child abuse and neglect accepted
  by all
• Clearly defined roles, responsibilities and ways
  of cooperation of all participants in the process

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• Protocol objective
• To provide balanced response in the best
  interest of the child
• Prompt and coordinated procedure that protects
  the child from further abuse or neglect
  (authoritative intervention)
• Support to the family to enable it to protect the
  child and make it possible for him/her to have
  unimpeded development

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Protocol content

• Definitions of child abuse and neglect
• Steps in the process of child protection
• Roles of different systems in the process
• Ways of communication between participants in the
  process of protection
• Legislative regulations relating to child
  protection from abuse and neglect

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Steps in the process of child protection

• Discovering and reporting child abuse or neglect
• Initial assesment and inquiry
• Immediate interventions (if there are clues
  indicating child abuse)
• Planning of services and measures
• Intervention implementation
• Monitoring and evaluation

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ASSESSMENT upon receipt of report
URGENT PROTECTION MEASURES
Case OPENED Assessment Manager designated
FEEDBACK TO REPORTER

• INITIAL ASSESSMENT
• within 7 days

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SPECIAL PROTOCOL

• Special Protocol provides safety and promotion of
  the well-being of all children in institutions,
  particularly ensuring their full participation in
  the procedure

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Special Protocol includes protection of children
placed in

• institutions for the placement of children
  without parental care,
• institutions and daytime centers for the
  placement of handicapped children
• reception centers and shelters
• institutions for children and youth in clash with
  the law
• foster families

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Roles of teams according to Special Protocol

• Internal team implements child protection,
  collects information and reports the case to the
  External and Central team.
• External (Regional team) conducts inquiry
• Central team keeps central records on reported
  cases
• Police and investigative authorities
  (Prosecutors Office) carry out investigation

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OPEN ISSUES

• WHAT TO DO AFTER URGENT INTERVENTION ?
• REQUIRED SERVICES
• LEGAL AID