Program Objectives
- Provide comprehensive (psychological, social, legal) services to children and families in an apparent incident of abuse. Assistance provided is child-oriented, taking into account the needs of the child and the situation of the family.
- Develop the skills and knowledge of professionals working with victims of child abuse, thus implementing an effective long-term system of training and consulting specialists.
- Establish and reinforce collaboration between organizations working with victims of child abuse.
- Represent child rights and defend children's welfare by participating in various coalitions/ groups involved with legal and social issues affecting children.
Services Provided
Children who experience abuse and their families were able to receive these services:
Psychological assistance
Children
- Evaluation of the child's condition: during an initial session with a psychologist, the emotional and behavioral issues of the child are evaluated and a treatment plan determined. Referrals to other specialists (doctors, psychiatrists) are provided as needed.
- Counseling/ psychotherapy: through talk, play and drawing, the professional helps the child deal with difficult issues, express emotions, learn appropriate and safe self protective behaviors and increase sense of confidence.
- Children's Group: Group activities for children, which help children learn to recognize their emotions and how to express them, be more confident, interact with others and solve problems.
Parents/ guardians and other family members
- Counseling for parents/ guardians and other family members: During counseling sessions with a psychologist, parents/guardians can discuss their emotions, the difficulties associated with the situation and how they can help their child as well as how to stop the abuse, if it is ongoing. The psychologist can meet with other family members as needed.
- Counseling for the entire family.
Social assistance
Children
- Participation in the „Big Brothers Big Sisters" program: The child meets with an adult volunteer on a weekly basis and receives support and help. Children ages 7 - 14 can participate.
Children/ family members
- Consultations with a social worker: A social worker provides support, as well as social welfare information, and if needed resources for shelter, etc.
Legal assistance
Children/family members
- Consultation with attorney: This professional providesabout the child's and family's rights and protection options, legal proceedings and what to expect.
- Preparing children for legal proceedings and escorts to court: A child is provided with details about what to expect in court. This can help relieve their fears, anxieties and confusion.
- Organizing the questioning of a child: Upon a judge's ruling, the questioning of a child takes place at the Children's Support Center in a room specially designed for this purpose. This relieves the stress a child experiences in this situation.
Training
Children
- Safety training: practical activities for children about children's rights, about what abuse is, how to protect oneself and friends from abuse and where to go for help if they are experiencing or experienced abuse.
Parents
- Training programs during which parents learn how to better understand their child's emotional state and behavior and appropriate effective disciplining techniques.
When needed, continuing assistance is provided and definite.
Partnerships
Partnering with organizations, support and training for professionals working with children and families:
- Children's Rights Protection Controller's Office of Lithuania;
- Child Protective Services of Vilnius, Judicial Ministry of Lithuania;
- National Court Administration, Court of Appeals of Lithuania;
- Attorney Generals Office, Central Department of Police.
Consulting
Consulting services are provided to professionals (psychologists, social workers, child protection service workers, teachers and others) who work with children who have experienced abuse. Professionals who encounter difficult cases can confer with employees of the Center and consult on best ways to help a child and his/ her family.
Training
- Training and seminars for professionals from various fields (psychologists, social workers, child protection services, law enforcement and other disciplines) working with children. Training is available on these topics: types of child abuse, consequences of child abuse, fundamentals of interacting with a victim of child abuse, special requirements of the child witness, fundamentals of questioning a victim of child abuse, and preparing a child for legal proceedings.
- Professional supervision groups. These are geared toward professionals from various fields who work with children experiencing abuse. Groups are facilitated by an experienced psychologist and encourage professionals to discuss difficulties, share experiences and forms networks.
Interdisciplinary meetings
Providing services to victims of child abuse and their families often requires the participation of a range of institutions. Meetings between professionals of interrelated organizations are planned and hosted.
Organizing a child's participation in legal proceedings
- Preparing children for legal proceedings, escorting them to court. A specialist provides children with details about what happens in court and can help relieve their fears, anxieties and confusion.
- Organizing the questioning of a child. Upon a judge's ruling, the questioning of a child takes place at the Children's Support Center in a room specially designed for this purpose. This helps to relieve the stress a child experiences in this situation - a child waits in a quiet area; an experienced psychologist presides over the process with the judge; a team of specialists can observe the process and a video recording can be made.
Future plans
2008-2009
- Equipped and opened - a specially designed room for questioning children;
- Formed - a team of professionals specially trained to question children;
- Free psychological, social and legal assistance provided to victims of child abuse and their families;
- Partnering with child protection agencies, law enforcement, legal system and social welfare institutions in preparing and implementing strategies guaranteeing child welfare;
- Evaluation and summation of activities;
2009-2010
- Continuation of 2008-2009 activities;
- Design and implementation of training program for specialists on interdisciplinary teams;
- Implementation of social awareness campaign;
- Establishment of a national network of specialists working with victims of child abuse;
- Evaluation and summation of activities.
2010-2011
- Continuation of 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 activities;
- Implementation of training programs for interdisciplinary teams throughout Lithuania;
- Design and print training materials for specialists;
- Design and print training materials for parents and guardians;
- Implementation of training program for parents;
- Implementation of social awareness campaign;
- Evaluation and summation of activities.
This is an ongoing program whose future objectives will be determined by the needs of the program, system as well as of the community.
Sponsors
Primary sponsors
- „The Body Shop";
- The Republic of Lithuania Ministry of Social Security and Labor Protection.
Partners in Implementing the Program
- Lithuanian Child Rights Protection Service;
- Vilnius Municipality, Department of Child Rights Protection.
Contacts
Ieva Daniūnaitė, „Assistance program for victims of child abuse and their families“ Manager
Telephone: 8 61143567, 8 5 2715980
Email: ieva@pvc.lt
Address: Latvių str. 19 A
