Online Conference

Strengthening Families, Protecting Children

For policy and decision makers, practitioners, and researchers featuring promising practices from Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East

30 - 31 October 2024

 

 

You can find the agenda here.

You can find the overview of speakers here.

You can find the overview of promising practices showcased on 31 October here.

Session 1: Research findings from the 'Global Report on Children’s Care and Protection 2024: Understanding and preventing the separation of children from their family'  Download the presentation/Watch the recording (Arabic, English, Russian)

Session 2Exchange on effective policies, strategies, and systems to strengthen families, protect children, and prevent child-family separation Download the presentation/Watch the recording (Arabic, English, Russian)

Session 3Core principles of working with families at risk Download the presentation/Watch the recording (Arabic, English, Russian)

Session 4: Sharing promising practices for strengthening families and protecting children Download the presentations

Summary of highlights and insights from promising practices sharing session

Watch the recording (Arabic, English, Russian)

Numerous children and young people could be spared from the painful experience of separation from their parents and caregivers if families were provided with adequate support at the time of life changing events, difficulty, and crises. Families often become vulnerable due to a complex interplay of risk factors, which result from both direct and indirect impacts of their social, cultural, economic, and physical environments. They face mounting pressures from climate change, conflicts, poverty, and the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other issues. These challenges can be intensified for families with limited social connections and inadequate access to support services, which can lead to children's exposure to neglect, abuse, violence, alternative care placements, or homelessness. 

Strengthening families entails identifying and delivering effective support to children, parents, and extended family members within the framework of child protection and the prevention of separation. Interventions can vary from universal primary prevention strategies to targeted tertiary support for families at high risk of separation, including assistance for reintegration. These initiatives aim to prevent harm, reduce social isolation, and ultimately prevent children from being separated from their families.

 

During two half-days, new insights and learnings on causes of child-family separation and effective systems and interventions that support parents, caregivers, and extended families in providing adequate care for their children and prevent separation were shared.

The event gathered 568 attendees from 72 countries, including state and non-state actors, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. This high turnout reflected a broad interest and commitment to understanding the factors that lead to family separation and finding effective ways to prevent it.

 

The conference followed the launch of the 'Global Report on Children’s Care and Protection 2024: Understanding and preventing the separation of children from their families' on 29 October,  International Day of Care and Support. 

More on the Global Report

Contact Us 

For more details about the event or questions, please reach out to us at strengthening-families@sos-kd.org.

 

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