Improving the opportunities for vulnerable children to strengthen their health and development in order to make a living in the future

Tidsperiod: 1

The project focuses on the social area and concentrates upon education of staff at the “Poti rehabilitation centre” and the teachers.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the children age 7-12 at the Poti rehabilitation centre and in School number 2. Through supporting parenthood and children’s health and development the children will gain improved social and economic conditions in the future.

The children who stay at the rehabilitation centre can not be cared for by their parents. Teachers and social workers have limited resources and skills to handle these children and provide them with enough tools for the future in order to adapt them into society.

Recently Östhammar started to use the “Beardslees Family intervention method” in social work. The method creates a dialogue between the parents and children. Focus is on strengthening the preventive factors for children and decreasing risk factors. Östhammar will train more social workers on the method during this partnership project. Both municipalities will work in close connection with universities (Uppsala and Kutaisi universities) in order to integrate the method in the curricula of all social workers in Poti.

Expected short-term results:

  • Improved administrative capacity in the social administration in Poti as all staff will acquire fundamental training on computers and social documentation.
  • 2 staff from the Poti rehabilitation centre and 5 teachers at School 2 have been trained on Beardslees method.
  • The social department in Poti has improved its conditions to support its staff in social work, which leads to improved quality of work.
  • Staff at the rehabilitation centre and teachers at school number 2 have acquired adequate tools for the future work with vulnerable children with social problems.
  • Uppsala University contributes with knowledge in training on the Beardslees method.

Expected long-term results:

  • Children age 7-12 at the Poti rehabilitation centre and at school 2 have improved their health and development.
  • The children gain improved conditions to have earn a living in the future. (This will reduce the cost of society for this group.)
  • Uppsala and Poti university have implemented experiences from the method and its results in their regular educations. (Increased number of social workers will have the competence to use the method in the future.)