The Czech Republic government has made a commitment to strengthen the child protection system and has made significant efforts in recent years to address shortcomings in this area. These efforts are reflected in the National Strategy for the Protection of Children’s Rights for the period 2021-2029 and in three important legislative changes currently being prepared in the area of support for at-risk children, their families, and social services.
One of the systemic problems is the inadequate early identification of at-risk children. Therefore, one of the priorities is to strengthen the provision of assistance and preventive services. The goal is not only to effectively prevent cases of child endangerment but also to reduce the necessary restrictions on parental competencies and the number of children forced to grow up outside their own families.
The Society for All (SOFA) has developed and pilot-tested a model as part of the Signals project. This model includes the KID card (Cooperation, Identification, Trust), which facilitates the early identification of at-risk children. The card was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Health, leading Czech psychologists, and the non-profit sector. The project included interdisciplinary cooperation focused on providing preventive and supportive services to at-risk children. Methodological manuals and an e-learning system were also developed as part of the project. Related activities were developed to support the building of necessary competencies and tools that help ensure the effective and efficient implementation of approaches to solving specific cases.
During a conference, Jindra Zalabáková, the Councilor for Education, Youth, and Sports in the Ústí nad Labem Region, emphasized, „Children are the most valuable thing we have, and they need to be protected. In this regard, it is necessary to connect all organizations and fields dealing with this issue. I appreciate that the Signals project was successfully piloted in the Ústí nad Labem Region. Child protection is a crucial topic for the region, as well as the implementation of practical steps leading to improving their living situation.“
The presented model of integrated prevention and early identification of at-risk children was first introduced and tested by SOFA in the Most District, where it had a positive impact on the lives of at-risk children and their families. With the support of UNICEF, this model is now being implemented in three more regions (six districts) to support its expansion to a national level as part of the child protection system reform.
Participants in the conference, including Lenka Felcmanová (Chair of Society for All), Zdenka Vachková (Chair of the Committee for Education, Training, and Employment), Jindra Zalabáková, and Irma Gabriadze (UNICEF Child Protection Specialist), were able to take away many useful materials from the event.
Overall, the conference had a high turnout and was successful in highlighting the importance of child protection and the need for collaborative efforts to improve the lives of at-risk children. The ongoing initiatives and projects demonstrate a commitment to enhancing the child protection system in the Czech Republic.