From January to July 2021, Changing the Way We Care in Moldova, a USAID-funded initiative implemented by Catholic Relief Services and Maestral International, together with local partners, Copil, Comunitate, Familie (CCF), Keystone Moldova, and Partnership for Every Child (P4EC) conducted research on key elements of care reform. This collective effort was designed to: 1) build off of and learn from the significant care reform efforts in Moldova over the past fifteen years; 2) collect, update, and analyze critical data, including addressing data gaps, related to different system component of the child protection and care system ; and 3) provide a comprehensive situational analysis of children and families at risk of separation or already separated, services targeting this population and the capacity and resources committed to this effort. This comprehensive situational analysis was comprised of seven unique pieces of research, conducted by individual researchers, research firms and CTWWC, and in close coordination the Government of Moldova. The research explored the following:
- capacity and competencies of the social assistance workforce
- case management tools and practices
- type and prevalence of public and private social support services
- knowledge, awareness, and practices of the population towards key topics related to care including vulnerable families and children, deinstitutionalization, reintegrated children and youth, disability, and inclusive education
- legislation, policies, and funding streams for care
- scale and profile of children and youth currently living in six residential care facilities targeted for a deinstitutionalization process and lessons learned from previous reunification efforts in Moldova
Furthermore, CTWWC compiled key findings from the individual pieces of research and other relevant and complementary research conducted by others during the same time to provide a comprehensive portrait of the current state of the childcare system in Moldova. The summary report provides an overall vision of the state of vulnerable groups of children in Moldova, services and resources directed to their care and recommendations for future care reform efforts.
The research findings were presented to and validated during a process in which more than 140 participants representing 96 government bodies and NGOs participated in July 2021. All research is available in Romanian and English. The findings have informed priority actions for Changing the Way We Care in Moldova for the next several years and also informed the design and content of the new five-year National Child Protection Program for Moldova.
Also in Romanian
