Family associates provide immediate support to families in their own homes

The right of every child is to grow up in a safe, stimulating, and caring family environment. At the same time every parent has the right to support in their parental role. This is especially important for families at risk who often need practical support to function better in everyday life. With the support of the UNICEF Office for Croatia, the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy established a new activity as part of the psychosocial support service – family associate. Family associates will provide support to families in their homes throughout the Republic of Croatia. Those associates are employed by more than 20 providers of social services for children across the country founded by the Republic of Croatia.

Anyone with a completed high school education and who underwent licensed additional training for the work of a family associate provided by the employer and has passed a category B driving test can become a family associate. The activity of a family associate will be available in all counties, so that families who need additional support in caring for children have access to integrated and high-quality social services in their community and receive support to navigate more easily through parenting challenges and demanding situations.

In November 2023, the education of the first group of 30 family associates who were employed by 14 state social service providers in all counties was held, and a total of 52 of them are planned to be employed. Through the five-day training, the family associates had the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills about the social welfare system care and psychosocial support service in the family within which the activity will be provided. They learned how to help families in everyday life, about educational procedures, early development, psychological needs of children, secure attachment, and play. Through a series of practical advice on childcare and health and how to support families in running a household, they were further strengthened in this important role. In order for families to be referred to other services in the community in a timely manner, they learned how to assess developmental risks and child safety, how to recognize and support children with developmental difficulties and behavioral problems. Aware of the numerous crisis situations that families face or could face, educators prepared them to work with families with traumatic experiences. To take care of their mental health as helpers, they also learned different techniques and had the opportunity to experience a guided make-believe scenario as well as practice communication skills and all acquired knowledge. All the above-mentioned elements of the training will help family associates to provide practical help to parents and children in daily functioning and obligations, running a household, household budget planning, support in realizing the right to services and benefits in different systems, hygiene habits, self-care and health, taking care of children's well-being, organizing free time, and establishing a support network, together with other practical skills. UNICEF and the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy are working with the Center for Community Services in Zagreb and the Center for Education "Rudolf Steiner" Daruvar, as well as numerous experts, institutions, and civil society organizations, in developing standards of behavior and education of family associates in two working groups. Standards and a standardized training program, i.e. professional training of family associates, will enable this newly developed service to be provided in the best possible way in all areas of the Republic of Croatia, and for the benefit of the most vulnerable girls and boys in the Republic of Croatia.

“The role of parents is at the same time the most beautiful, but also the most responsible role a person has, so parents often need support in developing their skills. The need for support increases when it comes to families at risk who often need help in their own home, in dealing with everyday challenges. The establishment of the family associate service represents a great step forward because it is extremely important in achieving our common goal – that every girl and every boy in the Republic of Croatia grows up in a safe and supportive family environment and that the separation of children and parents is prevented to the greatest extent possible. I congratulate the first generation of family associates on the successful completion of their training and thank them for their positive energy and motivation and their desire to contribute to changes in the daily functioning of families that need practical support. I wish them much success in their work and I thank all family associates who will perform this complex but important task and contribute to equal opportunities for every child and every family”, said Martina Štabi, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF Office for Croatia.

“The experts of the Zagreb Children’s Home, psychologists, and social workers have been providing counseling and psychosocial support to families with children for ten years. Since many families do not have basic everyday skills in household organization and childcare, it was necessary to supplement the psychosocial support service with a new activity of a family associate. The family associate will often be present in the family, will pass on knowledge and skills related to daily functioning and organization, and especially how to take care of children as best as possible. The goal of the service is to prevent the separation of children from their parents' environment due to neglect or insufficient care”, said Jasna Ćurković Kelava, director of the Center for Community Services in Zagreb. 

The training for family associates is held as part of UNICEF's cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy in the implementation of reform measures of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021-2026, financed by EU Next Generation, Fund for Recovery and Resilience.