EU and UNICEF support the Government to protect a child’s right to a family environment

Georgia’s Child Care Reform and the right to a family environment

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires the State to ensure that the family is the natural environment for the growth and well-being of children and that they have access to the necessary protection and assistance. The Parliament of Georgia adopted the Code on the Rights of the Child which holistically addresses the right of the child to family environment and sets mandatory standards aimed at aligning child and social protection interventions. 

Georgia launched the Child Care Reform in 2005 aimed at moving children out of state institutions and placing them in a family environment with the support of EU, UNICEF and US Government. Since then, the number of children growing up in institutional care has been dramatically reduced from over 5000 children living in large-scale residential settings at the beginning of the reform to less than 80 children being raised in state-regulated services in 2020. Those children were reintegrated into their families, moved to alternative family-based care, foster care, or small group homes. As a result of cooperation between the state and non-state actors, the country has succeeded in introducing and legislating the social work profession and setting up a case management system, establishing family support services, community based alternative care services, and strengthening the legal framework protecting children’s rights to a family environment.

Despite the achievements, significant challenges remain. Due to a lack of data on the number of children living in unregulated residences, fragile family environments or on the streets, the magnitude of the problem is not fully recognized. The Government of Georgia aims to renew its focus on ensuring the right of the child to a family environment, with a focus on the most disadvantaged and excluded children.

EU-UNICEF initiative Strengthening Systems and Services for Child Protection in Georgia

Investing in child and family-centered protection systems is important for Georgia’s path to joining the European Union. The key priorities of the European Union and Georgia for 2021-2027 include the implementation of the Code on the Rights of the Child by aligning all necessary legislation and strengthening national mechanisms to protect children against all forms of violence.

The three-year project ‘Strengthening Systems and Services for Child Protection in Georgia,’ implemented by UNICEF and funded by the European Union from 2021–2024, aimed at supporting the implementation of the Code on the Rights of the Child. The project did so through strengthening legislation, policies and guidance to support the deinstitutionalization process, improving capacity of the professional workforce at central and municipal levels, and by enhancing child-friendly justice and needs-based family support services in communities.  

As a result of the project, the two last remaining state-run large scale children’s institutions for children with disabilities were closed, and children were moved to small group homes. The needs of children moved from large scale institutions and their families were assessed through a comprehensive assessment process, and the relevant support was provided. Social work has also been supported and improved through strengthening the professional supervision mechanism and the capacity of professional supervisors.

A new model of foster care was developed and piloted in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Telavi. Judicial oversight over the cases of separation of children from their parents have been strengthened and collaboration between the child welfare and justice systems to prevent unnecessary family separation have been enhanced. Social workers in 10 pilot municipalities can provide better support to the vulnerable families now.

The Way Forward

There is much more work to be done to improve the current system. The most important goal is to keep families united as much as possible, except if the child’s health and well-being are in danger. To prevent separation, there is a need to have support measures and services which strengthen families, improve family conditions, and prevent children from being separated from their families.

If children are unable to live with their parents, alternative care such formal or informal kinship care, as well as foster care and guardianship should be provided. This requires the availability of well-planned, developed and supported social workers and other social service workforce, capable to provide high-quality and accessible services. Case management of the complex needs of children and families is required for proper planning and implementing prevention, alternative-care and reintegration services. There is much more work to be done for the most important investment for the future.

“This is a rather difficult and complex process. First of all, what we need is a unified and comprehensive vision, cooperation between agencies, especially between central and local bodies, the presence of professionals, the development of social work both at the central and local levels, diverse services, quality monitoring mechanisms, a database and reliable data, and most importantly, it is necessary to work with the community to gain the support to realize the right of the child to the family environment.”, said Teona Kuchava, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Georgia.

The Recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on Georgia’s State Party Report expected this year will also serve as a roadmap to further realization of the child right to a family environment.

The article was produced with the assistance of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

About the European Union

For more than 30 years, the European Union has built a close partnership with Georgia, supporting its development through knowledge and experience sharing, expertise, innovation and financial support. The relationship between the EU and Georgia is based on shared values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and inclusive economic growth. More about the EU’s support in Georgia https://eu4georgia.eu/the-european-union-in-georgia/

About the project

The three-year project ‘Strengthening Systems and Services for Child Protection in Georgia’ is funded by the European Union. It aims to strengthen legislation, policies and guidelines that support the de-institutionalization process and to enhance the capacity of the professional workforce at central and municipal levels to support and protect children and families in Georgia.