1

Strengthening Child Care Services and Systems Quarterly Report for Activities June 2011 – August 2011

I. Responses to the Challenges Recorded in the Last Reported Period

As outlined in the last reporting period, the formulation and dissemination of a new gatekeeping mechanism in the child care system was

forecasted as a challenge. The draft policy was assembled by international consultant Andrew Dunn with support from UNICEF technical staff,

and through this project a retreat with all senior social workers from across the country and the heads of Social Service Agecy (SSA) offices

was organized to (amongst other things) review the draft policy. Prior to the retreat, both Deputy Ministers – Irakli Nardelashvili and David

Lomidze – were briefed on the draft policy. They agreed that the content was quite good. The policy was presented and discussed at the

meeting. More on this is outlined below in the body of the report.

The second challenge described in the last reporting period was the departure of Mr. Tsamalashvili as Deputy Minister and the arrival of Mr.

Nadareishvili as his replacement. UNICEF has met repeatedly with Mr. Nadareihvili and he has proven to be an excellent leader of the SSA –

2

both dedicated to the child care reform process that is underway, and committed to contributing personally to its further development. Mr.

Nadareishvili has fully respected the MOUs that were agreed with partners and government, and has finalized the development of an additional

MOU during this reporting period on Vocational Education Training for children and families within this project (more on this is described

below).

The challenge of the infant home remains. And although the total numbers have reduced slightly as a result of work in this project and the

commitment of the SSA to address the infant home, significant work remains. An MOU outlining the roles and responsibilities for the closure

of the infant home was not developed during this reporting period, but initial plans are under development.

All 35 children residing in Surami institution were not moved to Aspindza, as was noted as a potential challenge in the previous report. Rather,

the children were assessed and placed in families and foster homes. This was a major achievement during this reporting period.

The challenge of UNICEF‟s global accounting and payment IT platform transition was partially addressed during this reporting period. All four

partner NGOs were asked to develop requests for extensions to their existing contracts which would take them through August 2012. Once

signed in the coming reporting period, this will ensure the continuation of uninterrupted activities during the transition of UNICEF‟s global IT

operations framework.

II. Opportunities and Challenges during the Current Reporting Period

One challenege during this reporting period was simply the time of year. Work across Georgia slows considerably during late July and through

August due to summer holidays. Work continued, and UNICEF continued to meet regularly with all partners and government to ensure that

progress around key areas of the reform were not completely interrupted.

A second challenge during this reporting period was the sudden decision to close Dighomi institution. The government made a hasty decision

to move all the children residing in Dighomi to Aspindza. The decision came as a result of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) offering to use the

institution as a military training facility during a cabinet meeting of the government. The Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs

(MoLHSA) was not in a position to challenge MoD, and felt compelled to move these children as quickly as possible so that MoD could use

the facility as needed. Had more time been granted, the closure of Dighomi could have been handled similar to the closure of Surami

institution, where each child was rapidly assessed and either reintegrated, placed in foster care, or placed in small group homes. Instead, these

3

children were moved across the country, which will inevitably make it more difficult and more costly to reintegrate them with their biological

families.

A third challenge has been data collection. As children in institutions are assessed, and as decisions on placements are made, the movement of

children from institutions to new placements has begun to incease. Tracking placements has been possible through extensive consultations and

monitoring, however it has become more clear that investments in data collection and management is necessary.

Opportunities during this reporting period include 1) USAID has identified 250 sets of bedroom furniture that can be distributed to new small

group home providers. UNICEF has agreed to warehouse the in-kind donation upon its arrival. CHF has agreed to distribute the materials to all

providers. 2) Significant movement has been made around monitoring of small group homes – a newly hired member of the SSA is tasked with

developing a framework. Initial meetings with MoHLSA/SSA and UNICEF have yielded good results (more below). 3) An opportunity and a

challenge continues to be gatekeeping. The case management tools for social workers, and the case management guidance has been refined and

updated. However, rolling this out across the SSA will be a major challenge during 2012. Continued updates on this will be provided via

quarterly reports. 4) Another opportunity that has emerged is strengthening social work supervision. As children are placed into various

settings (reunified with family, foster care, small group homes), the visitation requirements of social workers are increasing (see figure 4 within

the body of this narrative report). It will be critical to develop a simple, effective supervision system for the Senior Social Workers to monitor

the field social workers both on their frequency of visitation and the quality of their social work assistance. This will be a major opportunity in

2012, and initial thinking and planning on this has already begun. 5) The Infant Homes continues to be both an opportunity and a challenge. It

is an opportunity insofar as the Minister has repeatedly stated (in private, and in public) that the closure of both the infant home in Tbilisi and

the infant home in Makhinjauri (West Georgia) is a priority. It is a challenge insofar as recruitment and training of emergency foster caretakers

is taking some time. It is hoped to have at least 50 emergency foster caretakers recruited and trained by January 2012, and that from that point

forward healthy infants and infants with non-severe special needs will not go into the infant homes. Emergency foster care will be used at that

point as a place where infants stay while either reunification, adoption, or long-term foster care is worked out.

4

III. Activities Narrative

Project Management and Coordination

Program Cooperation Agreements (PCA)

During this reporting period, all PCAs have undergone extensive re-drafting with all partner NGOs. The plan, as outlined in the previous

reporting period, is to extend through an amendment process all of the existing PCAs through August 2012. This will allow all activities

underway to continue, uninterrupted, during UNICEF‟s global payment and accounting transition stage. It is expected that all the amendments

will be signed in the first month of the next reporting period.

Technical Working Groups / Memorandum’s of Understanding

TWGs around small group home; foster care; social work; and assessments of children and closing of institutions continue to meet. As outlined

in the previous report, UNICEF has continued its weekly meeting of all partners to troubleshoot, discuss problems or potential problems,

solutions, and review overall progress. CHF (through another contract with USAID is refurbishing all of the 25 purchased small group homes)

has joined this meeting, as has Our Homes Association (polish NGO implementing small group homes in coordination with this project).

World Vision and newly selected SGH provider NGOs have been invited to attend.

The MOUs which were extensively outlined in the last reporting period have been instrumental in creating vertical and horizontal coordination

within and across government and NGOs. During this reporting period the MOUs have been disseminated throughout the SSA and MoHLSA,

clearly outlining to all social workers and social service agency heads of office. A meeting was held in Anaklia from June 30th

– July 3rd

with

all senior social workers from around the country, and the heads of their offices. Part of that meeting was dedicated to disseminating and

discussing the MOUs – which serve as guidance to all actors on both the commitments made by government, and the responsibilities and

working relationships between government and the NGOs in this project.

A final MOU was signed during this reporting period on Vocational Education Training (VET) between UNICEF, MoLHSA and the Ministry

of Education and Science (MOES).

5

Vocational Education Training MOU

Commits the MOES to secure 100 places in VET programmes for children in the care system, and their parents (in cases of

reunification and prevention), and to pay 80% of the cost of the programme.

Commits the MoLHSA and the SSA to identify potential candidates for VET and refer them to the programme.

Commits UNICEF to cover the remaining 20% of the cost of the VET programme if the families do not fall below the official poverty

line (in which case, the final 20% is covered by the SSA).

Commits all three actors to work closely together in carrying out this work.

In this reporting period 35 children (including 7 children in small group homes, 10 children reunified, 1 child in foster care, 1 prevented from

placement in institution and 16 children in institutions) and 4 parents were enrolled in the programme.

Human Resources

All staff in relation to the project have been recruited. No visits from international consultants occurred during this reporting period.

Quarterly Review with USAID and Government

Close working relations have been established at technical level with USAID and Government. An informal quarterly review was held with

USAID prior to submission of this report at which a range of issues were discussed.

Project Implementation

Area 1 – Improve Access to Social Benefits for Vulnerable Groups

1.1 Barriers to Access Study (BASS) – The study has been finalized during this reporting period. An event was held at UNICEF at which the

study was presented to the Minister of MoLHSA and Head of SSA. The report was well received and initial policy changes have started in

reaction to the report. The application for benefits form, for example, is being translated into ethnic minority languages – as this was

reported as a barrier to access to social services in the report. In the next reporting period the report will be officially published and

continued discussions with MoHLSA on policy implications of the findings will take place.

6

Welfare Monitoring Survey (WMS) - The second round of the the WMS was launched during the reporting period. This is a continuation

of the survey carried out in 2009 that triggered the BASS study. The primary objective of the panel survey is to provide reliable and

updated data on dynamics of key welfare indicators in Georgia in 2011- and compare the trends with the first WMS findings of 2009. The

study explored the strategies that the households resort to in order to mitigate the risks posed by the global and local economic challenges

and help to signal potential deterioration of child and human welfare indicators, as well as assist the government and the international

donor community in developing an adequate policy response. At this stage the field work has been finalized. In the next reporting period

analysis of acquired data is planned, as well as official launch of the report in a public event. The WMS will help to measure, among other

indicators, the poorest families access to basic benefits and social services.

1.2 Assess Social Agent and Social Worker Effectiveness - Social Service Agents (personnel who assess families eligibility for financial

assistance and free health insurance – amongst other benefits) visit 38% of all households in Georgia. Within these households, there are

30% of all children (age group 0-18). The opportunity to identify and refer potential child related problems or needs through social agents

is now being explored. The Welfare Monitoring Survey and BASS study demonstrated that half of the households receiving financial

assistance and free health care do not have any children. During this reporting period extensive technical discussions were undertaken

between MoHLSA and UNICEF around these findings and the potential response. It was agreed to explore the development of a child

assessment instrument to be used by Social Service Agents when they visit a home that has one or more children. This instrument would

feed into the general poverty assessment instrument – thereby impacting the likelihood that families with children receive benefits – as well

as identify any potential problems or needs of the child. Initial ideas include linking a social worker to the household when a need is

identified, or a child protection risk is flagged. During the next reporting period a TOR for a local specialist will be developed with the

government and a small technical working group will be formed to develop the instrument, and test it.

1.3 Capacity Building of SSA – UNICEF technical staff provides ongoing coaching to the SSA child care unit ensuring their capacity

building. During this reporting period a capacity building technical retreat was held in Anaklia for all senior social workers, heads of SSA

offices and the Regional Panels. The retreat reviewed the draft gatekeeping document prepared by international consultant Andrew Dunn.

Social Workers discussed the document and gave their input and feedback. It was agreed that it was a useful tool, and also that it would be

ambitious insofar as keeping children out of 24-hour care who are from poor families is a challenge. Notes on their inputs to the document

were carefully compilled. During the next reporting period the gatekeeping document will be improved and reviewed with SSA and

MoHLSA with the aim of finalizing the document. In addition, the tools for social workers to use around the new policy will also be

7

finalized in Georgian and discussions will begin with SSA and MoLHSA about using those tools on a trial basis in Tbilisi before rolling

them out across the country.

Area 2 – Family Support and Alternative Care for Children

2.1 .Training Newly Recruited Social Workers – During this reporting period the second and third group of trainings were completed for the

remaining 40 recruited social workers who were competitively selected but do not have a degree or significant prior experience. The training

was a total of 30-days, and was practice oriented; after receiving a week of training, the group went to the field to „shadow‟ social workers in

the field, observe their daily tasks, and begin to get exposure to the work they will be doing. This phase of the project has ended. Discussions

with Tbiisi State University on how the updated trainings may be incorporated into the certificate training course they administer are now

underway.

2.2 Assessment of Children in Institutions – SSA, with the support of

Save the Children mobile teams, have continued the assessment

process. In the reporting period, 3 institutions (including, Rustavi

Zugdidi, Mestia) have been fully assessed, including 68 children – this

brings the total number of children fully assessed throughout the

duration of the project to 362. Furthermore, Save the Children re-

examined 31 cases of the children from Dighomi institution who are

now enlisted in Aspindza institution. 62 of the 141 assessed children

during this reporting period are recommended for reintegration with

their biological families, the remaining children are recommended for

foster care or small group home placement

Figure 1 – breakdown of children reunified

8

2.3 Children Reunified or Placed in a Family – Throughout the duration of the project, 144 children have been successfully reunited with

their biological families. All 144 receive the two year support package from the government (including 90 GEL per month and health care for

the child), 58 children receive additional assistance from the project‟s top-up support fund (see figure 1 on previous page for breakdown).

175 children have been successfully placed in regular foster care and 49 in emergency care (See figure 2 and 3). throughout the duration of the

project. The numbers increased dramatically in case of emergency FC during this reporting period, due to NGO involvement in the recruitment

and training of emergency foster carers.. In regular foster care cases, in general there was a slight decrease in the number of FC placements,

during reporting period which is expected to improve in the coming reporting period when slow period for Panels decision-making (due to the

summer time) and time needed for limiting parental rights will pass. Though the number of placements from assessed institutions are still low,

which has been explained by SSA mostly by two reasons: time necessary for limiting parental rights and unwillingness of children (and their

biological parents) to be placed with foster families. However, due to support provided by CoG with the involvement of psychologists that

work with children and their families, children have started to give their consents and respectively in the last quarter placements from assessed

institutions has considerably increased (see figure 3)

Figure 2 – Children placed in emergency foster care Figure 3- Children placed in regular foster care

*Other settings include: other institutions (including infant homes), biological families and small group homes

9

2.4 Surge Capacity to SSA – All 50 recruited social workers have been successfully trained and deployed into SSA offices around the

country. These social workers are supporting assessments of children in institutions, and monitoring of placements. They work alongside the

200 state statutory social workers. 30 will be absorbed into the state budget at the end of 2011. An assessment of their performance will be

carried out over the next quarter to determine which 30 should be absorbed, and where. In addition, support will be provided to the SSA offices

to ensure the smooth transition.

2.5 Backstopping SSA - 20 mobile social work teams composed of experienced professionals (10 under Save the Children and 10 under

EveryChild), are actively working though out the country with the SSA to assist with the tasks of assessing children in institutional care,

follow-up placements, and recruit foster caregivers. These mobile teams have regular contact with SSA senior social workers, and

management, and are assisting the SSA with planning, mobility, assessment, and on-the-job coaching. Figure 4 below illustrates the increasing

workload of SSA social workers in general. The number of visits in this last quarter to both children placed in foster care and children reunified

with biological families was over 2200 throughout the country.

Figure 4 – number of social work visitations to children placed in 24 hour care

2.6 Following up Boarding School Placements – Partner NGOs supported MoES is assessing and deinstitutionalizing children from 8

boarding schools in 2010. Ongoing monitoring of children placed into alternatives continued during the reporting period in order to ensure

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

N of visits inFoster Care

cases

N of visits inreintegration

cases

10

inclusion of children with special needs into the mainstream schools and the communities. Schools/teachers and education recourse centers

received support for improving their work with children.

2.7 Assessment of Children in Remaining Boarding Schools – As described in the prior reporting period, this work has moved into calendar

year 2012.

2.8 Recruitment and Training of Foster Caretakers – In the current reporting period 114 foster caretakers were recruited, and 28 additional

emergency and specialized foster caretakers (for children with disability) were recruited. EveryChild and Children of Georgia have

successfully recruited and trained over 150 foster caregivers so far, and this number is expected to increase by at least 200 over the next two

reporting periods. The training is designed in three stages, and various recruited foster caretakers are disqualified at different stages if they are

found to be unsuitable. 74 foster caretakers who applied during this process have been disqualified due to various reasons.

2.9 Small Group Homes Purchased for MoHLSA –Within this project, 8 homes were purchased during this reporting period. This brings the

total number of small group homes purchased to 25. These homes have been successfully transferred onto the balance sheets of MoHLSA, and

are now undergoing extensive renovation by CHF in preparation to receive children by December, 2011.

2.10 Recruitment and Training of Small Group Home Providers – During this reporting period MoHLSA, with the technical support of

UNICEF, advertised a tender to solicit NGOs who will run the small group homes procured under this project. The applications were assessed

according to a range of criteria, including financial capacity of the applying NGO, experience in providing child care services, and human

resources. NGOs were asked to apply by region. NGO „Biliki‟ – a well known and well run NGO – will be providing in Shida Kartli region.

“Momavlis Skhivi" (attached to the church) will be providing in Guria region – they are a new NGO, and is yet to be seen their quality of

service. SOS Children's Village will be providing the small group home service in Samegrelo, Racha-Lechkhumi and Imereti. “Karitas” was

selected to provide service in Tbilisi, “Children and Environemnt”- in Kvemo Kartli and “Devine Child Georgia” will be responsible for SGHs

in Mtskheta-Mtianeti. At this stage none of the NGOs from Kakheti region were selected by the commission, as they did not meet the selection

criteria. Respectively, the repeated competition for selectmg service providers in Kakheti will take place in early September. The identification

of caregivers who will be trained has commenced during this reporting period, and will accelerate in the coming reporting period, along with

trainings.

11

2.11 Recruit and Deploy Psychologists in Support of the Reform – A total of 41 members of multi-disiplinaty assessment teams, including

specialized psychologists, were strengthened with training to support the reform, 26 during this reporting period. In addition to the multi-

disiplinary teams that are responsible for gatekeeping the boarding school system to ensure only those children who truly need special

learniong environments are admitted, the need for psychological assistance temporarily provided by the NGO Children of Georgia

professionals became even more evident during the assessments in the institutions. A significant number of children referred to the

psychologists by the social workers need support due to the abuse and neglect experienced in familiar or residential care or in preparation for

move between different settings.

2.12 Assess all Day Centre Providers for Disability Against National Standards – The final report was shared with MoHLSA and SSA in

this reporting period. Priorities for strengthening day centres as per the assessment were agreed.

2.13 Provide Prioritized Support to Day Centers – The physical capacity of 4 day centres has started, including adapting ramps and toilets,

will be improved in the coming quarter. Capacity building of staff will be provided to all 24 day centres for children with disability (funded

both by central and local government) in the coming quarter.

2.14 Establish 2 new Day Centers for Children with Disability – Recruitment of the engineer and planning of renovation of space for the

second day care center run by First Step Georgia in Tbilisi started during the reporting period. NGO has hired the center staff for Tbilisi and

Kutaisi centers, which were trained during the last two reporting periods, overall 24 people (14 in Tbilisi and 10 in Kutaisi). Negotiations with

MoLHSA and Kutaisi Municipality for obtaining appropriate space for the day center in Kutaisi is completed. MoU between FSG and Kutaisi

Municipality is signed. Centers will start functioning in the next reporting period.

2.15 Establish Outreach Support for Children with Special Needs – During the reporting period a voucher funding for the early

intervention program was introduced by MoLHSA. First Step has already hired and trained multidisciplinary team composed of 5

professionals. Provision of services to twenty children/families was provided during this reporting period. These children 99% of whom are

infants or toddlers, were prevented from entering the Tbilisi Infant Home. Some of the children are fully funded by the state with the vouchers;

others are self-funded by the families.

12

Area 3 – Management, Policy, Oversight and Accountability

3.1 Develop Minimum Standards for Small Group Homes – There has been a delay in adoption of the minimum standards. MoHLSA has

asked for the current version to be re-translated into Georgian, as the current translation is not of a good quality. Furthermore, MoHLSA

would like the standards to be in the same format as the day centre standards. UNICEF technical staff is working closely with technical

counterparts at MoHLSA to re-format and re-translate the document without any further sub-contracts or consultants.

3.2 Develop and Institutionalize Monitoring Mechanism for Oversight of Small Group Homes – UNICEF hired a technical specialist into

the SSA to assist with developing a monitoring mechanism for small group homes. Initial conversations were held with MoHLSA on the

framework. It was agreed, in principle, that the Ministry has the responsibility to monitor, and can not outsource this responsibility. We

agreed, however, that for the first year UNICEF (through the support of USAID) would consider supporting a civil society group to assist

the Ministry in its monitoring. This discussion and the framework development will continue into the next quarter.

3.3 Case Management Guidelines – The case management guidelines (fully developed) has not been reviewed with government during this

reporting period due to intensive field based work and the summer holidays. These guidelines are scheduled to be reviewed with a plan for

roll-out during this reporting period.

3.4 Child Care Assessment Forms Updated – The assessment forms which accompany the case management guidelines will also be

reviewed with MoHLSA during the next reporting period. Forms are available from MoLHSA/SSA review in Georgian.

IV. Additional Information Relevant to the Project

Over the course of the project reunification of children by the SSA social workers from Small Group Homes has totaled 6. Reunification of

children from foster care has been 29. These are very low numbers. As institutions are closed, and children are placed in new settings, these

numbers will need to be monitored as we expect them to increase as social workers have an increased amount of time to work on these cases.

3 institutions (Dusheti, Lagodekhi and Digomi) have been closed so far during the project. During the next reporting period 9 additional

institutions are intended to be closed as additional children are assessed and placed, including: Tskneti, Tsalenjikha, Momavlis Sakhli,

Satnoeba, Kutaisi, Mestia, Tashiskari, Surami and Aspindza which currently hosts children from former Dighomi institution.

13

From January 2011 there have been 99 prevention cases – that is, families who were preparing to relinquish their children but were supported

with state assistance in the form of a food voucher or a day care centre voucher. 25 of these cases were further supported with assistance from

this project.

V. Publicity and Branding Activities - Summary of Actions

A media orientation training on the child care system reform was organized for 20 TV, radio and print journalists on 1-2 July in Anaklia. The

representatives of the Social Service Agency and UNICEF briefed journalists about international standards on child care, main directions of the

reform in Georgia, the role of social workers, and ethical standards on reporting. The training was interactive through group work and role

plays,

14

A 13 min documentary was produced by the First Step Foundation on day care and early intervention services. Negotiation is underway to air

the film on Georgian Public Broadcasting Station. Follow the link below to view the documentary:

http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/yOaLGlJ2/_online.html#dir=107098342

The progress acheived in the reform has also been highlighted in a number of TV and radio talkshows where UNICEF was invited to talk

about the situation of children as well as through various news stories.

For the next quarter it is planned to produce a 60-min documentary on the reform process in general and about its impact on children in

partnership with the UNICEF Division of Communication in New York – at this time the majority of finances for this documentary are secured

through UNICEF HQ.

The brochure about the project is under development and another media orientation session is also planned in Kakheti in October. In the

coming quarter two media events are planned to show the general public a successful foster care case, as well as a successful reunification case.

VI. Partnerships and Sustainability

Partnerships are critical for sustainability and joint ownership. UNICEF has worked to ensure a broad partnership approach at all levels.

UNICEF maintains regular contact with all parties involved, convenes and ensures working group meetings are taking place, effective and

inclusive; and coordinates ad-hoc meetings with government and key partners as needed. Regular and open communication with USAID has

been critical for ensuring that messages to the government are coordinated.