children as experts on their own lives in alternative care enoc 16th annual conference, cyprus 2012...
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Children as experts on their own lives in alternative care ENOC 16th Annual Conference, Cyprus 2012 Trine Nyby The Danish National Council for Children. ”They try to make it as normal as possible” A report published in May 2012 by the National Council for Children - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Children as experts on their own lives in alternative care
ENOC 16th Annual Conference, Cyprus 2012
Trine NybyThe Danish National Council for Children
”They try to make it as normal as possible”
A report published in May 2012by the National Council for Children
Experiences and perspectives from 113 children and young people In alternative care Recommendations for the futurealternative care
www.brd.dk
Background and initiative
2010: The ‘Godhavn-report’: A retrospective study revealing massive neglect and assault on children in alternative care i the period 1945-1976 in Denmark The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, art. 12!
2011: The Danish Minister of Social Affairs urged the Council to listen to children in alternative care
Aim and purpose To learn about quality in alternative care from the childrens perspective
To bring childrens participation and sayings in focus (strengthen their voice)
To qualify the inspection and supervision of children and institutions/families
To affect policymakers, practitioners and the educational institutions
The experts
113 children in the age of 10-18 74 living in institutions 26 living in foster care families 4 living with relatives/network-families 9 living in their own apartments/rooms
3 workshops 52 single interviews 11 group interviews 64 survey responses
New insights
Children in alternative care are very often not allowed to participate and have a say in decisions that affect them
Arbitrariness seems to be a living condition in alternative care in Denmark 2012
New dialogues
The Council has facilitated meetings between a group of ‘ambassadors’ for the experts and the authorities
The ambassadors have delivered their recommendations to:
- The Minister of Social Affairs - Professional key-persons
- The public
And some important changes
Impowerment of the children and young people
Input to new social reforms in Denmark
New perspectives in the public debate on quality in alternative care in specific and in the danish child welfare in generel
Public and professional debate e.g on the use of physical force
