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Presentation regarding Foster Care in

Suriname

Mrs. Melisa Wongsodikromo

Mrs . Judith Karijodrono

Ministry of Social Affairs & Housing

Mrs. Roline Bottse

Federation Private Social Institutions

April , 2009

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FOSTER CARE IN

THE REPUBLIC

OF

SURINAME

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Key actors

• The Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

(Sozavo) – Youth Care division

• The Foster Care Foundation (NGO)

• Federation of Private Social Institutions

(VPSI)

• The Ministry of Justice and Police (JusPol)

- Bureau for Family Law Affairs (BuFaz)

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What do we have in Suriname

• Legislation (the ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, the

ministry of Justice and Police and the ministry of Education)

• Social provisions through the ministry of

Social Affairs and Housing

• Collaboration with the key actors

(Government & NGO’s)

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Legislation

• Draft foster care legislation has been

developed;

• Draft legislation on institutional care and

the development of standards for childcare

institutions.

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Draft legislation on foster careThe draft legislation is currently being screened.

This legislation emphasizes the importance of the role of

BuFaz. Some aspect that are mentioned in the

legislation are:

• each foster parent and the head of an institution, as far as the child has been placed by the institutions, has a duty to:

- report to BuFaz;

- give all relevant information;

- if needed also to let the foster child appear to BuFaz.

• BuFaz has also the supervision to any place where a foster child is being taking care of;

• BuFaz is also competent to order, in the best interest of the foster child, to the public prosecution service that the foster child will no longer stay in the foster family.

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Draft legislation on institutional care

• This legislation regulates that exploitation of a child care institution requires a permit.

• Standards have also been developed which will apply to the child care institution in order to guarantee quality care.

• One of the standards that has been formulated implies a care plan for every child which is taken in an institution. With this care plan, the monitoring of what happens to the child takes place. Since placing children in an institution is considered the last resort, the care plan must take into consideration placing children back with their families or placing them in foster care.

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The structure of the standards for child care

institutions

1. the rights of the child;2. the policy of the institution such as;- the objective/ aim of the institution;- the requirements;- the administration and management;- rules within the institution;- health and safety aspects;- food;3. Physical conditions of;- the territorium and building;- the kitchen;- the toilets and bathrooms;- the sleeping space/ room.

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Structure of the standards

Administration

and

management

Relation child

and

caretaker

Healthy and

safety

environment

Food

Physical

conditions

Rights of the Child

Objective/

aim of the

child care

institution

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Progress draft legislation on

institutional care

The draft legislation on institutional care facilities has been

submitted to the board of ministers for approval.

Anticipating on the formal approval of this legislation, the

ministry had formed a working group with relevant divisions

of the ministries of Education, Health, Justice and Police as

well as the NGO Federation Private Social Institutions

(VPSI) to work a strategy to start the implementation of the

standards.

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Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing

Social provisions:

• financial assistance to persons with a disability, individuals and households

• school supplies for children

• day care facilities

• care for persons with a disability

• food for kids in institutions/day care centers/some households

• health card for primary and secondary health care

• subsidies to child care institutions

• youth care

• family coaching

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Subsidy policy

• The subsidy policy is to support institutions who take care of children and youth, persons with a disability and the elderly.

• The criteria to provide subsidy is that activities of the institutions must be in line with the policy of Sozavo. Furthermore it is important that an financial overview of the exploitation cost is provided, where is pointed out that they have a shortage in finances;

• The ministry can support the institution with finance or to lend out personnel from the ministry to the institution;

• At this moment, an evaluation is being done regarding the criteria and procedures to provide subsidy. The objective is to adjust the subsidy policy.

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Youth Care division of Sozavo

• The Youth Care division of Sozavo provides assistance

for the guidance of children and youth, when they are

threatened in there growth and development. Assistance

can be guidance or placement in an child care institution,

advise and inform children, youth and their parents to be

in a healthy family situation.

• Furthermore there is a collaboration between this

division, BuFaz and the Foundation on Foster Care in

regard to placing children or in a child care institution or

in a foster care. The Youth Care division is doing the

research about the background situation of the family.

They advise BuFaz and based on that advise, BuFaz is

taking steps on the best interest of the child.

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Bureau for Family Law Affairs

(BuFaz) – Ministry of Justice and Police

The role of BuFaz regarding foster care is that they also

collaborate with foster care foundation about the placement

of a child in a foster care.

One of the tasks of BuFaz is to use child protection

measures such as guardianship and adoption.

There are 2 guardianship associations in Suriname:

- the foundation Youth and Family (Stg. Jeugd en Gezin)

- the Mr. Huber Foundation (Mr. Huber Stichting

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Federation of Private

Social Institutions (VPSI)The Federation is an umbrella organization where institu-

tions are associated. There are 3 target groups concerning

institutional care namely

- children & youth; elderly; persons with disability

Collaboration with Sozavo:

Anticipating to the formal approval of the legislation, the VPSI

And Sozavo are organizing activities to inform the stakehol-

ders about the importance of the legislation and the steps

that must be taken to fulfill the standards. Some activities

are workshops, information meetings, a research about the

situation in child care institutions, and a training will

be given to the personnel of these institutions.

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Thank you from the delegation of the Republic of Suriname