EU funded project “Advocacy for Child and Youth Protection” puts emphasis on the advancement of the knowledge among the child professionals, child protection policy and decision makers in order to enable them to identify children, youth and young women in crisis situations and provide quality protection and support to them and to their family members.
To this end, the Public Health Foundation of Georgia, with the help of the project partner – BICE organized a study tour to France for medical practitioners, child protection policy and decision makers and staff of Tbilisi, Batumi and Zugdidi Child and Youth Advocacy centres. The goal of the visit was to introduce and increase proficiency of the group members in identifying abuses towards children, and most specifically sexual abuses; heighten doctors’ and child protection professionals’ understanding and experience on the organization of child protection system in France, health sector’s engagement, multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral cooperation.
The study tour combined visits to a) Orleans La Source Hospital - pediatric division, where child abuse department is located in the premises of the hospital, which provides medico-psychological expertise and assessment of child victims. b) Participants also got introduced to the work of Versailles medico judiciary department functions, their main duties and responsibilities in the work with child victims of abuse. c) When visiting the Buttes-Chaumont Center, the participants’ had the opportunity to discuss French and Georgian child protection referral system similarities and differences. It was interesting to hear about center’s experiences on family group therapy methodology. The sturdy tour was essential in terms of demonstrating how important it is to interview, provide medical examination and assessment of child victim in child-friendly environment via multidisciplinary approach, when all the services, which child may need are available in one environment.
The study tour was preceded by a 3 day training held in December 2017 in Tbilisi on the issue “Identification of Child Abuse” (for details follow the link).
The project “Advocacy for Child and Youth Protection” is implemented by the Public Health Foundation of Georgia. Rehabilitation and Development Charity Centre Tanaziari, “Step Forward” and International Child Catholic Bureau (BICE) are project co-applicants, while Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University and Child Helpline International perform as project Associate partners.
See the visit photos
