Technical Cooperation in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

 

 

Relaf, together with the Sub-Secretary of Infant, Adolescent and Family Policies of the Ministry of Social Development of the Province of Tierra del Fuego, with the support of the Fundación NEP, planned four days of training and technical co-operation activities in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The activities were planned months before, beginning with a request for training from the Programme of Foster Care realised by Relaf. From an integral vision in which, in relation to the guarantee of the rights of children and adolescents to live within a family and community, Relaf proposed widening the intervention of all of the ministerial programmes to strengthen the family unit and alternative care, by offering integral training with a focus on the human rights of the child, focusing on the prevention of the separation and in the provision of adequate alternative care according to the needs of every child and adolescent. The agenda contained the following training and technical cooperation activities:

 

 

 

 

Conference: “The right to community- and family-based care of children and adolescents in Tierra del Fuego.”

In the Conference, professionals from various programmes of the Ministry of Social Development were present, such as the Office of Integral Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents and their Families and the Office of Institutions of Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents. Likewise, representatives of the Judicial Power, professionals from the Provincial Office of Mental Health of the Ministry of Health, officials from the Provincial Police Force, professionals from school cabinets, among other key actors of the system participated. Authorities from the three main organisations shared the opening panel. As an introduction to the conference, Matilde Luna referred to the situation of children deprived of parental care in Argentina based on an analysis of the latest report of recommendations of the Committee of Rights of the Child of the Argentine Republic, complementing the scene with the principle finds of the “August 2011 Document: Institutionalised Childhood and Adolescence: Visibilisation of serious human rights violations” produced by Relaf, in which five particularly sensitive aspects that should be eradicated were identified: the existence of large institutions; the persistent existence of admitted babies; the worrying situation of adolescents who endure long stays in institutions; the extremely serious ascertainment of cases of sexual abuse or mistreatment in institutions and finally the growing problem of children institutionalised outside their countries of origin, problems from which Argentina is not exempt.

The presentation of the “Guidelines on the different types of alternative care of children” and the friendly versions for operators and children, produced by the Relaf team, gave orientation towards policies and practices to advance, from different spheres, the necessary adaptation of alternative care in Argentina. María Sánchez Brizuela presented the friendly version for operators, which is a guide of standards that orientates their dealings with children and adolescents and their families in different moments and situations in which they may need to intervene. The process of production, validation and contents of the guide of standards was discussed. Equally, Mara Tissera Luna presented the process of production, validation and contents of the friendly version for children and adolescents and the experiences of application of the material with children and adolescents.

In the same line of adaptation of the provisional policies of alternative care with a focus on human rights, Lidia Batista, Sub-Secretary of Social Policies and Development of the Interior of the Province of Misiones and Néstor Álvarez, a professional from the Project “Promotion and restitution of the right to community- and family-based care of children and adolescents in Misiones. Deinstitutionalisation and promotion of alternative care in families and communities.” Both presented the pilot project of deinstitutionalisation in their province, which counts on the cooperation of UNICEF, an organisation that facilitated the presence of both at the Conferences in Ushuaia. Lidia Batista introduced the operation of the Multilateral Council of Social Policies and Development of the Interior, an inter-ministerial and multi-sectorial organisation and its initiatives on policies of infancy, adolescence and family. In turn, anthropologist Néstor Álvarez discussed the achievements obtained in the nine months of implementation of the pilot project of desinstitutionalisation carried out in Misiones, where there are approximately 600 children and adolescents institutionalised in 26 homes. The pilot project was carried out in 2 homes, El Refugio (in Posadas) and Jesús Niños (in Puerto Rico, Gral. San Martín).

In relation to foster care, the Relaf team presented the main concepts and stages of the foster care programmes, keeping in mind the experiences of the region. The Programme of Foster Care of the Office of Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents and their Families in the city of Ushuaia was presented by Marisel Varone and Gabriela Grosse. The programme currently has 11 children in care. The different types of care in the extended family or with members of the community are incorporated in the strategy of the programme, that first searches for options and then, in the case of not finding a solution, implements care in the distant family.

 

 

Supervision of foster family teams in Ushuaia and Rio Grande

As part of the technical cooperation agenda in Tierra del Fuego, Relaf carried out a supervision of technical teams in Foster Care Programs in Ushuaia and Rio Grande. The four hours of exchange and reflection on specific cases were of use to the teams in terms of consolidating terms and work approaches with each child in foster care. These four hours and the rest of the day made the necessity for teams to be able to revise and improve the call stages, the selection and the training of foster families visible. Relaf has made consultation material to achieve a reformulation of said stages available, committing their cooperation to consultations and orientation. The programs of various Tierra del Fuego cities are highlighted by their continuity, strengthening and consolidation.

 

 

Exchange meeting with foster families in the program of Ushuaia.

Accompanied by the foster care team, Relaf had a meeting involving an exchange of experiences between three foster families in the city of Ushuaia: Pety, Elida and Nelida are three foster care mothers, each one of them has a history full of love and commitment to the children under their care and have beautiful memories with others who have passed through their homes. The three are married with children. All members of the families support them and help to ensure that this experience is made possible. Pety and Elida were the “experimented voices” of the meeting. Pety has been caring for an adolescent for years whilst also caring for her three children: one is three years old, another four years old and the other 6 months old; but she has already fostered other adolescents with which even today she still remains in contact with, as an effective role model. Elida has been a foster care mother for more than 15 years. Together with her family she has decided to only care for children, and they do so with a lot of dedication and enthusiasm. They feel satisfied when they leave their home to go and live with their family of origin or with an adoptive family and they know how important having a fluid interaction with many families is for the baby. They are currently caring for a beautiful baby girl. Finally, Nelida became a foster family without having planned it, as she says, life made it that way. She cares for a neighbor’s baby. The gentleman also has other children who Nelida cares for during the day. Although sudden, the experience has been a very positive one for Nelida. The tie she has established with the baby has resulted in her caring for him for as long as may need it, not giving importance to the amount of time this may require as she understands and appreciates his need for care. Listening to these women moves us and reaffirms how important stable and adequate care in a family environment is for the development of a child, especially during the first few years of life. The three women are working individuals whose lives are structured around their personal achievements and the lives of others. We appreciate the fact that these three women shared their life experiences concerning such an extraordinary task for children and adolescents deprived of parental care in Ushuaia with us. Later on we will share their story in our section “Foster Care Families in Latin America: Experiences” on our website.  

 

 

 

 

Friendly version of the Guidelines Application of the friendly versions of the UN Guidelines concerning alternative modalities for the care of children in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

 

As part of the work agenda in Ushuaia, Relaf carried out three activities involving the application of the friendly version of the Guidelines, one with operators and two with children and adolescents.

 

Training activity for operators with the Standard Guide.

Matilde Luna and Maria Sanchez Brizuela carried out a workshop aimed at operators to reflect on the practices with the Standards Guide for operators for the personnel of public and private entities who take care of the protection of children and adolescents’ rights. Around 20 operators from different Social Development Department and Health Department programs attended.
Concerning the conflictive situations activity in the organization of residential care it was revealed that: a high rotation of personnel (who take very short turns), lack of clarity in terms of the rules concerning connections and ties with families of origin, debilitation of the task exists. These aspects which affect adults and children in the residences were received with worry on behalf of the operators. The motives of this problematic situation are complex and deserve deep revision by local decision makers as by the operators in their subjective implication and collective of the role which belongs to them.

 

 

 

 

 

Activities with children in Ushuaia for the application of the friendly version of the UN Guidelines “Your right to live in a family and a community and to be cared for in all the situations of your life”.

Federico Kapustiansky and Mara Tissera Luna carried out two workshops to work with the friendly version of the Guidelines with the children in the youth club “Casa de Chicos y Chicas” (House for Children) in the city of Ushuaia. This is a space in which children of all ages participate in artistic activities and occupational and recreational workshops which depend on the Social Development Department.
The first workshop took place with children who are currently under residential alternative care and those who live with foster families. The second workshop was carried out with children between the ages of 8 and 13 who attend different schools in the city and participate in a recreational space in the youth club.
The subjects which the children gave the most importance to during the games and debates were the following:

• The importance of the children being informed as to why what is happening is happening in their family or why certain decisions are being made.
• The children are conscience of the universality of the Rights and the responsibility of all adults (not only that of the State) to ensure that they are fulfilled.
• They gave a lot of importance to their wishes being taken into account when a decision is made and furthermore when something bad happens in their home that there is someone with whom they can talk.
• That in cases of separation:

a) The place where they go to live in is close to their family and friends.
b) That, even though they are not with their parents, they have a person that is their role model to turn to.
c) That they can choose in which school they will study, what activities they will participate in etc.
d) That contact with their siblings is guaranteed “because it is all we have”.

Finally, when they were asked to decide those things that a child who is going to be separated from their family of origin can ask of a judge, they chose the following:
• To not be separated from their home.
• To continue seeing their siblings and parents.
• To be able to attend the same school they attended beforehand (and to participate in their activities)
• To have their opinions listened to.
• To be given explications concerning what is happening to them.
• To be told the truth (that true facts about their family are not hidden)
• To be with a family every day.
 

The children received participation certificates and copies of the Friendly Version. They also requested material to share with their friends.
Furthermore, a visit with School number 3 of the City of Ushuaia was carried out, during which material taken from the versions were given which will be added to the school’s library. All the activities were shared with those who work with the children to ensure that workshops with the schoolchildren and children who attend other local institutions can be replicated.
We appreciate the children’s participation and the assistance of Monica (From the Casa de Chicos y Chicas); Gabriel Gross, who accompanied the children who are under alternative care, and Daiana and Daniela; the two psychologists who accompanied the schoolchildren.

We remind you that these activated are also carried out as part of the creation of the “Red CRECER” for children and adolescents under alternative care, of which we will inform you on in future communications.

 

 

 

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