Study visit and coordinators meeting in Warsaw

After the conference "Helping children - victims of crime" held on 26 - 27 October participants from East European countries, including Belarus (INGO „Ponimanie"), Armenia („Arevamanuk" Family and Child Care Fund), Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldavia and Ukraine, had opportunity to become familiar with the work of the Nobody's Children Foundation. The following programmes were presented to the participants of the study visit:

• "Mazowiecka" Child Advocacy Centre. The centre operates in collaboration with courts, prosecutor's offices, and the police. The Centre's services include crisis interventions in cases of crimes against children (especially child sexual abuse and violence); a child-friendly interview room; free psychological and legal assistance for child victims of crime and their families; consultations, training and supervisions for professionals dealing with the problem of child abuse.
• "Good Parent - Good Start": a programme focusing on prevention of abuse of young children (ages 0-3). The project has been carried out in cooperation with health care, social welfare, education, and care facilities. The programme comprises both national and local activities. It was launched in 2007 as a pilot project implemented in selected Warsaw districts. Its activities are targeted at two groups: parents expecting a child and parents with young children, and professionals working with children under 3.
• Helpline.org.pl: a joint project of the Nobody's Children Foundation and the Orange Foundation, carried out within the European Commission's "Safer Internet" programme, where children and young people can raise their concerns about different dangerous situations encountered online.
• Helpline for Children and Youth 116 111 run by the Nobody's Children Foundation provides children with support in difficult situations. 116 111 is operated by qualified psychologists and pedagogues who are trained to talk with young people about problems and they are always ready to give them an adequate aid. The helpline was activated thanks to cooperation of the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, the Office for Electronic Communication and Polkomtel SA.

After the study visit coordinators from organisations implementing Childhood without Abuse Project discussed 5 years of the project realisation and summed up lessons learned, project achievements and their sustainability as well as gaps in child protection systems still existing.