Prevention of violence towards children in Ukraine

Child Well-Being Fund Ukraine is currently implementing the project "Overcoming Violence - Piloting a Model for the Structural Prevention of Violence towards Children" in the partnership with the State Social Service for Family, Children and Youth, Kiev City Centre of Social Services for Family, Children and Youth, Kiev City Service in Child Affairs with the financial support of international organization "Bread for the World" (Germany). The project is planned for years 2008 and 2009.

The aim of this initiative is to enhance social services for families and children in the sphere of child violence prevention. It is focusing on 4 Kiev city districts. In the frame of the project it is foreseen to improve competences specialists of social service centers for family, children and youth, services of child affairs, social pedagogues, psychologists from educational institutions, medical workers, representatives of non-government organizations, with the use of modern technologies and methodology of child violence prevention.

A number of activities has been realised so far within the project:

• Research on the problem of violent behavior towards children for social in four pilot districts of Kiev.
• Conducted trainings: "Prevention of child abuse", "Training of trainers", "Grounds of parenting competence".
• Study tour of a group of Kiev specialists to the Nobody's Children Foundation in Poland, to become familiar with this country experiences in family violence prevention.