SERBIA
MAIN STRENGTHS AND KEY CHALLENGES
Partnerships
SOS Children’s Villages Serbia implements its activities in state-run
refugee centres in cooperation with state authorities, NGOs and
local institutions, following the government’s standard operating
procedures on the protection of refugee and migrant children. By
building alliances, the organisation helps to increase the capacity of
local institutions.
Identification of and support for particularly vulnerable
people
The programme’s target group of migrant and refugee children in-
cludes some of the most vulnerable children: children who survived
violence, unaccompanied children and children with disabilities or
severe illnesses. The programme’s child protection teams identify
particularly vulnerable children and refer them to relevant services.
The teams employ case management to ensure proper follow-up
and swift response to individual needs.
Services for families
The programme works to improve children’s lives by providing
direct services and helping families to stay together. For each
case, a family plan is developed in cooperation with all the family
members, including children, and the support of a multidisciplinary
team. Activities for parents include workshops and support groups
as well as joint recreational and educational activities with their
children. To provide a suitable environment for children, dedicated
areas are created in the centre when feasible, such as family rooms
and mother and baby corners.
Adequate training and support for staff
SOS Children’s Villages Serbia has a code of conduct and a child
protection policy, and its staff are trained in reporting and respond-
ing to cases of child abuse. The project’s staff receive training and
monthly individual and group psychological supervision.
Limited capacity of the state
Serbia is unable to address the needs of the numbers of refugees and
migrants, most of whom arrived in the country without intending to
settle there but were prevented from travelling to other countries.
The limited resources and capacity of state services do not always
allow for a proper follow-up of cases referred to them.
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