Daniela POPESCU,
President National Center for
Child Abuse Prevention (CNPAC)

Identified Issues

Analysis, interference, and monitoring of the case by only one specialist often does not lead to the efficient solution of the case. If the problem is not identified and the situation is analyzed from the point of view of only one specialist, it often leads to re-victimization of the child, who remains in the vulnerable position.

Particularities of investigation of the abuse cases are determined by the specifics of the underage’s psychology, who became victims of abuse:

• lack of independent life experience, perception, memorization and interpretation of what happened to them in the past;
• unstable character, mood oscillations, increased affectivity,inclination towards imitation;
• stimulated maturity, insufficient self-criticism;
• fear to be called weak.
  

Solutions

Creation of a multidisciplinary and inter-institutional group of experts/specialists for case management

Such group could include:

• representatives of medical, psycho-social, juridical services;
  
• representatives of various state institutions, local governments, tutorship and curatorship agencies, law-enforcement authorities, reception and rehabilitation centers.
  

Drafting an intervention plan, case monitoring

Abused and neglected children, including trafficked children, require a complex assistance, which can be ensured by cooperation and coordinated actions of child protection agencies (governmental and non-governmental structures), law-enforcement authorities, etc. Intervention of specialized organizations is also need in cases when it is necessary to reduce the vulnerability of the underage as to prevent trafficking children.

Method of Work

CNPAC drafted and is now implementing a multidisciplinary model of identification and intervention in cases of maltreatment
and trafficking in children. This model – Services of psycho-social assistance to child and family „AMICUL” – is targeted to the following two general objectives:

(i) multidisciplinary assistance (psycho-social, medical, juridical) to children and families in situation of maltreatment, including victims of trafficking or people from the risk category;
(ii) re-socialization and re-integration of children at risk.

For these goals’ accomplishment, the Service includes operational procedure of all the three levels of prevention of child abuse and trafficking: children and families from the community (primary prevention), children and families at risk (secondary prevention), maltreated children, victims of trafficking (tertiary prevention).

Mode of intervention, elaborated by this Service, is called the Case work model and presupposes the following stages:

(1) Signal Reception
This stage includes the following actions:

• reception and registration of case;
  
• official notification of tutorship and curatorship agency;
  
• information of the child’s legal representative about the services offered by „AMICUL”.

(2) Initial Evaluation
At this stage the following actions take place:

• verification of the reported situation (meeting with the presumable
  victim, with the victim’s parents, review of data base of tutorship and curatorship agency);
  
• identification of child’s status;
  
• case opening.

(3) Drafting a plant of multidisciplinary intervention
During this stage the following takes place:

• organization of a multidisciplinary evaluation sitting;
  
• drafting an individual plan;
  
• identification of competent partners and services.
  Working Formula:
  • evaluation of possibilities to support the family or likelihood of child placement in a safer environment;
    
  • adjustment of short- and long-term intervention plan;
    
  • assignment of responsibilities between the specialists of „AMICUL” Service and members of the expert team with regard to the case intervention;
    
  • establishment of principles and strategies of cooperation between the specialists of „AMICUL” Services and the expert team members during different stages of intervention.

(4) Intervention
This stage includes the following:

• involvement of competent partners and services;
  
• re-socialization program (hobby clubs for children, work at computer, children support groups, Parent’s School).

(5) Evaluation
This stage presupposes:

• identification of changes in child’s situation,
  
• evaluation of psycho-social situation of child.

(6) Closing the Case
This stage is limited to an official statement made by the multidisciplinary team.

(7) Supervision of Closed Case
The final stage, which envisages monitoring of the situation (3 – 12 months after closing of the file).

Recommendations

• Information of the population about the rendered services and competences of the organization.
• Creation of a multidisciplinary and inter-institutional group of specialists, and involvement thereof in analysis, intervention, and monitoring of the case.
• Identification of would-be necessary actors in the process of case intervention and maintenance of cooperation relations.
• Supervision of closed case.