Eu-funded project "Make the difference!"
Together for child protection in families with addiction issues.
News!
Guide is now available!
To access the Guide "Building Bridges of Support. A Collaborat
ive Path of Different Help Systems to Empower Families with Addiction Issues", go to MTD Downloads.
About the Make the difference project
Background
Violence against children can take many forms. Besides physical and psychological violence directed against them, growing up in a household with addiction issues can lead to serious psychological problems. Across partner countries, 8-14 % of all drug users are living with children (EMCDDA, 2012). Until today, initiatives have mainly focused on educating professionals and developing group programmes for affected children. However, without identifying those children in the first place, these measures cannot be effective.
Objectives
Make the difference aims to prevent the endangerment to the welfare of children living in households with addiction issues by:
- focusing on promoting binding cooperation agreements
- qualifying professionals and
- embedding (existing) fitting offers for the children.
Activities
- The project specifically focuses on HOW to reach a binding cooperation agreement between addiction care and youth welfare services by developing a GUIDE for the joint development of a cooperation agreement.
- In all 12 partner countries, an individual cooperation agreement will be prepared along this guide, signed and implemented within the course of the project. The implementation of the cooperation agreements can include regular exchanges, case discussions, job shadowing or mutual consultations, always depending on the specific agreement.
- Professionals from both help systems have been qualified on issues concerning the target group in joint seminars. A training concept has been prepared and is used for further trainigns in partner countries. The joint training also promotes cooperation between the two help systems.
- Existing help offers for the children and the families are strengthened and as a low-threshold prevention measure, a mentoring approach is being tested in partner countries. The German programme “Baloo and You” serves as a role model. This is intended to promote positive caring relationships to stable adults as a protective factor for the children and the associated resilience.
Project partners (beneficiaries)
All project partners are active in addiction care, including prevention, counselling or treatment. All have worked together with a local partner organization responsible for child protection. The local partners have committed to work together with the beneficiaries towards a binding cooperation agreement. Together, they have participated in 6 international project workshops!
Project coordinator
LWL-Coordination Office for Addiction Issues, Germany
www.lwl-ks.de
Head of project: Dr. Gaby Bruchmann
Contact person: Rebekka Kleinat
Tel. +49 251 591 5382
E: rebekka.kleinat[at]lwl.org
