The Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Admir Adrović, and the head of the UNICEF representative office in Montenegro, Juan Santander, announced that the strategic priorities are the development and strengthening of support services for families, as well as the prevention and protection of children from all forms of violence and exploitation.
This was announced by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MRSS), after a meeting held in that department.
"Adrović and Santander agree that good foundations have been laid for the reform of the social and child protection system, and assessed that with joint efforts they will do everything to achieve its realization," the announcement states.
The activities of MRSS planned for the next period with the support of UNICEF, related to the reform of the social and child protection system, deinstitutionalization and the Youth Guarantee, were also mentioned.
"The deinstitutionalization strategy, which is in its final phase, envisages the further development of services and activities aimed at reducing the number of children without parental care and in institutions," the statement added.
It is emphasized that every child needs a family, "that is why it is very important that we strengthen support services for families in crisis situations and thus prevent the displacement of children from their biological family".
It is added that if the relocation is in the best interest of the child, it is necessary that he be placed in a foster family and not in an institution.
"All children should live in a warm family environment, and in this sense, it is necessary to strengthen the foster care system," said Adrović.
It was also about the support of UNICEF in order to strengthen the competencies of case managers, in the part of providing training for professional workers, but also about support for the development of the foster care centers themselves.
"The introduction of the Youth Guarantee program in Montenegro will enable systemic support for young people from their education to employment, which should contribute to a significant improvement in the position of young people in Montenegro," the announcement states.
"It was jointly assessed that it is necessary to carry out the reforms started in the field of social and child protection to the end, so that the most vulnerable categories of our society, among which children are a priority, are adequately protected," the announcement concludes.
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