Gutić: Our goal is that no child in Montenegro is neglected and that every family receives adequate support

Montenegro's progress towards membership in the European Union should be accompanied by more investments in strengthening the child and social protection system, Minister of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography Damir Gutić and UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Regina De Dominicis announced today in Podgorica.

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography announced that the meeting was dedicated to accelerating reforms in the field of child and social protection.

"Our goal is that no child in Montenegro is neglected and that every family receives adequate support from the system. European integration is not just a political process, but an opportunity to improve the quality of life of children and citizens through more accessible services that support the lives of children in the family and community," said Gutić.

De Dominicis stressed that Montenegro has made important progress for children and that UNICEF stands ready to continue supporting reforms in this sector as the country progresses towards membership in the European Union (EU).

Gutić emphasized that they remain committed to reforms that will contribute to reducing child poverty, strengthening support for families, and improving services for the most vulnerable children, especially through cooperation with international partners and European Union institutions.

De Dominićis congratulated Gutić on his appointment as President of the Council for the Rights of the Child and stressed the importance of strengthening its role in coordinating reforms that affect the realization of children's rights. It is also emphasized that they discussed the important role that the Council for the Rights of the Child can play in strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation and supporting the implementation of the European Child Guarantee - an EU initiative aimed at reducing child poverty and improving access to quality services for the most vulnerable children.

De Dominicis recalled that the European Commission adopted the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy last week, further boosting the implementation of the European Child Guarantee and strengthening broader efforts to reduce poverty and social exclusion across Europe. She pointed out that Montenegro's Action Plan for the implementation of the European Child Guarantee can contribute to strengthening services and support for the most vulnerable children.

According to the Ministry, they also discussed the activities that the department is implementing to establish a Barnahus model for child victims and witnesses of sexual violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, which unites and coordinates the services of various competent authorities and services in one place, adapted to the needs of the child, in order to reduce trauma, provide comprehensive support and ensure access to justice.

"A special focus of the meeting was placed on the establishment of the Center for Foster Care and Family Placement. Gutić emphasized that by establishing the Center, the issue of assessment, training, licensing and continuous support for foster parents and providers of family placement services will be systematically regulated for the first time. This ensures greater control of the quality of services, better protection of beneficiaries and a more efficient system of social and child protection. The Center will provide training, assessment and continuous support to service providers, which means that beneficiaries will be placed in families that are truly ready and capable of providing them with quality care," the Ministry emphasized, adding that Gutić thanked UNICEF representatives for the technical support and donation for equipping the Center for Foster Care and Family Placement, training for employees and promotions.

Gutić and De Dominićis reportedly emphasized the importance of accelerating the establishment of the aforementioned public institutions by the end of the year, that every child should grow up safe, protected and supported, and that strengthening the child and social protection system is essential for the future of Montenegro.