Not only do they ensure that children’s rights are respected, but they also make sure that they are treated with respect and dignity. Through the project “Integrated humanitarian response for Ukrainians affected by conflict and third-country nationals from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova,” implemented by the Alliance of NGOs Active in the Field of Child and Family Social Protection (APSCF), in partnership with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Center for Information and Documentation on Child Rights (CIDDC) has initiated a series of actions aimed at facilitating the integration of refugee children. In solidarity with those who have fled the violence of the war and sought refuge in the Republic of Moldova, CIDDC representatives have created a series of programs addressing the complex process of adaptation, with a focus on several directions.
Supporting inclusion
Recognizing the importance of offering specialized and targeted support to refugee children and their families to address their educational, psychological, recreational, and other specific needs, the Center for Information and Documentation on Child Rights (CIDDC) supports education professionals, including teachers and school administrators from preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools, in integrating refugee children into educational institutions in the Republic of Moldova. This support involves developing and enhancing the capacities of education professionals to effectively discuss the topic of war with children and help them manage their emotions.
Encouraging children’s participation in decision-making processes
For this purpose, CIDDC has initiated a training program to develop skills to support children’s involvement in decision-making processes, targeting professionals working with and for children, including refugee children. The program aims to provide a safe framework for these professionals to discuss practices related to children’s involvement in various educational contexts. Additionally, the program aims to identify practical and legal processes and methods to ensure that children’s opinions are authentically and ethically considered, respecting standards of active and legal participation.
Parenting programs
More and more education professionals report difficulties in communicating with parents, including the parents of Ukrainian children. The same trend is observed in their cooperation with institution staff involved in child development processes. The causes of these reluctances can be stress reactions and/or the lack or insufficiency of parenting skills. CIDDC supports teachers, in a safe and inclusive environment, to reflect on their experiences of relating to parents and in developing assertive communication skills with parents during thematic parenting sessions.
Providing psychological counseling
Despite their hopes for a supportive environment, Ukrainian refugees face linguistic, cultural, and social barriers in their new surroundings, which can have emotional and psychological effects. To address the stress experienced by some refugees from conflict-affected areas and assist in their adaptation to new realities, CIDDC offers psycho-emotional support to refugee children integrating into educational institutions in the Republic of Moldova. This support includes counseling and therapy sessions provided to refugee children, their parents, or caregivers to help them cope with challenges and facilitate their integration.
Preventing and combating bullying to support children’s integration
Bullying is a serious issue in society, including within educational settings, and it affects all children. The background of beneficiaries from the project “Integrated humanitarian response for Ukrainians affected by conflict and third-country nationals from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova” makes them more vulnerable to this problem. To address this, CIDDC offers training programs to teachers and psychologists on implementing anti-bullying methodologies approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. This initiative aims to strengthen education professionals’ abilities to prevent and respond to bullying and discrimination targeting refugee children and others. As of January 2024, over 2000 individuals have participated in these trainings organized by CIDDC.
All these intervention efforts are geared towards facilitating the adaptation of Ukrainian refugees and creating optimal psycho-emotional conditions for their integration. So far, 57 children have benefited from this assistance, receiving a total of 400 psychological counseling sessions. All programs have been made possible thanks to the international support, a strong sign of solidarity against a violent armed conflict that has turned millions of Ukrainian citizens into emigrants.
The project “Integrated humanitarian response for Ukrainians affected by conflict and third-country nationals from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova” is implemented in partnership with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office (AA). In Moldova, the project is coordinated by the Alliance of NGOs Active in the Field of Child and Family Social Protection (APSCF), together with 5 implementing partners (NGOs): Amici dei Bambini Moldova (AiBi), the Civic Association DEMOS, the Civic Association “Alternative Social,” Partnerships for Every Child (P4EC), and the Center for Information and Documentation on Child Rights in Moldova (CIDDC).