The Child and Family Centre (CDiR) is a solution for local authorities that want to support families with young children more effectively. The municipality together with representatives of residents, NGOs and local institutions such as social welfare centres, kindergartens, schools, health centres and libraries create a plan for the cooperation of institutions based on the results of a local diagnosis of needs. The idea behind the Centre is to break down the departmental nature of the institutions’ tasks and budgets and create a space for cooperation between all municipal institutions and organisations responsible for the well-being of young children and families.
Care and educational services for families with young children are part of the municipalities’ own tasks, but municipalities are not obliged to run such services. As a result, children from birth to kindergarten, especially those living in rural areas, are most often “invisible”. A major obstacle to the creation of local integrated services is the organisational structure. Municipal tasks in the areas of social welfare, education, health, culture have separate funding paths, which leads to sectorisation of services, lack of contact between institutions and difficulties in combining the budgets of individual institutions. The task of the Child and Family Centre is to break down this sectoral system.
CDiR is inclusive – it is available to all families, including those in difficult situations. The Centre is not a new institution, its activities are based on already existing local government institutions or organisations. Depending on the situation in the municipality, the CDiR can be affiliated to a social welfare centre, community centre, library or NGO. The centres offer various types of activities for children and parents. The offer of the Centres is free of charge.
EXAMPLES OF CDIR SERVICES
- Playgroups
- Library for the youngest
- specialist consultations
- workshops for parents
- specialist consultations
- screening tests
- workshops for pregnant women
- midwives on duty
- legal advice
- family picnics
