Guide “Development of social services for children and families”

The present publication comes at a time when social assistance is undergoing a comprehensive reform process aimed at building an integrated system focused on meeting beneficiaries’ needs, developing their skills and capacities, and reducing the risk of marginalization and social exclusion. In this context, the development of community-based social services and the establishment of a national network of social workers represent essential elements of the new system. This guide provides social protection professionals with a set of methodological materials on the development of social services for children and families in difficulty, such as: the Child Institutionalization Prevention System, Family Support and Child Reintegration Services, and the Professional Foster Care Service.

At the same time, the guide is also useful for the academic community involved in the training of future social workers, offering support for updating and developing university curricula, especially in situations where new social services emerge that go beyond the scope of traditional professional training. The publication represents a joint effort by specialists seeking to unify procedures and approaches in a diverse field such as social work practice. It reflects recent concerns and experiences in reforming social policies for families and children, with a view to modernizing and aligning the Republic of Moldova with European standards in social assistance for these categories of persons.