On 10-11 May 2016 in Vienna, Austria, Child Protection Hub for South East Europe organises a regional Policy Forum on Decentralisation of Social Services. This event will bring together policy makers, local authorities, experts, ombudsmen, representatives of NGOs and academia from 14 countries of Europe to exchange experiences and foster cooperation.
“Countries in South East Europe face a variety of challenges, now compounded by a large flow of refugees. Children are often those who suffer the most. By supporting this project, Austrian Development Cooperation aims to create a safer environment for children, addressing social workers and professionals, civil society and political decision makers at the same time”, says Mr Robert Zeiner, Director of the unit “International Programs and Projects”, Austrian Development Cooperation.
This Policy Forum will provide a real chance to share practices on decentralising social services in the region. Key lessons learnt and promising practices from the region, particularly in terms of the delegation of responsibilities, decision-making, monitoring and financing will be further employed to inform processes for improved service provisions and develop recommendations for the future.
The list of confirmed speakers include Mr. Miroslav Juresic, Deputy Minister for Work and Social Welfare of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jean-Claude Legrand, Senior Regional Advisor Child Protection, UNICEF Regional Office CEE-CIS, Gordana Matkovic, Director of the Center for Social Policy in Serbia, and others.
“In our region discussion on decentralisation is especially important. Despite many advantages the process has, it can still lead to inequality and exclusion”, highlights Dr. Gordana Matkovic, “In this regard, I hope that through the discussion we will develop the mutual understanding of appropriate division of functions between the national and local level in the area of social care”.
For further details, please consult the press release – click here – and the event agenda – click here.