Youth participation in the context of the project Quality4Children – Quality Standards for Children in Out-of-Home Care in Europe January 31, 2008 Oscar.

Youth participation in the context of the project

Quality4Children – Quality Standards for Children in Out-of-Home Care in Europe

January 31, 2008

Oscar Germes Castro

Why Quality4Children?

Working in the best interest of children without parental care is the common driving force of our three organisations, FICE (Fédération Internationale des Communautés Educatives), IFCO (International Foster Care Organisation) and SOS Children’s Villages. Through Quality4Children (Q4C), we seek to improve the situation of children without parental care and support their development by means of out-of-home care quality standards.

Why Quality4Children?

For a number of reasons, hundreds of thousands of children in Europe are unable to grow up with their biological families, leading, after official intervention, to them being placed into out-of-home care. A number of different care systems are offered to these children to ensure and improve their chances of development. An inadequate care environment can hinder this development and leave children vulnerable and at risk of numerous violations of their rights.

Participation: One of our main values

Participation: People directly concerned by out-of-home child care have been actively involved in the project since 2004; these include children and young adults who have experiences in out-of-home care, families of origin, caregivers and social workers.

The Q4C Youth

The Q4C working group consisted of 52 people (20 m, 32 f). Aout of them 12 were part of the Q4C Youth.

The Q4C Youth were youngsters (between 17 and 26) with experience in out-of-home care

Youth and Child Participation levels

Steering group (international)

Working Group (international)

National team (national)

Storytellers (national)

Czech Republic, summer 2006

Czech Republic, summer 2006

Czech Republic, summer 2006

Austria, autum 2006

Austria, autum 2006

Austria, autum 2006

Austria, autum 2006

Our outcome

A set of 18 quality standards that can be downloaded at:

www.quality4children.info

A youth plattform for children and youth in care:

www.power4youth.eu

Political backers

Our outcome has been recognised by three EU-Commissioners

Benita Ferrero-Waldner (et al. External Relations)

Vladimír Špidla (et al. Social affairs)

Ján Figel‘ (et al. Youth)

Further information

Research for, with and by childrenwww.researchingchildren.org

Grazie!

Further Information

Project Organisation:Project “Quality4Children”SOS Children's VillagesHermann-Gmeiner-Str. 51A-6021 InnsbruckTel.: +43-512-3316 – [email protected]