[Commpsych] Fw: [The Better Care Network] Social Welfare & Cash Transfers Mtg Communique; Orphanhood & Living Arrangements in SSA; Asset-Based Empowerment Methodology; Assault in Ghanaian Orphanage; 3 conferences and much more...

Trudy Rosenwald trosenwald at iinet.net.au
Wed Jul 29 10:12:23 WST 2009 

29 July 09

Could not resist forwarding you all a copy of the latest news bulletin from 
the Better Care Network of the UNICEF Child Protection Section, which gives 
an example of the application of the Asset-Based Empowerment Methodology. 
in my view, Community Psychology at its best!

The First International Conference on Family-Based Care for children will 
take place in Nairobi, Kenya 28-30 September 2009.  Abstract submission has 
been extended to 7 August in an effort to get more participants. I have been 
very keen to attend this conference to present the findings of my PhD on 
well-being and identities of adolescent and adult intercountry adoptees in 
WA, but lack the funds.  Does the APS or the APS College of Community 
Psychology  make funds available to its members to participate in these 
kinds of events? Any suggestions for succesful result at short notice would 
be much appreciated!

Cheers,

Trudy Rosenwald

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathleen Riordan" <kriordan at unicef.org>
To: <bettercarenetwork at listserve.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 6:16 AM
Subject: [The Better Care Network] Social Welfare & Cash Transfers Mtg 
Communique; Orphanhood & Living Arrangements in SSA; Asset-Based Empowerment 
Methodology; Assault in Ghanaian Orphanage; 3 conferences and much more...


 To the Better Care Network:  Check out what’s new on our homepage! 
http://www.bettercarenetwork.org
>
-  UNICEF Child Protection section commissioned three policy-relevant 
systematic reviews examining the relationship between cash transfers and 
social welfare services. The reviews collated evidence which summarized
 a)  the efficacy of cash transfer initiatives on child outcomes including 
child protection outcomes;
b) the potential contact opportunities within cash transfer programmes for 
linkages with social welfare services; c) common barriers and challenges 
faced by beneficiaries across a range of cash transfer programmes;
d) the role of the education sector in providing social welfare services 
where school attendance is an explicit outcome objective in the provision of 
cash.
>
 In April 2009, social welfare and cash transfer experts gathered in 
Carmona, Spain to examine the results of the reviews. Meeting delegates 
explored the findings with a specific focus on integration of social welfare 
services and cash transfers in Ghana, Chile, Zimbabwe, Malawi and
 Kenya.  The joint communiqué issued by the meeting participants is 
available now on our homepage.
http://www.bettercarenetwork.org

 Other Documents/News
- Using household survey data from 21 countries in Africa, Orphanhood and 
Living Arrangements of the Child in Sub-Saharan Africa examines trends in 
orphanhood and living arrangements, and the links between the two. The 
findings confirm that orphanhood is increasing, although not all countries 
are experiencing rapid rises.  The evidence from these 21 countries 
suggests that in those countries with highest HIV rates, orphan rates have 
been increasing rapidly and it is grandparents who have been increasingly 
taking on responsibility for the care of orphaned children. At the same time 
some important changes in living arrangements even in countries with low 
prevalence levels are found, where orphan rates are not increasing. Based on 
these findings, not only should these changes and patterns be  carefully 
tracked with subsequent rounds of data, but these changes need to be studied 
more carefully to understand underlying causes and implications.  Moreover, 
the focus on changes in living arrangements should not focus narrowly on 
high HIV prevalence countries or on the population of orphans in these 
countries. To read the entire study, click the link below. 
http://www.crin.org/bcn/details.asp?id=20608&themeID=1002&topicID=1016
>
 -  Giving Hope: Asset Based Empowerment Methodology is now available in the 
BCN library.  As a result of the rising number of children in need of care, 
Africa’s adolescents and young adults, ages 12-24, have emerged as the 
heads of their households and the caregivers of their siblings. This paper 
shares the philosophy and key components of the African development 
initiative Giving Hope that works with these youth caregivers.   The 
methodology applies the asset-based approach to the sub-group (community) of 
youth caregivers and their households and builds upon their strengths by
1) Restoring relationships, structures, and routines in youth caregivers 
lives; and
2.) Recognizing and reinforcing youth caregivers existing assets  (i.e. 
their existing knowledge, skills, resources, resilience, and newly restored 
relationships).
The report finds the positive results of the asset-based empowerment 
approach
a.) yield a renewed sense of community, empowerment and leadership among 
young care givers and b.) challenge
 traditional needs-based perspectives to development.
 To read the entire report, follow the link below. 
http://www.crin.org/bcn/details.asp?id=20606&themeID=1002&topicID=1015

 - IRIN reports the recent rape of an eight-month-old boy in an orphanage in 
the Ghanaian capital, Accra  revealed conditions that child rights advocates 
say are rampant across West African orphanages. To read the entire article, 
click the following link: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=84582
>
- In June 2009, Eurochild hosted The Members' Exchange Seminar on Poverty, 
Social Exclusion and Children without Parental Care: Making the Links.  In 
advance of the seminar, Eurochild collected national data and information on 
the children in alternative care, their profile, the outcomes and national 
policy framework.

 These materials and more are available through the following link: 
http://www.eurochild.org/index.php?id=208&L=0&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=217&tx_ttnews[backPid]=185&cHash=75818db3b7
>
 Conferences
- On 7 - 8 October 2009, the Expert Group for Cooperation on Children at 
Risk will host the conference: Keeping the Door Open - Support to Young 
People Leaving Care. This conference, hosted in Lithuania, is expected to 
provide countries in Europe with tools and methods necessary to increase 
the quality and efficiency of support to young care leavers. The last day 
for submission of proposals for paper presentations is 4 September. 
Registration for participation closes on 11 September.
>
 Upcoming Deadline! Prior to the Keeping the Door Open conference, SOS 
Children's Villages International and the Council of Europe are organizing 
pre-event workshop from 4 - 6 October 2009. Young people between 16-25
years who have care experience are invited to apply for this workshop. 
Participants of this pre-event workshop will also take part in the 
conference itself. The deadline for applying to the youth workshop is 31 
July 2009!
To learn more about both events, visit: 
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/Focus-areas/Child-rights/Advocacy-in-action/Pages/Conference-Keeping-the-door-open.aspx
>
- The First International Conference on Family-Based Care for children will 
take place in Nairobi, Kenya 28-30 September 2009.  The deadline for 
abstract submissions has been extended to 7 August 2009.  Visit the news
 section of the BCN homepage for more information about registration and 
abstract submissions.
>
 General Information
- As of July 17, 2008, the listserve has 1734 participants who are working 
on issues related to the care and support of vulnerable children across 
Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
>
- The purpose of the listserve is to enable members to exchange information 
on matters of mutual concern. If you would like to share a document, raise a 
specific issue, or reach out in any other way to the Network, please send 
the information to us at kriordan at unicef.org. In the  interest of keeping 
messages consolidated, we will manage announcements on the listserve and 
send out a few messages each month.

 -We would like to involve as many people as possible who are concerned with 
better care issues in the  Network.  Please advise anyone who would
 like to be added to the listserve to send us a message at
 kriordan at unicef  Alternatively, visit the homepage of the Better Care 
Network web site, and click on the upper right box where it says "click here 
to sign up for our  email announcements".  http://www.bettercarenetwork.org

 Best,
 Ghazal Keshavarzian and Kathleen Riordan
 Better Care Network Secretariat
> __________________________
> Kathleen Riordan
> Assistant Coordinator
> Better Care Network
> UNICEF - Child Protection Section
> 3 UN Plaza - Room 735-1
> New York, New York 10017
> 212.326.7104
> kriordan at unicef.org
 _______________________________________________
> Bettercarenetwork mailing list
 http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/bettercarenetwork
>

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