The enactment of the Children Act, 2022 sparked a conversation on the need to protect and serve our children better in the society. The most salient features of the Act were the advancement of the concept of the best interest of the child as the primary consideration in every decision touching on the child and adoption of family based care.
The need for imparting knowledge on case Management for reintegration of children back to their families and communities therefore arises. This is important for social workers and all officers directly dealing with children and families so as to improve their understanding and capacity of requirements to foresee reunifying of the children back to their respective families and enable the implementation of the guidelines for the alternative care for children in Children charitable institutions (CCIs).
The skill acquired strengthens ones understanding, and knowledge on case management as the best practice approach for implementing family and community based care. It also enables the review and finalization of the road map of the roll out of family and community-based care initiatives.
Our officers underwent a week’s training on case management for child reintegration courtesy of our partners Weza Care solution through their officers Fredrick Mshefer and Douglas Shikanga, to understand reintegration benchmarks such as education for the child, health status, food security and a sustainable source of income for the guardian for the child not to lack some basic needs.
They were taken through the process of case management; identification of the child to be re- integrated, assessment, family tracing, developing a case plan, structuring the case plan to strengthen the child, reunification of the child to the family, regular monitoring of the child’s progress and case closure, once the child’s wellbeing at home is at per.
The following guidelines were much pointed out;
- Case planning, the exercise of collaborating the child and family to improve the safety, and resilience of the child together with the caregivers. For a successful reintegration, case planning should be specific, measurable, attainable and time bound.
- The best possible care to be given to children with disabilities for them to also feel safe, loved and inclusive in a family setting.
- Principles of alternative family are which state loud confidentiality, do no harm, and accountability of the child’s welfare.
Reintegration of the children is critical for the achievement of an excellent living space for the child to thrive.
Apart from family based care where there is biological care, guardianship, foster care, kinship care and at times adoption, some children aren’t lucky enough to secure a place to call home thus the adoption of alternative places, including community based care such as child headed households or supported independent living, all for the child’s best interest.