ARGENTINA: APPLICATION OF THE MODEL FOR THE PREVENTION OF ABANDONMENT AND INSTITUTIONALISATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN CORRIENTES PROVINCE

On November 8 and 9. RELAF and UNICEF Argentina conducted two training and feedback workshops aimed at professionals and authorities from Corrientes Province. These workshops intended to build the tools needed for the application in the province of the Model for the prevention of abandonment and institutionalisation of young children, within the framework of the cooperation agreement between RELAF, NiñoSur Foundation for Human Rights and UNICEF Argentina initiated last September.

The 21 operators and 18 decision-makers who participated in the workshops were trained on the intervention framework, goals and approaches of the Model, and on its main guidelines: the improvement of early care and vulnerable contexts, the causes and consequences of the early deprivation of parental care, and the prevention and eradication of the institutionalisation of young children.

Likewise, the participants made contributions for the validation of the instrumental diagnosis previously developed by RELAF and identified the contents necessary to prepare a protocol for the practices in the province.

In addition, between November 29 and December 2, RELAF visited hospitals and government offices and held meetings in the cities of Corrientes, Goya and Mercedes with authorities and operators from the province's Ministries of Social Development, Health, and Security, from COPRODIS, and from the Judiciary, among others. Aspects key to the development of the protocol were discussed and revised with said persons.

During December, this technical cooperation project was bolstered. On the 12th, Matilde Luna, RELAF's Director, presented the Protocol for the Prevention of Abandonment and Institutionalisation of Young Children. This tool is the result of the joint work carried out by RELAF, UNICEF Argentina, and Corrientes' government within the framework of their technical cooperation agreement. As we mentioned before, the cooperation began last September with the conduction of an instrumental diagnosis, followed by training activities in the cities of Corrientes, Goya and Mercedes during October and November.

Among the high authorities present at the event, we would like to highlight the participation of Dr. Alejandro Chain, Justice of the province's Supreme Court, who stated his and the Judiciary's commitment to carry out this change process.