SEVERAL PROGRESSES TOWARDS A NATIONAL DEINSTITUTIONALISATION POLICY

As mentioned in previous newsletters, RELAF and UNICEF Mexico are currently carrying out a technical cooperation project for the implementation and strengthening of Foster Care Programmes in Mexico, both at national and state levels. In this sense, we are working at a national level with the Federal Attorney for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, as well as with the National DIF office. At a state level, we are providing support to DIF offices in Mexico City, Morelos, Tabasco, Campeche and Chihuahua. The goal of this first stage is to guide and strengthen the practices of the Foster Care Programme teams in the implementation of the initial stage of the programmes, identifying their standards and procedures.

During April, May and June, we met several times, virtually and in-person, with the Federal Attorney’s office and with the DIF offices. The virtual meetings were held via the Centre of Excellence for Children’s (CEN) virtual platform, which is why the information on these meetings can be found in the CEN section in this newsletter.

On April 20, the Foster Care Programme was presented to judges and institution directors. This presentation included the participation of the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Childcare and Protection System of Campeche and of representatives from DIF Campeche’s Child Welfare Agency, as well as the participation of Matilde Luna (Director of RELAF) and Fernanda López Portillo (RELAF’s Project Coordinator in Mexico).

On April, 21 the training for the development of technical assistance for the implementation of the Foster Care Programme in the state of Campeche was carried out. Judges and representatives from institutions and from the Campeche Attorney’s office for the Protection of Children and Adolescents took part in the training, as well as Teresita Rodríguez Chi and Matilde Luna.

Furthermore, DIF Mexico City carried out the foster family recruitment and briefings for the ones that showed up. These activities included the participation of Oscar Melchor, Psychology Coordinator of the Mexico City Attorney’s office for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, and of the foster care team of the Federal Attorney’s office, which presented the Foster Care Programme to the families.

During May 2, we began providing technical support to the state of Morelos. Elena Cepeda de León, DIF Morelos President, Matilde Luna, Director of RELAF, and Paula Ramírez España, from UNICEF Mexico, took part in the activities, as well as the technical teams from DIF’s different areas. We provided training regarding the Foster Care model that will be implemented in the state.

With regards to the state of Tabasco, we are very glad to let you know that the Foster Care Programme (FCP) under the name “Familias de Corazón” (Families from the Heart) was launched. The launching event was carried out on June 27 with the presence of Arturo Núñez Jiménez (Governor of the State of Tabasco) and his wife, Laura Barrera Fortoul (General Director of the National DIF), Christian Skoog (UNICEF Representative in Mexico), Fernanda López Portillo (RELAF Project Coordinator in Mexico), Martha Lidia López Aguilera de Núñez (Director of DIF Tabasco), Daniel Ponce Vázquez (Coordinator for the Linking of Governmental Dependencies and Orders, from SIPINNA), Adriana García Muñoz (Executive Secretary of SIPINNA), Delfilia Vadillo (State Attorney for the Protection of Families and Children’s Rights), Ángel Solís Carvallo (Secretary of Education of Tabasco), Gerardo Gaudiano Rovirosa (Municipal President of the Centre) and Gerardo Ignacio Olan Morales.

The FCP offers family-based care options for the children and adolescents who are under residential care provided by the State and also for migrant children.

Regarding the support we provide at a federal level, on May 31 a team coordination meeting was held between the social integration area, under the responsibility of José Luis García, and the Federal Attorney’s office for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, represented by Fernando Negrete. The coordination will strengthen the work with foster families and with the families of origin in order to guarantee the comprehensive protection of the children.

With respect to our work with the Mexican civil society, on March 31 the Second Meeting of the Network of Civil Society Organisations was carried out in Monterrey, Nuevo León, with the aim of reinvigorating the different efforts done to guarantee the right to family and community life of children deprived of parental care or at risk of losing it. For this purpose, the Network’s lines of action were revised. The meeting included the presence of the Quinta Carmelita Foundation, Back2Back Mexico, the Juconi Foundation, ABBA, Amigo Daniel A.C., RELAF, academicians, and governmental representatives. The Network for Children’s Rights in Mexico (Red por los Derechos de la Infancia en México, REDIM), Save the Children Mexico, SOS Children’s Villages Mexico and the Quiera Foundation all participated virtually.