IN partnership with the Social Development Fund of the Embassy of France, Abuja, Sponsor A Child (SAC), a non-governmental organization, has launched the pilot Good Home Quality Service Advocacy Scheme which is a rights-based training programme for senior and supervisor level caregivers, educators, social workers and children of between 16 and 18years living in orphanages.
The programme, titled: Improving Child Welfare in Nigeria Institutions, and being attended by participants from institutions from Ogun and Lagos states free of charge, started on June 26 and 27 at Church Hall, Church of the Resurrection, 1004 Estate, Samuel Manuwa Road, off Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victorial Island, Lagos with the topic, Rights Based Child Care: An Overview, delivered by Olatoun Williams, Trustee and Coordinator of the organization.
The second part of the training came up at the same venue on July 1 and 2 with the topic, Health, Hygiene and Safety, delivered by Mrs. Olaide Oyenuga, retired Deputy Director, Lagos State Aids Control Agency.
The third part, also at the same venue, was held on July 10 and 11 and the topic was Rights Based Care: Early Learning. It was handled by Mrs Ekimiebi Esiri, an expert in education from Eden Montessori School.
The fourth part will be held on September 17 at the venue. The subject of discussion will be How To Use The Good Home Toolkit.
On September 18 and 19, a lecture will be delivered on Report Writing For Managers.
The programme will come to an end in the first quarter of 2015 with an award ceremony which will enable participating Good Homes to be recognized and rewarded.
The findings of the SAC research justify the development and implementation of the policy framed Good Home Scheme. Research showed childcare practitioners unable to evaluate care service quality and unable to clearly identify violations of rights due to inadequate training. The findings justify the call in Section 2.2 of Nigeria’s Child Rights Act 2003 for standards in key aspects of child care in institutions.
This section calls for the compliance of care practice with legislated/authorized standards, particularly in key aspects of provision: health and general welfare of children, staff child ratios and supervision, physical and emotional safety of children and suitability and competence of staff who look after the children.
The Good Home Scheme was conceived in response to Section 2.2 of the 2003 Child Rights Act. The scheme is a performance management system based on a toolkit of six manuals. The scheme is an integrated policy framed approach to improving child welfare services in institutions.
In an interview, the Trustee and Co-coordinator said: “The outcome of the pilot Good Home Scheme will be increasingly child friendly institutions that are healthy, protective of all, participatory, inclusive and gender sensitive with a committed and effective leadership.”
Most of the participants, including Mrs Bridget Elesin, a parent, Johanne Brussellei and Bukola Olatunji, a final student of the University of Lagos and the president of the National Association of Social Work Students, University of Lagos Chapter, expressed gratitude to the organiser for giving them the opportunity to learn about the improvement of child welfare.
