To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article prese... more To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article presents findings from a small-scale study undertaken to explore the views and experiences of professionals in multidisciplinary child protection teams. Our aims were to provide a description of current supervisory practice and explore perceptions and experiences of supervision. Data were collected via five key informant interviews and surveys completed by 17 frontline workers. We found a patchy landscape of understanding and provision of supervision in Albania.
Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal chil... more Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal child well-being and learning. Violence is widespread in Albania. Understanding the factors that affect it and the complex nature of violence itself requires looking at root social, cultural and economic factors and the normative influences on these factors. This study aimed to explore social and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence, and children's potential role in challenging these social norms. This article focuses on findings from research in two schools in Albania, particularly on what children and adult-supporters shared about their understanding of social and gender norms that perpetuate violence, and their recommendations for policy and practice to address them.
Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal chil... more Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal child well-being and learning. Violence is widespread in Albania. Understanding the factors that affect it and the complex nature of violence itself requires looking at root social, cultural and economic factors and the normative influences on these factors. This study aimed to explore social and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence, and children's potential role in challenging these social norms. This article focuses on findings from research in two schools in Albania, particularly on what children and adult-supporters shared about their understanding of social and gender norms that perpetuate violence, and their recommendations for policy and practice to address them.
To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article prese... more To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article presents findings from a small-scale study undertaken to explore the views and experiences of professionals in multidisciplinary child protection teams. Our aims were to provide a description of current supervisory practice and explore perceptions and experiences of supervision. Data were collected via five key informant interviews and surveys completed by 17 frontline workers. We found a patchy landscape of understanding and provision of supervision in Albania.
Several measures were introduced from the Albanian government since the beginning of the pandemic... more Several measures were introduced from the Albanian government since the beginning of the pandemic to respond to the needs of citizens. However, as highlighted in different rapid assessments, provision of social services has been a challenge and families have been struggling to meet their needs, especially in vulnerable communities. In this context, this study was undertaken with the aim of conducting a rapid assessment of the current situation of family strengthening service provision, the services’ typology and the challenges faced by the social care workforce in two of the largest municipalities of Albania, in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. 38 participants were involved in the assessment. The methodology of the study was qualitative. Primary data were collected through six semi-structured key informant interviews with municipality social services representatives and four focus groups, two with municipality specialists, including need assessment and referral units worker, child protection worker, domestic violence coordinators, social administrators and community centers workers, and two with representatives of non-governmental organizations providing family strengthening services, while secondary data were collected through a review of relevant legislation and reports. Main findings show that provision of services on family strengthening does not follow a systematic approach; the pandemic added new challenges to social services structures in this regard; also, there are challenges related to inter-institutional collaboration, lack of coordination among services providers, weak sustainability, and a need for diversification of services and building new services; social welfare workforce capacities are limited; data management systems are developing, but lack crosslinking.
This report provides findings from a mixed-methods study of supervision for professionals in mult... more This report provides findings from a mixed-methods study of supervision for professionals in multidisciplinary child protection teams in seven European countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, and Serbia). The aims of the study were to explore the different understandings, experiences, and challenges of supervision as experienced by child protection professionals involved in multidisciplinary casework with children and families. The specific objectives were to: • Provide a snapshot of supervision for child protection professionals working in multidisciplinary team settings across the region. • Explore the attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions of child protection professionals regarding supervision. • Identify key factors that hinder and promote supervision practices in multidisciplinary team contexts. • Provide a comparative analysis in the region. • Identify good practices. Provide recommendations for strengthening supervision across the region and in specific countries. The research was led by the lead author, delivered in partnership with a team of local researchers, and coordinated via the Child Protection Hub project. It was funded by the Austrian Development Agency, Oak Foundation and Terre des hommes.
During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings... more During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings. This trend presents the caregivers, mainly family members, with many difficult and complex tasks. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of perceived social support and coping strategies employed to the levels of anxiety and depression, as well as to the perception for the quality of life to cancer caregivers through a systematic literature review. Perceived social support results in fewer mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression, and better quality of life, but this is not supported by all the studies. Likewise, some coping strategies, like active coping, have been also considered as important factors influencing quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although there are many studies in the area of cancer, the majority of them have the patient in focus. There are few studies focused in the caregiving experience. In an Albanian setting, to the researc...
This study aims to analyze the online media coverage of political discourse and portrayal of wome... more This study aims to analyze the online media coverage of political discourse and portrayal of women, as political candidates and voters, during the electoral campaign of 2021 in Albania and raises two research questions with regard to this, employing a gender perspective. The study uses a qualitative methodology. Media content analysis is employed for the analysis of 1420 online articles, from 15 portals, 7 TVs, and 8 newspapers. The results show that political candidates are the subject of a gendered portrayal in media. Women receive less amount of time, more focus on personal life versus professional, and on “soft” issues; young candidates are on focus for being “surprise” or “clean” candidates; political party leaders follow the same gendered discourse, the narrative of political candidates’ interest, and objectives for women voters relates to their traditional role; women candidates’ looks and appearance are targeted in the media; and sexist language promotes hate speech and derogatory comments. To add to this picture, some women candidates promote the gender stereotypes’ game to appeal to their electorate, while there is almost no reflection by the media on the problematics of gender portraying during the electoral campaign.
Children's world, national survey of children's well being - Albania, 2018
This is the first report on the survey findings on Children's World, conducted in Albania during ... more This is the first report on the survey findings on Children's World, conducted in Albania during the year 2017-2018. This report aims to provide a short descriptive summary of conducting this survey, its content and main findings. The International Survey of Children's Well-being, Children's World, is a worldwide survey on the subjective well-being of children(www.isciweb.org). The aim of this study is to collect representative data about children's life and their daily activities, how they spend their free time and, in particular, their perceptions and judgment about well-being. The aim is to improve children's wellbeing by raising awareness among children, their parents, and communities where they live, as well as among leading actors, decisionmakers, professionals and the public. This is an international, intercultural and multilingual survey, which studies children's worlds in as many countries as possible around the globe. This kind of exploration is essential for encouraging comparative work between countries, which currently are lagging behind in this field of study. A self-administered questionnaire has been developed in order to evaluate children's perceptions and judgments in middle childhood. This research project began in 2009, when a group of researchers, mainly from the International Society for Child Indicators, held a meeting supported by UNICEF to discuss the potential need for the survey. Since its conception and up to this day, 30 countries have joined the project worldwide.
The aim of this study was to explore the social
and gender norms impacting school-related gender-... more The aim of this study was to explore the social and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), and the potential role of children in challenging these social norms. It was conducted within a larger research initiative in South Eastern Europe, where, along with Albania, seven other countries were included: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Serbia. Child Hub Europe has partnered with Terre des hommes and the Institute for International Child Rights and Development to address this critical issue through this research.
During the last two decades the socioeconomic and institutional transformations taking place in A... more During the last two decades the socioeconomic and institutional transformations taking place in Albania have had significant impact on Albanians’ perceptions and behavior regarding gender. High levels of unemployment, poverty and low access to economic opportunities has strengthened the inequalities between men and women. This study aims to provide an overview of differences in roles, access to resources, behavior, and status between women and men in rural Albania focusing on women’s socio-economic development. The study provides evidence of gender inequality in rural areas and urges for support to rural women in several areas.
During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings... more During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings. This trend presents the caregivers, mainly family members, with many difficult and complex tasks. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of perceived social support and coping strategies employed to the levels of anxiety and depression, as well as to the perception for the quality of life to cancer caregivers through a systematic literature review. Perceived social support results in fewer mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression, and better quality of life, but this is not supported by all the studies. Likewise, some coping strategies, like active coping, have been also considered as important factors influencing quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although there are many studies in the area of cancer, the majority of them have the patient in focus. There are few studies focused in the caregiving experience. In an Albanian setting, to the researchers' knowledge, there isn't any other study that targets caregivers.
This article aims to explore the history and development of school social work internationally an... more This article aims to explore the history and development of school social work internationally and its latest developments in Albania, through the method of literature review. The main findings show that the earliest developments of schools social work relate to the start of compulsory education; a paradigm shift has happened in the field, from casework to eco-systemic approach, reflected variously in different countries, in parallel with the development of the profession; in Albania there are good NGO practices of school social work, while at the state sector, social workers are still employed as part of the psychological school service, although there is an identified need for a shift of the focus of school services from individual to group and community work; further advocacy efforts are needed, in order to promote the development of public school social services.
This research report on sex imbalances at birth in Albania is the product of close cooperation of... more This research report on sex imbalances at birth in Albania is the product of close cooperation of several institutions and actors. This research was carried out based on the need to understand WHAT the situation is regarding sex imbalances at birth in Albania, HOW this sex selection is achieved under the conditions of Albania and WHY this sex imbalance at birth is taking place in Albania today.
The Child Protection Hub for South East Europe is a regional initiative operating in eight countr... more The Child Protection Hub for South East Europe is a regional initiative operating in eight countries of South East Europe. The main objectives of this initiative are to provide capacity development and networking opportunities for child protection professionals and related workforce and to develop and improve the knowledge base available for these professionals in their languages. As part of this initiative, ChildHub is reviewing existing quality mechanisms in South East Europe in order to contribute and to enhance quality services available for children by increasing the available body of knowledge on this issue. Based on the European principles for integrated child protection systems, this review aims to analyse the situation in Albania to assess if and to what extent standards, indicators and tools and systems of monitoring and evaluation are in place. The review was conducted during July – October 2017. The framework of the review was discussed among a virtual team of researchers in SEE. The analysis was based on secondary data, gathered through desk research, and primary data, gathered through 7 interviews with key stakeholders, representatives of monitoring institutions, CP workers and academia. The report consists of a descriptive component of the above mechanisms and an analysis component, which focuses on the strong points, weak points and gaps of the system, the level of child and family participation in the monitoring/inspection processes, existing recommendations and promising practices. The quality review mechanism in Albania is not strong and the scope of quality control is limited in legal terms. The regulatory framework is in need of harmonisation and especially of the development of improved documents of standards of services. The implementation of quality control is weak, focused more on reporting duties, than on improvement of quality of services and also lack human and financial resources and full independence to do so. Overlapping roles of actors in this regard increases confusion in implementation and responsibility taking. Transparency to services users and public has not been a goal of the system, while meaningful participation of children and families in monitoring process is only recently becoming such, but not sufficiently reflected in relevant documents and even more so during their implementation. Based on the reports and key stakeholders’ feedback, the review recommends several steps with regard to reducing gaps in the regulatory framework related to quality review mechanisms and improving implementation and participation of children and families in quality review processes.
Child sexual abuse (CSA) in the circle of trust does exist in Albania, but it is often buried und... more Child sexual abuse (CSA) in the circle of trust does exist in Albania, but it is often buried under a series of social norms and attitudes toward children and the phenomenon in particular. All of these conceal it, making it occur in silence and remain suffocated within the close family circle. The time has come to break the silence over sexual abuse of children in the circle of trust, in order to guarantee protection of all children in Albania. One out of every five children under 18 years of age in Europe is a victim of sexual abuse. In 70-85% of the cases, the perpetrator is a person known to the child and belonging to the child's "circle of trust" 1. However, the majority of children are afraid to speak out: in 90% of cases, abuse is not reported to the police 2. Professionals in Albania report that most of the identified cases take place within the circle of trust, precisely by those persons that should be protecting the children 3. Terre des hommes calls upon policymakers, government representatives, the media and professionals of all areas to engage seriously to turn the issue of child sexual abuse, particularly the one within their circle of trust, into a strategic priority. Policies and strategies should be developed in order to prevent this tragic crime, provide better protection to children survivors of sexual abuse, and punish perpetrators of these crimes.
This research aims to explore the opportunities and obstacles of the school social worker, as par... more This research aims to explore the opportunities and obstacles of the school social worker, as part of the multidisiplinary team, in addressing child abuse and to make evident the Albanian practice of treatment and prevention of child abuse in the school setting. The study uses a multidisciplinary approach in addressing the problem, where the role of the school social worker is seen as interrelated with those of the other actors of the multidisciplinary team. The qualitative method is used, including secondary data review, such as existing literature on international practices and secondary data on Albania, and also primary data gathering, through semistructured interviews of the employees of the existing school service and the focusgrup interview, conducted with professionals of nongovernmental organisations which work on child protection issues, in collaboration with the school system. The main findings inform the field professionals of the opportunities and challenges of the school social worker, in addressing child abuse, the potential of the specialist of child protection in the school and the limitations of this position in the present.
To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article prese... more To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article presents findings from a small-scale study undertaken to explore the views and experiences of professionals in multidisciplinary child protection teams. Our aims were to provide a description of current supervisory practice and explore perceptions and experiences of supervision. Data were collected via five key informant interviews and surveys completed by 17 frontline workers. We found a patchy landscape of understanding and provision of supervision in Albania.
Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal chil... more Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal child well-being and learning. Violence is widespread in Albania. Understanding the factors that affect it and the complex nature of violence itself requires looking at root social, cultural and economic factors and the normative influences on these factors. This study aimed to explore social and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence, and children's potential role in challenging these social norms. This article focuses on findings from research in two schools in Albania, particularly on what children and adult-supporters shared about their understanding of social and gender norms that perpetuate violence, and their recommendations for policy and practice to address them.
Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal chil... more Violence among children has been considered one of the fundamental issues inhibiting optimal child well-being and learning. Violence is widespread in Albania. Understanding the factors that affect it and the complex nature of violence itself requires looking at root social, cultural and economic factors and the normative influences on these factors. This study aimed to explore social and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence, and children's potential role in challenging these social norms. This article focuses on findings from research in two schools in Albania, particularly on what children and adult-supporters shared about their understanding of social and gender norms that perpetuate violence, and their recommendations for policy and practice to address them.
To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article prese... more To provide a snapshot of the state of child protection supervision in Albania, this article presents findings from a small-scale study undertaken to explore the views and experiences of professionals in multidisciplinary child protection teams. Our aims were to provide a description of current supervisory practice and explore perceptions and experiences of supervision. Data were collected via five key informant interviews and surveys completed by 17 frontline workers. We found a patchy landscape of understanding and provision of supervision in Albania.
Several measures were introduced from the Albanian government since the beginning of the pandemic... more Several measures were introduced from the Albanian government since the beginning of the pandemic to respond to the needs of citizens. However, as highlighted in different rapid assessments, provision of social services has been a challenge and families have been struggling to meet their needs, especially in vulnerable communities. In this context, this study was undertaken with the aim of conducting a rapid assessment of the current situation of family strengthening service provision, the services’ typology and the challenges faced by the social care workforce in two of the largest municipalities of Albania, in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. 38 participants were involved in the assessment. The methodology of the study was qualitative. Primary data were collected through six semi-structured key informant interviews with municipality social services representatives and four focus groups, two with municipality specialists, including need assessment and referral units worker, child protection worker, domestic violence coordinators, social administrators and community centers workers, and two with representatives of non-governmental organizations providing family strengthening services, while secondary data were collected through a review of relevant legislation and reports. Main findings show that provision of services on family strengthening does not follow a systematic approach; the pandemic added new challenges to social services structures in this regard; also, there are challenges related to inter-institutional collaboration, lack of coordination among services providers, weak sustainability, and a need for diversification of services and building new services; social welfare workforce capacities are limited; data management systems are developing, but lack crosslinking.
This report provides findings from a mixed-methods study of supervision for professionals in mult... more This report provides findings from a mixed-methods study of supervision for professionals in multidisciplinary child protection teams in seven European countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, and Serbia). The aims of the study were to explore the different understandings, experiences, and challenges of supervision as experienced by child protection professionals involved in multidisciplinary casework with children and families. The specific objectives were to: • Provide a snapshot of supervision for child protection professionals working in multidisciplinary team settings across the region. • Explore the attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions of child protection professionals regarding supervision. • Identify key factors that hinder and promote supervision practices in multidisciplinary team contexts. • Provide a comparative analysis in the region. • Identify good practices. Provide recommendations for strengthening supervision across the region and in specific countries. The research was led by the lead author, delivered in partnership with a team of local researchers, and coordinated via the Child Protection Hub project. It was funded by the Austrian Development Agency, Oak Foundation and Terre des hommes.
During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings... more During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings. This trend presents the caregivers, mainly family members, with many difficult and complex tasks. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of perceived social support and coping strategies employed to the levels of anxiety and depression, as well as to the perception for the quality of life to cancer caregivers through a systematic literature review. Perceived social support results in fewer mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression, and better quality of life, but this is not supported by all the studies. Likewise, some coping strategies, like active coping, have been also considered as important factors influencing quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although there are many studies in the area of cancer, the majority of them have the patient in focus. There are few studies focused in the caregiving experience. In an Albanian setting, to the researc...
This study aims to analyze the online media coverage of political discourse and portrayal of wome... more This study aims to analyze the online media coverage of political discourse and portrayal of women, as political candidates and voters, during the electoral campaign of 2021 in Albania and raises two research questions with regard to this, employing a gender perspective. The study uses a qualitative methodology. Media content analysis is employed for the analysis of 1420 online articles, from 15 portals, 7 TVs, and 8 newspapers. The results show that political candidates are the subject of a gendered portrayal in media. Women receive less amount of time, more focus on personal life versus professional, and on “soft” issues; young candidates are on focus for being “surprise” or “clean” candidates; political party leaders follow the same gendered discourse, the narrative of political candidates’ interest, and objectives for women voters relates to their traditional role; women candidates’ looks and appearance are targeted in the media; and sexist language promotes hate speech and derogatory comments. To add to this picture, some women candidates promote the gender stereotypes’ game to appeal to their electorate, while there is almost no reflection by the media on the problematics of gender portraying during the electoral campaign.
Children's world, national survey of children's well being - Albania, 2018
This is the first report on the survey findings on Children's World, conducted in Albania during ... more This is the first report on the survey findings on Children's World, conducted in Albania during the year 2017-2018. This report aims to provide a short descriptive summary of conducting this survey, its content and main findings. The International Survey of Children's Well-being, Children's World, is a worldwide survey on the subjective well-being of children(www.isciweb.org). The aim of this study is to collect representative data about children's life and their daily activities, how they spend their free time and, in particular, their perceptions and judgment about well-being. The aim is to improve children's wellbeing by raising awareness among children, their parents, and communities where they live, as well as among leading actors, decisionmakers, professionals and the public. This is an international, intercultural and multilingual survey, which studies children's worlds in as many countries as possible around the globe. This kind of exploration is essential for encouraging comparative work between countries, which currently are lagging behind in this field of study. A self-administered questionnaire has been developed in order to evaluate children's perceptions and judgments in middle childhood. This research project began in 2009, when a group of researchers, mainly from the International Society for Child Indicators, held a meeting supported by UNICEF to discuss the potential need for the survey. Since its conception and up to this day, 30 countries have joined the project worldwide.
The aim of this study was to explore the social
and gender norms impacting school-related gender-... more The aim of this study was to explore the social and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), and the potential role of children in challenging these social norms. It was conducted within a larger research initiative in South Eastern Europe, where, along with Albania, seven other countries were included: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Serbia. Child Hub Europe has partnered with Terre des hommes and the Institute for International Child Rights and Development to address this critical issue through this research.
During the last two decades the socioeconomic and institutional transformations taking place in A... more During the last two decades the socioeconomic and institutional transformations taking place in Albania have had significant impact on Albanians’ perceptions and behavior regarding gender. High levels of unemployment, poverty and low access to economic opportunities has strengthened the inequalities between men and women. This study aims to provide an overview of differences in roles, access to resources, behavior, and status between women and men in rural Albania focusing on women’s socio-economic development. The study provides evidence of gender inequality in rural areas and urges for support to rural women in several areas.
During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings... more During the last decades there is a trend in cancer treatment towards giving care at home settings. This trend presents the caregivers, mainly family members, with many difficult and complex tasks. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of perceived social support and coping strategies employed to the levels of anxiety and depression, as well as to the perception for the quality of life to cancer caregivers through a systematic literature review. Perceived social support results in fewer mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression, and better quality of life, but this is not supported by all the studies. Likewise, some coping strategies, like active coping, have been also considered as important factors influencing quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although there are many studies in the area of cancer, the majority of them have the patient in focus. There are few studies focused in the caregiving experience. In an Albanian setting, to the researchers' knowledge, there isn't any other study that targets caregivers.
This article aims to explore the history and development of school social work internationally an... more This article aims to explore the history and development of school social work internationally and its latest developments in Albania, through the method of literature review. The main findings show that the earliest developments of schools social work relate to the start of compulsory education; a paradigm shift has happened in the field, from casework to eco-systemic approach, reflected variously in different countries, in parallel with the development of the profession; in Albania there are good NGO practices of school social work, while at the state sector, social workers are still employed as part of the psychological school service, although there is an identified need for a shift of the focus of school services from individual to group and community work; further advocacy efforts are needed, in order to promote the development of public school social services.
This research report on sex imbalances at birth in Albania is the product of close cooperation of... more This research report on sex imbalances at birth in Albania is the product of close cooperation of several institutions and actors. This research was carried out based on the need to understand WHAT the situation is regarding sex imbalances at birth in Albania, HOW this sex selection is achieved under the conditions of Albania and WHY this sex imbalance at birth is taking place in Albania today.
The Child Protection Hub for South East Europe is a regional initiative operating in eight countr... more The Child Protection Hub for South East Europe is a regional initiative operating in eight countries of South East Europe. The main objectives of this initiative are to provide capacity development and networking opportunities for child protection professionals and related workforce and to develop and improve the knowledge base available for these professionals in their languages. As part of this initiative, ChildHub is reviewing existing quality mechanisms in South East Europe in order to contribute and to enhance quality services available for children by increasing the available body of knowledge on this issue. Based on the European principles for integrated child protection systems, this review aims to analyse the situation in Albania to assess if and to what extent standards, indicators and tools and systems of monitoring and evaluation are in place. The review was conducted during July – October 2017. The framework of the review was discussed among a virtual team of researchers in SEE. The analysis was based on secondary data, gathered through desk research, and primary data, gathered through 7 interviews with key stakeholders, representatives of monitoring institutions, CP workers and academia. The report consists of a descriptive component of the above mechanisms and an analysis component, which focuses on the strong points, weak points and gaps of the system, the level of child and family participation in the monitoring/inspection processes, existing recommendations and promising practices. The quality review mechanism in Albania is not strong and the scope of quality control is limited in legal terms. The regulatory framework is in need of harmonisation and especially of the development of improved documents of standards of services. The implementation of quality control is weak, focused more on reporting duties, than on improvement of quality of services and also lack human and financial resources and full independence to do so. Overlapping roles of actors in this regard increases confusion in implementation and responsibility taking. Transparency to services users and public has not been a goal of the system, while meaningful participation of children and families in monitoring process is only recently becoming such, but not sufficiently reflected in relevant documents and even more so during their implementation. Based on the reports and key stakeholders’ feedback, the review recommends several steps with regard to reducing gaps in the regulatory framework related to quality review mechanisms and improving implementation and participation of children and families in quality review processes.
Child sexual abuse (CSA) in the circle of trust does exist in Albania, but it is often buried und... more Child sexual abuse (CSA) in the circle of trust does exist in Albania, but it is often buried under a series of social norms and attitudes toward children and the phenomenon in particular. All of these conceal it, making it occur in silence and remain suffocated within the close family circle. The time has come to break the silence over sexual abuse of children in the circle of trust, in order to guarantee protection of all children in Albania. One out of every five children under 18 years of age in Europe is a victim of sexual abuse. In 70-85% of the cases, the perpetrator is a person known to the child and belonging to the child's "circle of trust" 1. However, the majority of children are afraid to speak out: in 90% of cases, abuse is not reported to the police 2. Professionals in Albania report that most of the identified cases take place within the circle of trust, precisely by those persons that should be protecting the children 3. Terre des hommes calls upon policymakers, government representatives, the media and professionals of all areas to engage seriously to turn the issue of child sexual abuse, particularly the one within their circle of trust, into a strategic priority. Policies and strategies should be developed in order to prevent this tragic crime, provide better protection to children survivors of sexual abuse, and punish perpetrators of these crimes.
This research aims to explore the opportunities and obstacles of the school social worker, as par... more This research aims to explore the opportunities and obstacles of the school social worker, as part of the multidisiplinary team, in addressing child abuse and to make evident the Albanian practice of treatment and prevention of child abuse in the school setting. The study uses a multidisciplinary approach in addressing the problem, where the role of the school social worker is seen as interrelated with those of the other actors of the multidisciplinary team. The qualitative method is used, including secondary data review, such as existing literature on international practices and secondary data on Albania, and also primary data gathering, through semistructured interviews of the employees of the existing school service and the focusgrup interview, conducted with professionals of nongovernmental organisations which work on child protection issues, in collaboration with the school system. The main findings inform the field professionals of the opportunities and challenges of the school social worker, in addressing child abuse, the potential of the specialist of child protection in the school and the limitations of this position in the present.
Social Services in Albania: Background and State of the Art. , 2020
The volume is divided into two parts. The first two chapters introduce the reader to the understa... more The volume is divided into two parts. The first two chapters introduce the reader to the understanding of the Albanian current socio-demographic situation. The second part of the volume offers an unprecedented insight view on the organization of the Social Services in the areas of the capital city Tirana and in the districts of Shkoder and Elbasan. The research was carried out by the three Albanian universities involved in the project through interviews realized with the professional Social Workers active in the three local areas and with the Administrative Staff of the three Municipalities. The aim of this part of the volume is to provide a multifaceted picture of the organization of the Albanian Welfare that – starting with the description of the general framework, principles and norms of Social Services in Albania – covers the main aspects of the economic resources dedicated to the Social Services, the access of the Albanian citizens to the existing Welfare and the quality of the current Albanian Social Services’ delivery.
This report provides the Albanian findings from a mixed-methods study of supervision for professi... more This report provides the Albanian findings from a mixed-methods study of supervision for professionals working in multidisciplinary child protection teams across a range of Central, Eastern and South-eastern European countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, and Serbia). Utilising existing services and professional connections within the Child Protection Hub network, this project aims to explore different understandings, standards, and challenges of supervision faced by social workers and other child protection professionals involved in multidisciplinary casework with children and families. The aims of the project were to: • Provide a snapshot of supervision for child protection professionals working in multidisciplinary team settings across the region. • Explore the attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions of child protection professionals regarding supervision. • Identify key factors that hinder and promote supervision practices in multidisciplinary team contexts. • Provide a comparative analysis in the region. • Identify good practices in supervision. • Provide recommendations for strengthening supervision across the region and in specific countries. This research was conducted by the Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE), part of Cardiff University, and within the framework of the Child Protection Hub project, funded by the Austrian Development Agency, Oak Foundation and Terre des hommes.
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Papers by Izela Tahsini
2017-2018. This report aims to provide a short descriptive summary of conducting this survey, its content
and main findings.
The International Survey of Children's Well-being, Children's World, is a worldwide survey on the
subjective well-being of children(www.isciweb.org). The aim of this study is to collect representative
data about children's life and their daily activities, how they spend their free time and, in particular, their
perceptions and judgment about well-being. The aim is to improve children's wellbeing by raising awareness
among children, their parents, and communities where they live, as well as among leading actors, decisionmakers, professionals and the public.
This is an international, intercultural and multilingual survey, which studies children's worlds in as many
countries as possible around the globe. This kind of exploration is essential for encouraging comparative
work between countries, which currently are lagging behind in this field of study. A self-administered
questionnaire has been developed in order to evaluate children's perceptions and judgments in middle
childhood.
This research project began in 2009, when a group of researchers, mainly from the International Society
for Child Indicators, held a meeting supported by UNICEF to discuss the potential need for the survey. Since
its conception and up to this day, 30 countries have joined the project worldwide.
and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), and
the potential role of children in challenging these social norms. It was
conducted within a larger research initiative in South Eastern Europe, where,
along with Albania, seven other countries were included: Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Serbia. Child Hub Europe has
partnered with Terre des hommes and the Institute for International Child Rights
and Development to address this critical issue through this research.
2017-2018. This report aims to provide a short descriptive summary of conducting this survey, its content
and main findings.
The International Survey of Children's Well-being, Children's World, is a worldwide survey on the
subjective well-being of children(www.isciweb.org). The aim of this study is to collect representative
data about children's life and their daily activities, how they spend their free time and, in particular, their
perceptions and judgment about well-being. The aim is to improve children's wellbeing by raising awareness
among children, their parents, and communities where they live, as well as among leading actors, decisionmakers, professionals and the public.
This is an international, intercultural and multilingual survey, which studies children's worlds in as many
countries as possible around the globe. This kind of exploration is essential for encouraging comparative
work between countries, which currently are lagging behind in this field of study. A self-administered
questionnaire has been developed in order to evaluate children's perceptions and judgments in middle
childhood.
This research project began in 2009, when a group of researchers, mainly from the International Society
for Child Indicators, held a meeting supported by UNICEF to discuss the potential need for the survey. Since
its conception and up to this day, 30 countries have joined the project worldwide.
and gender norms impacting school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), and
the potential role of children in challenging these social norms. It was
conducted within a larger research initiative in South Eastern Europe, where,
along with Albania, seven other countries were included: Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Serbia. Child Hub Europe has
partnered with Terre des hommes and the Institute for International Child Rights
and Development to address this critical issue through this research.
organization of the Social Services in the areas of the capital city Tirana and in
the districts of Shkoder and Elbasan. The research was carried out by the three
Albanian universities involved in the project through interviews realized with the
professional Social Workers active in the three local areas and with the Administrative
Staff of the three Municipalities. The aim of this part of the volume is to
provide a multifaceted picture of the organization of the Albanian Welfare that
– starting with the description of the general framework, principles and norms
of Social Services in Albania – covers the main aspects of the economic resources
dedicated to the Social Services, the access of the Albanian citizens to the existing
Welfare and the quality of the current Albanian Social Services’ delivery.