The main goal of the project is to develop and deliver specialized assistance and counseling for parents and their children in an endeavor to prevent deterioration of the child-parent relationship. According to the findings of the National Authority for Child’s Rights Protection, 69 per cent of the total amount of reported child abuses in Romania is represented by family neglect. Corroborated with the WHO data, namely that 20 per cent of the children in Europe develop a mental health problem at some stage of their childhood, the positive parenting programme offered by Save the Children will certainly constitute a solid basis for national scale implementation by local and central bodies dealing with families and children. Therefore, developing parenting counseling services to vulnerable families in order to improve the parents’ mentality, education and psychology for better lives of children and their families in Romania is a highly commendable initiative. Furthermore, the project also consists of capacity building activities for healthcare professionals in schools and social protection centers. More than 200 parents and children at risk will benefit from the parenting services, provided by the five multidisciplinary centers made up of psychologists, psychatists, social workers, and delivered in a friendly, non-stigmatising environment.
The project is supported with a grant of EUR 1,6 million through the EEA Financial Mechanism having Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as donor countries. Along with another project “Center for the Emotional and Behavioural Education of Children”, financed through the Norwegian Cooperation Programme for Romania, the other financial instrument whereby Norway is contributing to the social and economical development of Romania, Save the Children Romania has proved that highly skilled and dedicated people can make the difference in mental healthcare provision.