Family Strengthening in Cyprus

Family Strengthening Project in Leukosia, North Cyprus

The Family Strengthening programme this year started with a full time project co-ordinator and part time social worker.  The project played a big role in the life of the children carrying the risk of abandonment with the support and co-coordinator of Ministry of Social welfare and 19 partners to keep the children with their families in warm family atmosphere.

The project started with 25 families and 56 children and finished the year with 20 families and 54 children. Until October 2008 the project supported 34 families and 84 children. Five children from 3 families for different reason were given in the long term care of SOS. Four families and nine children left the project because of change in address. Six families and sixteen children gained their independence.  The project coordinator and social worker were working three times a week in Nicosia office provided by social welfare ministry to work more closely to families.

The support given to the families and children were mostly according to the needs of the families:

• 13 children attended the day care and after school centres
  
• 12 children went for swimming courses
  
• 2 boys attended kick boxing and one of them became N. Cyprus Champion
  
• Sixteen mothers took part in an educational support programme for mothers
  
• 2 mothers undertook professional beauty courses
  
• 4 mothers had driving lessons
  
• Six families and 16 children had counselling support
• Two families had legal support
  

For all the children vaccination and medical control were done in different time period. The first PAT’s (Personnel Appraisal Talks) took place during 2008.