Navrat: Lets find every child in Slovakia a family

Navrat NGO is focused on abandoned children, who were born and their parents were unable or unwilling to take care of them. They were placed into institutional care. In addition, they are not ”desirable enough“ to be adopted or placed into foster care: they are an ethnic minority (Romani children), disabled, have a chronic disease, have multiple siblings, etc.

There is a danger that they will spend their entire childhood in an institution, without a family which could give them hope for brighter future.

 We create and update a database of disadvantaged abandoned children, who are not successfully being placed in families by the state. We actively seek families for these children, families who are able and willing to care for these children, in spite of their disadvantaged status. We increase the chances of a happy match for the child and the family by being aware of the history and medical needs of the child and by knowing the capacity and needs of the family.

In specific cases, we try to cooperate with the child’s birth family so that they can support the child to their full capacity – at least by providing regular and meaningful contact.

 The money gained in project we will use for the wages and fees fot our therapists.They enhance the attachment between child and parent, which is inevitable for developing relationship using Touch therapy – a special massage for children. It’s aim is to encourage eye contact between parent and child and make a relaxing time for child, so that it feels secure and insured by the parent. In some cases, when a child manifests symptomatic behavior (anxiety, fear, rage, anger, etc), the therapists offer Filial therapy – therapy using the roleplay of the parent with a child. The task of the parent is not to influence child’s play and behavior, he only controls abiding by basic rules. The child is in control of the situation and the parent can observe much about what the child feels like and what he needs. The negative behavior of child vanishes continuously during the weeks of therapy; and the parent learns how to understand his child and how to communicate positively and effectively.