Help Khmer Social Workers Care for Foster Children

Help Social working to Care for foster 

It is a tough time due to the situation in Cambodia that everyone felt pandemic and worried about Covid-19. At the same time, M’lup Russey’s Social Worker has contributed their time and commitment to take action and deliver the service to the children at risk and crisis in the communities.    During this three-month, M’lup Russey’s social workers strive and take high accountability even during these challenging situations by expecting the children we serve to continue receiving support to cope with their emergency needs and crisis. A motivation phrase, "as a social worker if we do not care, who cares for the lives of vulnerable children and people," always inspires us to work hard and remain flexible, keeping our services and strategy possible to those in need. However, MRO also prepared some support to protect our staff from the Covid-19 infection and their emotions and mental health. 

Within the reporting period, there were 42(17F) reintegrated children who received direct follow-up visits. 05(05F) cases among those got visited directly from the DoSVY and Local Authorities in Pailin and Pursat provinces due to travel restriction of M’lup Russey Social Workers. These follow-up visits showed that 14 children and 03 (child monks) were continuing school regularly before the schools closed. They were happy to go to school with the support and motivation from their family. Most of the families are in difficulty and facing financial crisis during this time. For the children, their schools were closed, only a few of them can learn online, but most of them are unable to do so due to no online alternatives in public schools and/or with no assistance/encouragement from their families. 

Moreover, 15 (12F) foster children were visited in Emergency Foster Care every month, and one among those has been had regular phone follow up from our Social worker, too. Throughout this activity, the Social Workers and children have strengthened relationships. And the children can share their life experiences, speak out about challenges in Emergency Foster Care and find solutions together to help the children with behavior change. These visits also provide space for Social Workers to hear their thoughts for the future, which can help Social Workers to develop plans following the case management process

Our social worker worked with 05(04F) cases that were closed in Phnom Penh, Pursat, and Tbong Khmom province. All these children are fully supported in their physical and emotional needs by regular follow up from our social worker and their family. The children are motivated to go to school regularly to understand the value and importance of education as their parents are always encouraging them. 

135 Orphan Vulnerable Children’s families in Battambang, Pusat, and Siem Reap Province have received emergency support packages during the crisis of the Covid-19 epidemic through resource-gathering activities that Key Community People and their partner worked together. Even though the packages were MRO’s contribution, KCP and their partner have initiated and efforted for distribution. This result has produced a great motivation and impact to KCP, Local authorities, and the Community seeing the potentials and importance of community people in social and child protection. 

Child Welfare Network Sector’s from M’lup Russey implementation activities have continued responding to the needs of vulnerable children by providing essential services, such as cooperation with relevant Authorities in rescuing 10 girls sexual abuse victims, intervention for raped children, and finding safer places for the children who were afraid of living in their home. CWN sector has cooperated with NGO partners and relevant Local Authorities for placing children in temporary safe places. Moreover, we have sought legal support from other NGOs to help the children with the legal procedures and ensure justice and safety. 

We have continued to work very hard to support and respond to 131 OVC emergency interventions and find solutions to help each child and family according to the actual needs and necessities for the benefit of the child, including food, sanitation, and supporting the process for legal documents (birth certificates, identity cards). We also did case conferences to find support for the children to receive appropriate shelter through meetings, case conferences, NGO partners, and relevant Local Authorities. We did process linking service by providing regular food to the children every month. Within this period, 42 children who didn’t have a birth certificate received support for M’lup Russey social workers. They got birth certificates, registered for school, and used legal as Cambodia citizenship.