Summary:

Comprehensive social and child protection system reform is one of the key undertakings of the Government of Montenegro in the on-going EU integration process, where the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MoLSW) is the key implementer.

The reform has been implemented since early 2011 within the framework of partnership between MoLSW, UN agencies (UNICEF and UNDP) and the EU (IPA 2010) entitled: “Social Welfare and Child Care System Reform – Enhancing Social Inclusion”. However, it has become evident that the reform will continue in the years to come, requiring significant technical and financial support to advance human and financial resources, and to strengthen coordination between the education, health and financial systems, as well as with the local self-governance.

Objectives:

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MoLSW) will be fully capable of managing the reformed social welfare and child protection system, only when the following is fulfilled:

1. national legal and strategic preconditions are created;  
2. capacities of the relevant institutions (including MoLSW) are strengthened in performing their role and meeting new requirements; and
3. a network of standardized services is established in all municipalities.  

In that respect, the overall objective of this project is enhanced social inclusion of vulnerable groups in line with their needs and international and EU standards.

The specific objective is better access to quality social and child protection services.

Activities:

• Further development of the regulatory framework and raising awareness among beneficiaries in relation to introduced changes in social protection rights (benefits and services available).
• Capacity building of the new Division for Development of Social Services within MoLSW, for planning, financing and coordinating development and functioning of social and child care services.

Results:

So far, we:

• Provided expert support in development of relevant Rulebooks deriving from the Law on Social Welfare and Child Care;
• Helped establish the Division for Development of Social Services within the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare;
• Developed Local Social Inclusion Plans in most of the municipalities;
• Supported service Home Assistance for the Elderly in 15 municipalities in northern and central region of the country, by engaging 120 home assistance workers for more than 1,200 beneficiaries;
• Supported establishment and functioning of the National SOS Helpline for Victims of Domestic Violence. Service is free of charge, available 24/7, 365 days a year;
• Sustained the Family Outreach Worker initiative in 6 municipalities, with the aim to build resources that will allow biological families to develop their strengths so that children, especially younger than 3 years, grow up in a natural, family environment;
• Supported establishing and functioning of the network of 10 day-care centres for the elderly across the country;
• Supported establishing and functioning of 3 processing centres in municipalities Kotor, Herceg Novi and Podgorica with a purpose of taking care of beneficiaries who are in need of urgent evacuation from their families, and provision of accommodation at the safe and secure place.
• Supported functioning of Shelter for the Elderly within Home for Elderly “Grabovac” in Risan.