Step six. Continuing services for guardians (carers)

1. In order to help and support guardians (carers), members of foster families and guardians on duty to resolve the problems that arise when a new family member joins the family, the Service’s certified persons organise and provide ongoing training, mutual support group sessions and individual counselling. During the sessions, guardians (carers),  members of foster families and guardians on duty are provided with useful information on how to raise and educate a child left without parental care, and the participants are given the opportunity to interact with each other, share their experience and methods of solving crisis cases.

2. Continuing training is organised as part of the Continuing Training and Counselling Programme for guardians (carers), guardians on duty, adoptive parents and employees of community-based children’s homes. The continuing training consists of 9 topics. This training addresses and develops the skills needed by guardians (carers), members of a foster family, guardians on duty and adoptive parents. Individuals are not required to complete all parts of the continuing training. The Service’s certified persons organise continuing training groups according to the wishes and needs of the participants.

Guardians (carers), members of a foster family, guardians on duty and adoptive parents experiencing difficulties in raising a child may turn to the specialists of the territorial division of the Service of their place of residence, to the foster care centre operating in the territory of their municipality, or to the persons certified by the Service who provide post-adoption services and in cases of guardianship (care) of a child (organising continuing training, mutual support groups and individual consultations).