PROMOTING QUALITY ALTERNATIVE CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

PROMOTING QUALITY ALTERNATIVE CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Human Rights Council side event, 13h30-15h00, 5 February 2019 Palais des Nations, Geneva, Room XXIV, prior light refreshments will be provided

Supported by the Permanent Missions of the European Union, Italy and Uruguay, international organisations have organised a side-event to complement the annual day on the rights of children with disabilities. The objectives are to use international standards, in particular, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children to improve measures in order to: · Identify the main problems children with disabilities and their families face to prevent unnecessary separation; · Address the particular vulnerabilities that children with disabilities when separated and/or are institutionalised given the greater risk of harm, neglect and violence; · Promote appropriate protection and care, by planning for family and community-based options; · Promote inclusion of children with disabilities and their representative organisations in the planning and implementation of care measures; and · Promote integrated into the regular school system, to the extent possible.

The side event seeks to present promising practices from various regions as follows:

· Moderator: Dr Alfredo Ferrante, Head of Unit of policies for persons with disabilities in Italy and Former President of the Committee of the rights of persons with disabilities at the Council of Europe with a brief introduction by Gian Lorenzo Cornado Ambassador to the Permanent Mission of Italy to the International Organisations in Geneva · Dumitrija Cropivnijchi, lived in an institution for children with disabilities for four years. She was able to move back in with her family when her community school became inclusive. Moldova, Lumos · Gwen Burchell, Community-level Case Management Guidance to Support Family Care for Children with Disabilities and transition towards respite and rehabilitation from residential care. Azerbaijan, UAFA · Innocent Habimfura, African context of transformation of care systems, with a focus on Rwanda and work with children with disabilities. Rwanda, Hope and Homes for Children · Srey Ni, ABLE Project is a support program providing assistance to families to care for children with disabilities, Cambodia, Children in Families · Sandrea Long-White, Community Based Rehabilitation Jamaica with a focus on keeping children with a disability in families, Jamaica, Family for Every Child

For further information, please contact Mia Dambach: mia.dambach@iss-ssi.org