About the Project

Project implementation time: 01.07.2015. – 31.12.2023.

Project implementer: Kurzeme Planning Region;

Contact:

Kurzeme Planning Region Administrion: E-mail: pasts@kurzemesregions.lv, phone: +371 67331492;

Project partners:

Kurzeme region municipalities (Dienvidkurzeme, Kuldīga, Saldus, Talsi and Ventspils counties, Liepāja and Ventspils state cities);
municipalities of other planning regions (Aizkraukle, Jēkabpils, Limbaži, Smiltene and Tukums counties);
State Social Care Center “Kurzeme” and its 6 branches;
All social care centers for children without parental care and orphans.

Main activities of the project:

to assess individual needs of children with functional disorders, orphans and children without parental care and persons with mental health and intellectual development disorders;
to prepare respective individual support plans for all assessed persons;
to develop Kurzeme Region De-institutionalization Plan;
to develop reorganizations plans for all social care centers for children without parental care and orphans;
to assist to persons with mental disorders while preparing for transition from institutional to community based care;
to provide community based social services for people with disabilities (including children);
to train specialists for working at community based social services;
to raise society’s awareness about people with disabilities and their needs.

Main results of the project:

Community based services provided to 265 persons with mental health and intellectual development disorders, 418 children with functional disorders and 250 their parents;
37 persons with mental disorders assisted while preparing for transition from institutional to community based care;
Kurzeme Region De-institutionalization Plan and reorganizations plans for all social care centers for children without parental care and orphan developed;
89 specialists trained for working at community based social services;
157 potential guardians, foster families and adoptive parents educated in “conversation evenings” and individual consultations;
Society’s awareness about people with disabilities and their needs raised:
- 14 integrative camps were held for both children with and without functional disabilities and their families, as well as children from out-of-home care and families who could become potential guardians, foster families or adopters. In total, 445 participants, including 139 families;
- 1200 students and teachers of the Kurzeme region were educated aboue people with disabilities and orphans;
- strenghtened communication skills with persons with disabilities of 239 providers of various general services from the Kurzeme region, such as employees of educational institutions, librarians, cultural workers, trade and service workers, as well as employees of other institutions, such as police officers.

Total project cost: ~ 7,9 million EUR, of which 85% is co-financing from ESF 6,7 million EUR) and 15% from state budget (1,2 million EUR).