Institutional care and preventive educational care

The activities of NÚV within the area of the institutional care and preventive educational care focus nowadays mainly on following issues:

  • The development and innovation of quality standards for childcare in facilities providing institutional and protective care or in educational care centres;
  • the development and innovation of special standards of quality (for example for ambulant educational care centres);
  • methodical support and education concerning the quality standards;
  • mapping of the educational needs and implementation of educational programmes within the continuing education of workers in facilities providing institutional and protective care or in educational care centres; 
  • research activities in the area of the institutional and preventive educational care; 
  • monitoring Czech and international trends in foster care systems;
  • organisation of conferences and meetings; 
  • participation on the development of legislative, conceptual and methodical documents.

 

Conclusions from selected projects of the Department of Institutional and Protective Education and Risk Behaviour Prevention (other topics can be found in the menu on the right)

   

  • Analysis of activities and programmes in the facilities for institutional and protective education

Based on the conducted research, the activities and programmes introduced in the facilities for institutional and protective education and preventive educational care were categorized. The qualitative analysis revealed areas in which quality criteria should be defined. The results found should serve as a basis for the creation of specific standards and revision of individual services.  

   

  • Mapping Activities of Outpatient Educational Care Centres

PhDr. Monika Nevoralová focused on outpatient educational care centres that offer specific services in the context of all other forms of institutional care provided in the Czech Republic. In the framework of her research, she assessed 24 facilities in order to come up with a comprehensive picture of staff and their qualifications, typology of the clients using the services, main topics and activities being dealt with in the outpatient educational care centres. The conclusions of her research will be used to shape the Standards for Outpatient Educational Care Centres.

   

  • A Psychologist in Facilities for Institutional and Protective Education

Within the framework of this research, Lucie Myšková, Ph.D. developed a questionnaire mapping the role of a psychologist in the facilities for institutional and protective education. Psychological care provided by these facilities is not uniformly anchored. Some psychologists are working there as employees, while others only as external collaborators. The lack of psychological care is particularly evident in children’s homes; while juvenile detention centres report the highest number of psychologists. The position of psychologists was examined in terms of their education and qualifications, focus of therapeutic training, work experience, scope and contents of their work, and requirements and support that they might need. Based on the conclusions, recommendations for the area of psychological care were made.      

   

  • Analysis of Image of Institutional Care in the Czech Media

Researchers Kateřina Kňapková a Roman Petrenko studied and described the image of institutional care in the Czech media over the past 5 years. Institutional care in the area of children’s homes is perceived more positively than the preventive educational care. Children’s homes are mostly criticised for not securing enough educational opportunities for the children before their departure from institutional care. On the other hand, the efforts to create family environment in children’s homes are positively evaluated. Educational care centres are being mentioned in the context of safety of their staff and people living in the neighbourhood.      

  

EDUCATION

The National Institute for Education takes part in the improvement of quality and professional growth of many different groups of pedagogical staff working at schools and education facilities by providing courses concerning the institutional and protective care.