Miracle Encounters: Creating Connections for Children and Youth without Families

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The main objective of this Technical Cooperation would be to implement a KI's model pilot program, adapted to the Colombian reality, for abandoned older children and youth that reduces the time a child is institutionalized and allows them to become productive, stable adults. Specific objectives of this TC would be to: i) introduce a Family Visit Model in the Colombian Child Welfare system; ii) build capacity of Colombian social workers in private child placing agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations to implement and support the Kidsave Colombia Family Visit Model; and iii) increase long-term connections, through adoption and mentoring, between abandoned children living in public institutions and caring, stable adults. The pilot program is composed of the following four components: i) Capacity building and training of social workers, administrators, volunteers and other key personnel dealing with the beneficiaries; iii) delivery of the mentoring, family visits and family support programs; iii) communications, networking and awareness campaign; and iv) monitoring and evaluation.