Students from France visit “The Smile of the Child” and its services for children
22 May 2017
A group of students of the Master Program “Family Education and Social Intervention” at the University of Nanterre in Paris visited Greece and “The Smile of the Child” on 9-11 May. The President of the Conference of the INGO’s of the Council of Europe Professor Anna Rurka accompanied the students to the premises of the Organization. “The Smile of the Child” cooperates with the Conference of the INGO of the CoE on the international level in the area of child protection.
The aim of the visit is to inform the students on the impact of the austerity measures in the daily reality of social workers in Greece through the exchange of views and experience of the scientific personnel of the organization.
The team visited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children where they were informed on the actions of the Organization. Special emphasis was given to Childlines operated by “The Smile of the Child” and the role of the social workers in the provision of services to children and families in need. The students of Nanterre University had also the opportunity to visit one of the Homes of the Organization where our children and the staff warmly welcomed them.
The visitors showed particular interest in learning more about the model of the homes of the Organization and the responsibilities of their social workers. The first day of the visit also included a visit to a Support Center for Children and Families where the team was informed on the way “The Smile of the Child” responds to the increasing number of needs for families with children.
In the second day the team of the students visited the Department of Medical Support to children with health problems of the Organization. Our social workers shared their experiences on their work and the health system in Greece and France. In addition they had the opportunity to visit the Day Center (Child Advocacy Center) for children victims of violence and learned about its operation, the provided services, the relevant procedures and the legal context in Greece.
