Mr. Andrew Urushadze presenting Khatia Sharikadze (EveryChild 
Social Worker) with her certificate.  Photo courtesy of UNICEF.

May 19^th saw the official ‘Graduation Ceremony’ of the first round of newly trained social workers under the USAID/ UNICEF project  ‘Strengthening Child Care Services & Systems’.  Within the framework of this project 50 new social workers have been recruited through EveryChild Georgia and Save the Children. They will play a vital role in the child welfare reform process in Georgia in the coming months and years, and 30 of the new recruits will be absorbed into the Social Services Agency from January 2012. Strengthening the role of social workers is a key aim of the project which will contribute to the continued success of reform in this sphere, the goal of which is to ensure that every child in Georgia grows up in a family type environment. Social workers will be supporting activities related to the closing down of all remaining large scale institutions, as well as boosting of alternative care services including foster care and small group homes.

Mr. Kent Logsdon, Mr. Andrew Urushadze & Mr. Roeland Monasch (from left to right). Photo courtesy of UNICEF.

Eleven social workers were awarded certificates at the ceremony for successful completion of an Induction to Social Work training course. The training has been facilitated by the Georgian Association of Social Workers on behalf of EveryChild Georgia and aimed to equip BA and MA in Social Work degree holders with relevant skills to take on social work functions. Two additional groups without academic qualifications have embarked on a more long term Foundation of Social Work Practice course, which will come to an end in September.  The ceremony was attended and officiated by Mr. Andrew Urushadze, Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs; Mr. Kent Logsdon, Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Georgia; & Mr. Roeland Monasch, UNICEF representative in Georgia.