Qualitative research fieldwork for operational research on pilot of EU Child Guarantee in Croatia

The project is part of the third phase of preparatory work for the European Union Child Guarantee project. The overall goal of the EU Child Guarantee project is to ensure that every child in Europe who is at risk of poverty has access to free healthcare, free education, free childcare, adequate housing and adequate nutrition. The third phase is called Testing the Child Guarantee with the aim of eradicating child poverty and social exclusion for all children in Europe, and is being carried out under the leadership of the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO). The Child Guarantee pilot program is being implemented in four countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece and Italy) that are investigating models of services and interventions and in which operational research is being carried out. The pilot project in Croatia is aimed at children with disabilities and developmental difficulties and at children living in precarious family situations, including Roma children from vulnerable communities. The main objective of the project is to expand access and improve the quality of 3 types of services (service models and interventions): – Access to integrated child protection and family support services through parenting support and workshops for Roma families, and through child protection interventions (children 0-18 years old) – Access to inclusive preschool education (children 3-6 years old) – Early intervention services for children (children 0-7 years old). The pilot activities are being implemented in 7 municipalities of Međimurje County and should directly reach more than 800 children and 600 parents with services and interventions and almost 300 professionals with capacity building activities. Pilar’s team is responsible for conducting qualitative research through interviews with professionals on the processes of implementing the Child Guarantee service models and interventions in Croatia.