Practical work experience of Prevention Center Tootsi tuba of Estonian Society for Rehabilitation of Addicts with children problem behaviours.

This summary (Estelle Laane, 2000) is a overview of practical work experience of Prevention Center Tootsi tuba of Estonian Society for Rehabilitation of Addicts with children problem behaviours. The centre is mainly engaged in preventive work of criminal offence and drugs and rehabilitation of offenders and addicts.

The goals of Tootsi tuba work experiences and methods for dealing with above target group are analysed and described by using case-study method.

The work of the center is based on the theories of psycho-sociological and socio-pedagogical work where the personality of the child as well as the environment where the child grows up, develops and acts. In the first place is all-round communication with child through evaluated activities.

As working methods in Tootsi tuba, interviews, counselling, assistance in learning, work with family-, school, and other networks as well as alternative means of influence are being used.

The aim of the individual- and group work Is to influence of child/young person attitude, opinions and merits of treatment, develop his/her personality, teach and train pro-social skills to became an active member of the society.

The work with a child takes its beginning with achieving a contact and creating confidential relationship with her/him. It is followed by mapping out the child`s state and specification of his/her condition. These activities are effected by method and analysis of risk/and protective factors. Risk factors are influences of different life sectors detestable statistically more often in case of problem children, youth and grown-ups, they are statistical indicators of problem behaviours.

At the Prevention Center Tootsi tuba 228 assessment lists of children have been completed and analysed and risk rate and area(s) of risk of those children have been determined.

177 boys and 51 girls have been under research, of them Estonian speaking children were 141 (61,8%) and Russian speaking ones  87 (38,2%) respectively.

By the rate of risk the children were divided as follows:

With Low rate of risk: 13 children (1 girl and 12 boys);

With medium rate of risk: 63 children (14 girls and 49 boys);

With high rate of risk: 111 children (24 girls and 87 boys);

With very high rate of risk (negligence): 40 children (12 girls and 28 boys).

The research also specifies different risk factors for children/youth:

92,5% of children had experienced violence;

90, 4% complained of health problems;

81,1% of children had domicile problems;

76,8% of children lived in poverty;

76,8% had problems at school;

73,7% of children are drug addicts;

68% of children lived separately from biological parents;

60,1% suffered from parents`s alcoholism;

55,3% of children had infringement of law;

12,7 % of children had had risky sexual experience.

From above follows that due to bad situation at home the children are practically neglected, not cared for and defenceless (it making them socially disadvantaged), often treated with violence, and in bad state of health, having practically lost association with school.

The subsequent work with children includes making up the plan of actions where the risk factors and  areas are considered. Different specialists of various areas are going to work with a child on team-work principle (counsellors, social therapeut, psychologist, social teacher, tutor, psychiatrist). The child`s parents/guardians, the teacher (if possible) , a child protection officer and other necessary person are involved in the work.

The experience of Tootsi tuba shows that in the work with children with problem behaviour such team work method has proved be a success which assists to development of social skills, teach them communicative habits and performs various roles, discharge their emotions, try new patterns of behaviour.

Very important for helping child with problem behaviours is co-operation of the social network where the functions of different parts of this network have been determined with issuing from it rights, commitments and liabilities. Structuring of this work shall also be necessary which means clear formulation of goals, determining criteria, choice of proper methods and co-ordination work.

All children with problem behaviours should be included in the list of child protector s databases, their problems made known and directed to proper provider of service for getting help.

The problem which still exist and it also been expressed in this work, is that in Estonia, at present, the network activities are weakly developed and not co-ordinated. Especially it shows in the area of work with neglected by parents and not behaving according to norms children.

All matters referring to children is the concern of areas for child`s protection and care. Material updating has to be done in child protection work and considerably enhance personal liability of child protection specialists for the work with children.

Tootsi tuba as a model could became a possible alternative of practical realisation of systematic and qualified of preventive work in the field of criminal- and drug prevention for those working with children with problem behaviours.

The above mentioned research work might become handy in organisation and performance of preventive work on local level. It is task of local municipal authorities to organize and co-ordinate through social aid and  service as well as the juvenile commissions prevention work on their territories.

As a model of work, Tootsi tuba could be appropriate for work with delinquents and addicted children as much attention is being given to full-filment of social- and youth programs, encouragement of different specialists to participate in helping children. As such it would be a medium to juvenile commissions.

In the future the experience of local governments could be extended to city or county level constituting one network of activities with children with problem behaviours. Our tomorrow is depending on the situation of our children today. The children are adults of the future.

Estelle Laane

Tootsi Tuba

Angerja street 14, 10416 Tallinn, ESTONIA

Tel/fax: 37 2 6603216

e-mail: estelle.laane@mail.ee, http://www.hot.ee/varjutoots/