Over 6,000 specialists from across the country will be trained by the end of 2025 on how to efficiently handle cases of violence against children

This training program is part of the "Protection of Children in Risk Situations" project, funded by the European Union through the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO). 

In child protection, a community-level multidisciplinary team is a group of professionals from various fields (social workers, medical workers, police officers, educators, local authorities, psychologists, etc.) who work together to address the complex issues in child protection cases. The main goal of this team is to provide integrated and coordinated support to children and families at risk, victims of violence, including domestic violence, those with disabilities, and more. 

"Our training program is essential for ensuring an effective and empathetic response to cases of violence against children. By training specialists from multidisciplinary teams, we aim to empower each professional as an agent of change in their community. They will gain essential skills to address these cases with sensitivity and competence, thus contributing to the creation of a safe and supportive environment. Every child deserves to realize their potential without fear of violence or abuse, and investing in the continuous capacity building of these specialists is a crucial step toward achieving this goal."

Flore Rossi, Child Protection Program Coordinator, UNICEF

The training program launched in 2023 and will continue until the end of 2025, with more than 6,000 specialists from 32 districts of the country, including the municipalities of Chișinău and Bălți, as well as the autonomous region of Gagauzia, enhancing their skills in handling reports of violence against children.

"Training frontline specialists in child protection is the foundation upon which the safety and well-being of each child in every community is built. Through continuous training, each professional gains not only knowledge and skills but also the power to transform lives. Each lesson learned becomes an effective tool for protection in the face of vulnerabilities and a step forward toward a safer future for society’s most vulnerable members." 

Mariana Ianachevici, Executive Director of the Association for Child and Family Empowerment "AVE Copiii" 

In 2023, 435 multidisciplinary teams received training and supervision, and in 2024 and 2025, an additional 800 teams will be trained. So far, approximately 3,000 individuals have been trained, of whom about 2,500 are women and 500 are men.

The training sessions provide participants with essential knowledge on the legal framework and responsibilities of child protection authorities, as well as skills for identifying, conducting initial and comprehensive assessments of cases of violence against children, managing protection interviews, and mobilizing stakeholders in developing and implementing individualized assistance plans, and more.  

The "Protection of Children in Risk Situations" project underscores the commitment of UNICEF and its partners to protect children's rights and ensure a safe environment for every child in the Republic of Moldova.